The Daily Bruin

Each year, the university honors the extraordinary contributions of our faculty, staff and administrators through our “Faculty of the Year,” “Staff of the Year,” and “Administrator of the Year” awards. Faculty award recipients received their awards this past spring; staff and administrators will be recognized at the all-community meeting on Monday, Aug. 18.

If you believe someone is deserving of this honor, please nominate them via this link! The nomination form will be open through Friday, July 25. Nominees will be presented to the VPs for final selection. Please help us honor your dedicated coworkers by taking the time to submit your nominations!

If you have any questions, contact Joe Thouvenel at jthouvenel@georgefox.edu.

It’s become our tradition to thank our colleagues celebrating a milestone work anniversary with a “Gift of Words.” These are employees who have completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service at George Fox as of August 2025!

We will be utilizing an online platform to help us honor your coworkers and friends with notes of encouragement, gratitude, memories, and even videos or photos.

Click here for a list of this year’s list of milestone work anniversary recipients, then click on names for a link to share your “Gift of Words” via the online platform. If you have any access issues, please contact peopleandculture@georgefox.edu. Please note: The deadline to respond is Friday, Aug. 1.

Important: Please reach out to Joe Thouvenel, director of engagement and culture, if you have any questions regarding the list of honorees or if you believe someone (including yourself) may be missing from this list.

Thank you in advance for making this an extra special celebration for our loyal employees celebrating a milestone service anniversary this year!

Join your colleagues and coworkers for our next employee worship gathering on Tuesday, July 22, from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. in the George Fox chapel.

Enjoy singing, a time of reflection and prayer, and fellowship with colleagues. These gatherings aim to provide an opportunity to worship together while promoting unity among our employees through our shared commitment to Jesus Christ.

For more information, contact Joe Thouvenel at jthouvenel@georgefox.edu or Debrianna Debolt at ddebolt@georgefox.edu.

Please join us in the Bridge Cafe for our weekly patio specials. With the hot weather, we will be inside this week.

This week, our specials are:

• Tuesday: Blackened swordfish tacos
• Wednesday: Supreme pizza
• Thursday: Beef and broccoli stir fry

We will also be open in the main dining room from noon to 1 p.m. If you would like to join us, please purchase in the Bridge Cafe and bring your receipt to the cashier stand.

If you have any questions, please email Katie Anderson at andersonk@georgefox.edu.

Come join the Intercultural Resource Center in saying hello to our new director of first generation student success, Karla Chan Mendez, and in bidding farewell to Jesse Cetz, the outgoing director, before he leaves for his next venture at Vista Counseling & Wellness in Southeast Portland on Aug. 1.

Join this dual appreciation/open house anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. today (Tuesday) in the IRC. We will have light refreshments.

Providence’s “In the Kitchen” program pairs registered dietitians and professional chefs in heart-healthy events. You can register for this free monthly online series that offers new themes, engaging talks, cooking demos and recipes – ideal for summer inspiration.

They’re cooking up sweet potato pizza crust this Monday, July 21! Register here.

Join us on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. as we host our second annual Prayer for Oregon Schools event by the Centennial Tower in the quad!

We will engage in a time of worship, small-group and/or individual prayer, and fellowship. Bring your family and friends (as well as something to sit on) as we pray for the upcoming school year. We’ll pray for our K-12 and higher ed students, faculty, staff, parents, school communities, boards, leaders and more.

It’s our hope that people will join us as we step out in faith as the church and prayerfully invite the Lord into this area that needs more light – our Oregon schools. The event is open to anyone who has a desire to come collectively in prayer and bring our schools and the people who are in them to the feet of Jesus.

A guided prayer booklet will also be available for those interested in additional points of prayer for the event. Please do not hesitate to contact Sara Hahn-Huston, assistant professor of educational leadership in the College of Education, at shahnhuston@georgefox.edu for more information, or if you would like a digital postcard invitation to share with friends.

Get ready for some serious sunshine, because next week is going to be hot, hot, hot! While we all love a beautiful summer day, high temperatures bring the risk of heat-related illnesses. Your safety is our top priority, so let’s make sure we’re all prepared.

To help everyone stay cool and healthy, please follow the university heat protocol:

• Hydrate! Drink water every 20 minutes, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Time your tasks wisely: Schedule more strenuous work for the cooler parts of the day, like the morning.
• Seek out the AC: If your building feels too warm, head to an air-conditioned space such as Canyon Commons, Klages or the Murdock Library.
• Look out for each other: Between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., check on your fellow employees and classmates every hour or two. A quick check-in can make a big difference!
• Know the symptoms: Familiarize yourself with the signs of heat-related illnesses. You can find more information here: Heat-Related Illness Symptoms.

Got questions about staying safe in the heat? Don’t hesitate to reach out! Contact Kim Knoernschild, our environmental health and safety specialist, at kknoernschild@georgefox.edu.

Stay cool, stay safe, and have a great week!

Selling your home? Get an inside look at the top-10 things you should do to prepare your property and get the most for your home by watching a free Employee Assistance Program-hosted webinar at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 17. Sign up here.

Calling all parents of pre-kindergarten kids! The occupational therapy doctorate program is hosting a clinic for the purpose of helping children prepare for a successful kindergarten transition while providing hands-on clinical experience for OTD students.

Sessions, scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. each day between Aug. 4 and Aug. 8 in the university’s Roberts Center, will be led by doctoral students in the OT program, and all will be supervised by licensed occupational therapy clinicians and OTD faculty.

Our focus areas will be:

• Fine motor skills (e.g., writing, cutting)
• Gross motor coordination
• Social interaction and peer play
• Following routines and instructions
• Self-regulation and attention skills

There is no cost to participate! To learn more, contact Brooke Morris at bmorris@georgefox.edu or Kate Turner at kturner@georgefox.edu.

Come join the Intercultural Resource Center in saying hello to our new director of first generation student success, Karla Chan Mendez, and in bidding farewell to Jesse Cetz, the outgoing director, before he leaves for his next venture at Vista Counseling & Wellness in Southeast Portland on Aug. 1.

Join this dual appreciation/open house anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, in the IRC. We will have light refreshments.

We’re so excited to welcome our new students to George Fox University! In order to do this well, we are in need of volunteers for Welcome Weekend on Friday, Aug. 22.

If you’re interested in serving, please complete the Welcome Weekend volunteer survey here. Thank you!

Any questions can be directed to Welcome Weekend Coordinator Kara Holcombe at kholcombe@georgefox.edu.

We are excited to announce that on Friday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the student life office will be hosting our Community Fair! Please let Kara Holcombe know if you are interested and willing to staff a tent for your department.

We will provide a 10×10 tent, one table and two chairs. You would provide any paperwork or other items you would like to be made available to students or family members/guests.

If you could please complete this Google Form by Monday, July 21, on whether or not you are interested that would be helpful.

If you have questions, please reach out to Kaitlyn Bell at kbell22@georgefox.edu.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of our Be Known promise. You have likely seen a colleague extend this promise to students in some way. Please help us recognize one of your coworkers by sharing how you have seen them deliver the Be Known promise. We will record you sharing what you have witnessed in a short video compilation that will run at our all-community meeting on Monday, Aug. 18.

Please use this form to share an example of a colleague delivering the Be Known promise. Once submitted, Carly Reumann will follow up with you.

Thank you for taking the time to recognize the work of your colleagues!

Please join us in the Bridge Cafe for our weekly patio specials. Each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this summer we will be cooking up specials out on the patio.

This week, our specials are:

• Tuesday: Pork tacos al pastor
• Wednesday: Grilled burger
• Thursday: Smoked brisket sandwich

We will also be open in the main dining room from noon to 1 p.m. If you would like to join us, please purchase in the Bridge Cafe and bring your receipt to the cashier’s stand.

If you have any questions, please email Katie Anderson at andersonk@georgefox.edu.

Ready to buy your first home? Our Employee Assistance Program offers a webinar that will cover everything from the pros and cons of homeownership, the buying process, and how to prepare financially.

Join this free event at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15. Sign up today at this link.

Providence Health Plan members: From July 1-31, you can enter to win great prizes in the LifeBalance 2025 Summer Contest!

From exercise to education, travel to technology, popular attractions to pets, LifeBalance is here to help you save on the purchases that leave you and your family feeling healthy, happy and fulfilled. There are thousands in savings available to you, and we want to encourage you to explore all the program has to offer!

Find out more here.

Department of Human Services representatives will be on-site at the Bruin Community Pantry to assist folks with signing up for food stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits).

No appointment is required, and the hours will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on the following Thursdays:

• July 10 & 24
• Aug. 14 & 28
• Sept. 11 & 25

Stop by if you would like to speak with someone from DHS. For more information, please contact Jere Witherspoon at jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu.

Calling all parents of girls and boys entering the second through eighth grades! We are again hosting our Bruin Sports Day on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

Kids will get to choose their favorite sport and join us for a fun-filled afternoon clinic – completely free! They’ll learn basic skills from George Fox University’s very own athletes and coaching staff.

The event will take place from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the university’s athletics facilities.

Sign up and learn more here.

Do you have an upcoming lunch, dinner or event but aren’t quite ready to decide on the menu? Great news: Bon Appetit now offers a “Save the Date” function!

If you already know the date and time of your event, you can now reserve that spot on our calendar without finalizing the menu. This helps us plan ahead for staffing and ensures that we’ll follow up with you closer to the event to confirm details.

Try it out here: Save the Date on CaterTrax

Benefits:

• Secure your event date early
• Avoid last-minute service issues
• Gives our team time to prepare and support your needs
• We’ll proactively follow up with you for final menu details

Special Reminder: If you have any events coming up in August, please consider placing your “Save the Date” or full orders as soon as possible to help us ensure a smooth experience.

If you have any questions about this function, please feel free to reach out to catering@georgefox.edu.