Klages Academic Center

The Heacock Commons (inside the Klages Academic Center) is named for the Heacock family. Everett Heacock first became acquainted with the university when he graduated from Friends Pacific Academy in 1903. He also was a member of the George Fox College class of 1907 but was forced to leave the college for financial reasons, returning back home to help his father in their business of woodworking. In 1917, he founded successful a door manufacturing company. Throughout their lives, Everett and his wife donated yearly to the college, at times contributing up to ¼ of their tithe. In 1955, the Heacocks provided funds for the first underwritten student scholarships in the college’s history. They provided scholarships that were specific to students from the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends, as well as for other students.Throughout his life, Everett was a member and major benefactor of Reedwood Friends Church, and he also served as president and treasurer of the Oregon Temperance League.

When the commons building was constructed in 1964, President Ross decided to name the building after the Heacock family, saying that “the Heacock contribution added up to so much over the years that we decided they deserved to have our newest building named after them.” Everett was invited to the groundbreaking ceremony for the building, turning the first shovel of dirt at the site. The Heacocks also provided $30,000 for furnishings for the building. Although the commons building has been remodeled and expanded throughout the years, now known as the student union building, the seating area outside of the Bruin Den still bears the Heacock family name, known as the Heacock Commons.

Esther Klages in 2004

The Klages Center is named after Esther Klages, who was a central Oregon native and an alumna of the George Fox College. After graduating, she worked in church mission programs in Southern California in the 1930s. In 1984, after her husband Henry had died a few years earlier, she moved back to Newberg to retire at Friendsview. Here, she befriended students, cheered on the basketball teams, and even helped out with odd jobs and projects around the college, sometimes even lending a hand to stuff envelopes for mailing. David Brandt once described Klages, “she was intensely interested in the things of God. That’s why George Fox was her place – because of our Christ-centered mission. Her purpose in life was to be a Godly person.”

Because of her interest and generosity, Klages donated nearly $2 million to the university over the years. In 1990, she gave $126,000 to help fund the construction of the centennial tower in the middle of the quad. Her donations also made the period light poles with flowering baskets around campus possible. In 1991, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the college. She initially turned it down, saying that she hadn’t done anything to deserve it, but eventually accepted the honor. She was so involved in the university that for her 100th birthday in 2004, the whole university celebrated with her by inviting her to chapel and gathering over 1,000 students to sing Happy Birthday to her. She passed away in 2005, but her legacy to the university is carried on in the Klages dining room of the student union building and the Klages plaza in front of the Stevens building.

The Klages Center was constructed in many phases, originally built in 1958, complete with a fish pond outside that was donated by the class of 1956. It was used primarily as a student hangout spot, complete with a Hi-Fi record set and a TV. There were strict rules and regulations for the use and operation of the building. The students were responsible for maintaining and cleaning the building entirely themselves, and certain classes were given specific duties within the building.

The Heacock Commons, the building’s first dining room, was added to the building in 1964, and at this point, the fish pond was incorporated into the building as it was enlarged. The building also went through renovations and expansions in 1979 and 1994. In 2013, The Bruin Den area of the Commons underwent a renovation that included the removal of the fish pond and the opening of a new cafe called Bruin Bites. These changes were made to create more dining space and to give students quicker food options. The FoxHole student area downstairs in the Commons was also remodeled at this time.

The building underwent massive changes in the summer of 2016 as well. The previous dining room, nicknamed “The Bone” after the food service company that ran it (Bon Appetit) has been converted to house the Center for Engineering Design and Innovation. This space now houses a machine and woodworking shop, manufacturing and prototyping labs, and a design room.

Today, the Klages Center houses the Center for Engineering Design and Innovation, the Bruin Den, the Bruin Bites Cafe, the FoxHole student hangout area, the university’s Bruin Store for textbooks and GFU merchandise, the ASC Student Offices, facilities for the student radio station, yearbook, and newspaper, and some student mailboxes.