We can’t promise every student will be featured on a billboard, but we can promise every George Fox student will Be Known – personally, academically and spiritually.
Recently we caught up with one of the stars of our latest billboard campaign – senior psychology major Justine Reid – to find out how she has experienced the Be Known promise. See her answers below!
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By Melanie Springer Mock, Professor of English
As the end of another semester swiftly approaches, I’ve been reflecting on my first months ever at George Fox, back in 1986, when I was a college freshman. That fall was a horrible one, and after folks had told me college would be the best years of my life, I silently suffered, because I couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong and why I felt especially miserable.
Conflicts with my roommate had made my dorm room almost uninhabitable, and I didn’t have the skills to navigate our different communication styles or sleeping schedules. The transition to college academics was also rough, and because I lacked the tools to succeed in classes, I maintained only a tenuous grasp on passing grades. Though I came to George Fox to run cross country and track, a serious medical condition, a major operation, and one week in the hospital that fall signaled the end of my season and my connection to teammates, the only friends I had made on campus.
Lonely, depressed, unmoored: I thought seriously of transferring. Only inertia kept me from cutting ties with George Fox altogether. I’m incredibly grateful that I decided to stay, because my college experience was ultimately amazing; and now, 18 years into my teaching career at George Fox, I can’t imagine anywhere else I would rather be.
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Over 25 years ago this week, I celebrated my first George Fox graduation, as a student. Just days before our processional into an already-overheated Wheeler gymnasium, I stopped by Minthorn Hall to say goodbye to a favorite professor. Yet as I stood at his office door, trying to tell him how much his mentorship had changed me, my professor refused to engage, keeping his head focused on his desk and the papers he needed to grade.
I couldn’t understand why this usually warm, friendly man had suddenly turned distant, and I left his office that day feeling perplexed and a little hurt. It only took me about one decade to figure out why my old professor had acted so disconnected: he couldn’t say goodbye. Or, more pointedly, he couldn’t say goodbye without crying.
Turns out, graduation can be emotionally difficult for faculty members, something I discovered my very first commencement as a professor at George Fox University, and rediscover every April, when graduation rolls around again. Read More
By Alexis Cavanaugh (Class of 2017)
Every year, George Fox sets aside a day during the first semester to gather together as a school and pray for our community. Serve Day starts off with breakfast on the quad followed by worship and prayer over our city and the people in it. After the morning session is finished, everyone goes out in groups into the community to serve for an entire day.
I think one of the many great things about Serve Day is how different each experience is every year for each student. This year is my third Serve Day and I was blessed to be able to serve with all the girls in the house I live in! We went to one of the Habitat for Humanity sites in McMinnville and got to clean up the site so the construction workers could continue building houses. Before we started working, some of the people who worked there gave us a tour of the site and the houses that were being built or were almost finished. It was neat getting to see houses that were in different stages of construction.
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By Heather Kurtz (Class of 2015)
This past month I had the awesome opportunity to represent George Fox University at two college fairs for high school students and their parents. With a great table layout and a head full of relevant facts, I was ready to use my education in marketing for our school’s benefit. After answering a plethora of questions and sharing my own “Be Known” story with others, I realized something so exciting: these high school students have no idea how George Fox University will impact them.
Putting myself in their shoes, four years ago when I was a high school senior, I remember being overwhelmed with making the most important choice of where my new home would be for the next few years. Read More
By Alexis Cavanaugh (Class of 2017)
No, I did not fail freshman year, nor am I finishing up some credits from freshman year. However, I am living in a freshman hall again. It all started last year when my roommate, Libby, applied for a resident assistant (RA) position. She had been hoping all year to get this job and we talked about rooming together again if she did. Well, at the end of February, she found out she got the position! She officially asked me to be her RAR (RA’s roommate) too! So from then on we made plans and got so excited for this year. Summer went by really quickly and we talked about how excited we were to journey with our group of girls this year. August rolled around and it was time to move back again. Read More
By Devon Halvorson (Class of 2017)
Recently my friends and I had the opportunity to see Kristian Stanfill and the Passion Worship Band perform on campus. Passion is a band, and also a conference, that travels around the country, encouraging student through worship and prayer. We were lucky enough to have them stop by George Fox and share in a night filled with music, dancing and prayer.
The night really began when the band started playing, lights began to flash, and students rushed to the front of the stage to dance and worship. The music was great and it was fun to see not only Fox students, but also other members of the Newberg community worshiping together. It was an awesome night shared among classmates and friends.
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By Heather Kurtz, Class of 2015
Serve Day is one of my favorite times at George Fox. Every year, we dedicate an entire day to serve others around our community. Students, professors and faculty come together and work to bless others, and in my case this year, to be blessed by others too.
Three of my friends and I partnered with a team leader and Faith in Action (a local non-profit organization) to help seniors in their homes for the day. The tasks we did for these people included washing windows, cleaning carpets, weeding and hooking up a TV. We helped three individuals, and all three were so appreciative and friendly, but Marilyn stood out most to me this year. When we were weeding her garden, she chose to stay outside and talk with us while we worked, telling us stories about her kids. It was nice to serve her with our actions, but also through conversation.
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By Tayler Main (Class of 2015)
Being a senior at George Fox has been great so far, and to top it all off, our football season has begun! On Saturday, Sept. 6, students gathered to attend the university’s first football game in 46 years! Hundreds of students showed up days before to pick up their tickets; no one was going to miss out on their chance to see history being made.
Being in the stands was a crazy event. There were faces painted and even a few full bodies. We all waited for the moment we could cheer on our team as they came running onto the new field.
George Fox has added two new sports in the last year. Women’s lacrosse played their first ever game last spring with the same support and enthusiasm from Bruin fans. Read More
Hometown: Newberg, Ore.
Major: Accounting
Q: How would you describe your experience at George Fox?
A: My experience at George Fox is one that I will always treasure and look back on. While at Fox I have been pushed and pulled in all areas of my life, shaping me into the person I am today. This was an amazing place for me to grow as a student, an athlete, as a follower of Christ and as a friend. I don’t think there is one person from Fox that I could attribute these to or who has had a distinct impact on my life. Rather, several professors, coaches, teammates and friends have all had a hand in influencing my life. That is one of the things that I learned during my time here; no matter how long your relationship may be with someone at Fox, they could have a huge impact on your life.
Not only was I able to focus on my studies at Fox, I was also able to participate on the women’s basketball team all four years and travel to Europe for Juniors Abroad. One of my favorite memories was definitely having the opportunity to participate in the championship game of the Division III National Tournament. It was an amazing experience – to reach your goal and see the fruits of all the hard work we put into the season. Every year I’ve participated on the basketball team has pushed me and shaped me into becoming a better leader, friend and woman of God.
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