Who are the True Blue Bruins?
You hear school-affiliated phrases all the time …
“Win the Day”
“Fight On”
“Hook ’em Horns”
“Roll Tide”
These are the phrases that unite fans, students and alumni alike. It’s part of the fabric of those institutions. It’s how you greet someone wearing your school’s logo and it’s what you say to cheer your team on during the game. George Fox has never had a slogan of its own – a saying that embodies our institution and what we stand for. You could argue for the title of our 1905 school song, but “Close Beside Chehalem’s Mountain” is probably better for telling people where we’re located than what we’re about. “Be Known” is our brand promise, but it has a different application.
Last year, we introduced a slogan – “True Blue” – that fits us and describes the kind of people we claim to be as Bruins. The slogan is obviously used in athletic settings, but its use is intended to be broader. Individually, these words resonate with our university values. They remind us of what we stand for, and they become our rallying cry.
True
The university embraces the qualities of honesty, integrity, steadfastness and faithfulness.
We are about staying true to ourselves, our university and our Christian faith.
Blue
Blue is trustworthy, used by financial institutions and many well-known companies to convey stability and strength.
George Fox teams embrace a hard-nosed “blue collar” work-ethic, and our student-athletes have competed in blue uniforms for more than a century.
No matter the activities we participate in, no matter the classes we take or whether we live on campus or off. No matter if we’re students or alumni who have long since graduated. No matter if we never attended a day of school at George Fox but have loved being a part of the university as a friend. “True Blue” is the promise of commonality we give each other. We’re all Bruins together.
“Being a ‘True Blue’ Bruin is being true to the character and qualities that George Fox is known for. From the friendly community to the ‘Be Known’ promise, the love of God shows. I often hear those who visit comment on how friendly the people here are. The way I am a ‘True Blue’ Bruin is by keeping this standard by living out my faith in the things I do here on campus. I’m a peer advisor and do my best to make sure people feel known, welcomed and wanted at this place. I work in the language department for Spanish and work hard to be reliable and trustworthy with my responsibilities. And, of course, I’m a student and proud of my school. Go Bruins!” – Carson Tidland, Sophomore, Undecided Major, Peer Adviser
“This is my second year of being a resident assistant, and I’ve learned so much from the experience. It’s helped me grow in my faith, and I’ve learned so much about people and how to engage with them. The residence life team promotes the ‘True Blue’ mentality in everything we do. We are called to be honest to ourselves, our residents and our colleagues. We are called to be faithful to our God and our team and share that faith with our residents. We’re also called to be trustworthy with our residents so they can confide in us and open up about their struggles in life. If we weren’t trustworthy people we couldn’t do our jobs, and that shows just how much the resident assistant position is built on trust.” – Jordan Godoy, Junior, Engineering Major, RA
“My biology class is a joy to attend. Every day, my teacher (Dr. Schmitt) teaches in a way that radiates his love of the subject and excites his students to pursue understanding. In authenticity and the love of learning, this class embodies the spirit of ‘True Blue.’ Chapel also encourages the spirit of ‘True Blue’ because at least once a week we are reminded of who we are. Nothing could be more central to our lives than our loyalty to God and to ourselves. Thus, ‘True Blue’ (loyalty) is found in the foundation of our education and lives. The idea of ‘being known’ is a strong emphasis at George Fox, and in this tight-knit community of honest and faithful friends, I am known.” – Kate Cvancara, Honors student, Freshman, Biology Major
“As an elementary education major and a student-athlete, the concept of being a ‘True Blue’ Bruin runs in my blood. Every day, I walk into a classroom and have the opportunity to impact the lives of nearly 30 students. The way that I present myself and exhibit characteristics such as honestly, integrity and a strong work ethic impacts not only how my fellow students learn, but how they develop and grow into individuals who exhibit these ‘True Blue’ qualities as well.
On the lacrosse field, the ‘True Blue’ mentality is vital not only for me but for every one of my teammates. Every time I step on that field, I have the opportunity to get better and to put the idea of ‘True Blue’ into action. A ‘True Blue’ Bruin faces any obstacles that come head on. We don’t back down when the going gets tough, but instead stand strong and rise above them.” – Alyssa Poffenroth, Elementary Education Major, Student Athlete
