The Daily Bruin

The campus community, including students, employees and their families, are invited to join the university’s annual campus-wide Christmas Extravaganza this Thursday, Dec. 5! This is a wonderful time for everyone across the university to come together and celebrate the Christmas season.

The Extravaganza begins with a tree-lighting ceremony at 4:30 p.m., followed by activities and attractions that include carriage rides, baby goats, s’mores, fire pits, “Santa’s Workshop” in the Maker Hub, ornament and cookie decorating, music performances in the chapel, lots of delicious treats, and more! The event will go until 7 p.m.

Come join in on the festivities!

All faculty: To kick off the spring term, Brian Doak and Travis Ross will host a workshop in Canyon Commons 103 on Thursday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon designed to help faculty develop AI-informed assignments for their courses. AI-informed can mean that:

1) Assignments include scaffolding and metacognitive processes that make AI irrelevant, or

2) Assignments consciously and thoughtfully incorporate AI into the learning outcomes

Lunch will be provided after the workshop through the servery. Please fill out this form by Monday, Dec. 23, so we can plan accordingly.

If you have any questions, reach out to Michelle Kang at mkang@georgefox.edu.

Our dedicated retirement specialist from Nationwide visits campus monthly to provide free, personalized consultations, and will be returning to Klages 231 tomorrow (Wednesday) from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Whether you’re just starting to save, nearing retirement, or anywhere in between, this is a great opportunity to get expert guidance on your retirement goals.

Click here to reserve your spot for a consultation. Don’t miss this chance to plan for your future with confidence.

Reach out to Aga Kasprzyk at akasprzyk@georgefox.edu if you have questions.

Are you a certified fitness instructor or personal trainer looking for part-time teaching or training opportunities next semester? The UREC team at Hadlock Student Center is looking to hire students and staff to meet the high demand for fitness services. Interested in applying? Fill out this form.

If you have questions, please email us at fitness@georgefox.edu.

The Office for Spiritual Life is looking for staff/faculty members to participate in our “SpiL Mentoring” program this spring.

This program will provide the opportunity for students to have meaningful conversations about faith and life while receiving encouragement and support from a George Fox staff or faculty member. Students in the program will be matched with a dedicated staff or faculty member, with whom they will have weekly meetings lasting approximately one hour, spanning a duration of eight weeks within the semester. The program will begin the week of Feb. 3 and end the week of March 24.

To support you in your mentoring role, we will provide a booklet with weekly suggested spiritual formation practices for you to engage in with your mentee. Additionally, there will be a training session prior to the start of the program to ensure you feel prepared and equipped.

We’re looking for staff/faculty who would like to serve as mentors. If you’re interested, please fill out this application by Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. Your involvement will make a meaningful impact on our students’ lives.

Contact Cyndi Murillo at cmurillo@georgefox.edu if you have any questions.

Would you like to sell your art at the Christmas Extravaganza Holiday Hangout on Thursday, Dec. 5? All you need is $10 to rent a table and as much art as you would like to sell to fellow students, staff and the local community.

This year, Holiday Hangout is combining with the Christmas Extravaganza, which will feature a tree-lighting ceremony, carriage rides and lots of other fun activities. Our market will take place in Klages with tables for students and staff to sell their work. This event is attended by students, staff and Newberg locals, so all tables will receive lots of traffic.

Fill out this form to rent a table.

Events coming up:

• Christmas Extravaganza / Holiday Hangout: Thursday, Dec. 5, at 4:30 p.m. on the quad
• Late Night Breakfast: Monday, Dec. 9, at 9:30 p.m. in Canyon Commons

Contact activities@georgefox.edu with any questions.

We are still in need of several volunteers to serve as ushers at midyear commencement on Saturday, Dec. 14. We will hold two separate ceremonies in Bauman Auditorium: one for undergraduate students at 11 a.m. and one for graduate students at 3 p.m. Come help us greet our guests, hand out programs, direct graduates’ family and friends to their seats, and make graduation a special event for everyone!

It’s fun to be part of our students’ graduation experience, and all George Fox employees who volunteer to participate as ushers will receive a $50 gift card for each ceremony they assist with. Sign up for both ceremonies, and lunch will be provided too!

Please contact Laurie Fair at 503-554-2140 or lfair@georgefox.edu if you would like to volunteer to serve our grads and their families on this memorable day!

This is a friendly reminder that fall term rentals are due by Dec. 14 at the Bruin Bookstore. If you need to extend your rental or you would like to purchase your text, please stop by the bookstore.

If you have any questions, email Kristin McGuirk at kmcguirk@georgefox.edu.

Please note the accelerated payroll deadlines for December. Due to Christmas break, we will have fewer days to process the December payroll. Please have all check requests submitted and approved by Monday, Dec. 9. Employees with timesheets that span Nov. 16 through Dec. 15 should forecast their hours, lock, and have their timesheets approved by Dec. 9. Automated emails will be sent according to these accelerated deadlines.

Regular employee timesheets and student timesheets can be locked at the end of the month as usual. The student payday will be on Friday, Dec. 13, and the regular employee payday will be on Monday, Dec. 23.

Questions? Contact the payroll team at payroll@georgefox.edu.

Do you want your student employment paycheck to be deposited in your bank account automatically on payday? Come by the People and Culture office to sign up for direct deposit before you leave for Christmas break!

You can either bring a voided check or a printed direct deposit form from your bank that includes your name, account number, and routing number. Many banks have these forms available to print through their online banking website or mobile app. You can also fill out the Direct Deposit Form linked on our website and submit your proof from your bank to our Paperwork Dropbox.

If you aren’t able to sign up for direct deposit, remember that your paycheck will be in the mailroom unless you have put in a request with Mail Services to have your mail forwarded. Be sure to update your mailing address on file in MyGeorgeFox under the Profile tile if this is the case.

Questions? Contact our payroll team (payroll@georgefox.edu).

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday) in Hoover 250 from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. for a time of worship, listening to God’s Spirit, and seeking to discern God’s truth together. Jay Miller will be hosting. Chapel credit will be offered.

Please reach out to Jay at jaym@georgefox.edu with any questions.

Help the residents of Friendsview bring in the Christmas season by decorating the lobby tomorrow (Wednesday) from 1 to 4 p.m. You can meet in the main lobby of Friendsview at the start of either of those times and come and go as you wish. If you would like to RSVP, sign up on the Helper Helper app.

If you have questions, contact Atalia Fisher at afisher23@georgefox.edu.

Come down to the Gulley lobby on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 8 to 9 p.m., and grab a donut and some study tips with help from our friends from the ARC! Donuts will be provided. All students are welcome!

Are you interested in serving as a student leader for the 2025-26 school year? Now is the perfect time to apply! The Office of Student Life offers a variety of leadership opportunities in Spiritual Life, Intercultural Life, Student Leadership Council, Parent and Family Programs, Student Activities, Commuter Life, and Residence Life.

To learn more about these opportunities, visit our Student Life Leadership and Employment page. Applications are open now and due by Wednesday, Jan. 15. Apply today at this link!

Finals week is almost upon us, including longer hours in the library for many. To bring a little fun to finals, you are cordially invited to join the library for Spirit Week. Dress according to each day’s theme and help us share a few extra smiles in our space.

• Friday, Dec. 6 – Flannel Friday
• Saturday, Dec. 7 – Funky Hat Saturday
• Sunday, Dec. 8 – Christmas Sweater Sunday
• Monday, Dec. 9 – Pajama Monday (Study Day)
• Tuesday, Dec. 10 – Uncasual Tuesday
• Wednesday, Dec. 11 – Crazy Sock Wednesday
• Thursday, Dec. 12 – Twin Thursday

Don’t forget that you can book study rooms on the library website, ask for multicolored whiteboard markers at the front desk, and that the 24-hour space will remain open throughout finals week. Keep an eye out for coffee near Whiteboard Wednesday and know that we’re cheering for you.

Midyear graduates, we want to celebrate as many of you as possible on the George Fox social media pages! To participate, simply …

1. Get your picture taken at River Street House North (building 48 on this map) during one of the following times:

• Wednesday, Dec. 4, between 1 and 4 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 5, between 9 a.m. and noon
• Monday, Dec. 9, between 9 and 11 a.m. or 2 and 4 p.m.

If you can, bring your full grad regalia or just the cap, and ask for our photographer, Chris.

2. OR, send Jeremy Lloyd (jlloyd@georgefox.edu) an email with a nice photo of you (preferably in grad regalia)

That’s it! We’ll share photos during finals week and throughout the day during midyear commencement.

OPTIONAL: Want to share about your George Fox experience? Send Jeremy Lloyd (jlloyd@georgefox.edu) an email with a few sentences about your favorite college memory, how you’ve grown in your faith, how you’ve felt known, what’s next (a job, grad school, etc.) or anything else you want to share. Those who send both a photo and a quote may be featured individually on our social media pages, website, university magazine and beyond.

Thank you and congratulations on all you have accomplished!

The Department of Education has officially opened the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2025–26 academic year. The 2025–26 FAFSA will cover fall 2025, spring 2026, and summer 2026, and the application is required to be eligible for certain types of financial aid, including federal and state grants, student employment, and Stafford loans.

The financial aid office will be hosting several events in the coming weeks to assist you and your contributor(s) with the FAFSA and other financial aid questions. Look through our schedule below and save the dates!

Continuing Student Webinar
Registration is now open for our continuing student webinar taking place from 4 to 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9. We will cover important information about the FAFSA, financial aid timelines, scholarships, loans, professional judgments, anticipated charges, and more.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions of our financial aid team throughout the presentation, and our slides will be emailed to registrants afterward. Follow the link below to sign up: Bruins Beyond Year One: Financial Aid for Returning Students.

FAFSA Workshops
If you need help completing your FAFSA, you can attend one of our upcoming workshops tomorrow (Tuesday), Dec. 3, or Jan. 21. Bring your laptop to Canyon Commons 101 from 5 to 7 p.m., grab some dinner, and get your questions answered by a financial aid counselor! Walk-ins are welcome, and registration is not required.

If you can’t make it, you can schedule an appointment with a counselor at this link or visit our office on the second floor of the Stevens Center during drop-in hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Share the joy of the Christmas season with George Fox Christmas cards! ‘Tis the season to send some cheer! George Fox Christmas cards for the 2024 season have been delivered, and 100 are still available.

The cost is approximately $1.40 per card, and envelopes are included. View the Christmas card cover and inside designs.

If your department wants to place an order, please email Brandy at bdonavant@georgefox.edu with your desired quantity and full accounting string (account code/fund code/department/program/operating unit).

May you be filled with the joy of Christmas this season!