The Daily Bruin

We are excited to announce that, on Friday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., we will be hosting our Community Fair on the quad! Please let us know if you are interested and willing to run a table for your department.

We will provide a 10 x 10 tent, one table and two chairs. You’ll provide any paperwork or other items you would like to be made available to students and family members/guests during this Welcome Weekend event.

Please complete this Google Form by Monday, Aug. 3, to reserve a spot. If you have any questions, please reach out to Daphne Simmons at dsimmons23@georgefox.edu.

This is a final reminder to submit your nominations for the 2026 Staff/Admin of the Year Awards! We invite you to take a few minutes to submit a nomination for a colleague who you believe is deserving based on one of the four categories listed below:

• Students First: Recognizes an employee’s exceptional commitment to student success, support, and flourishing
• Christ in Everything: Recognizes an employee’s exemplification of Christ-centered character, servant leadership, and the faithful integration of faith into work and relationships
• Innovation to Improve Outcomes: Recognizes an employee’s creativity and problem-solving that improves processes, experiences, or outcomes for the university community
• Outstanding Service: Recognizes an employee’s consistent, exceptional service, collaboration, and support to colleagues, students, or the broader community

Submit your nomination no later than Friday, July 31, via this link.

Thank you for helping us honor the exceptional work happening across our campus!

Check out the newest flash models! Google has launched Gemini 3.6 Flash, one of the three models we can choose from in addition to 3.6 Thinking and 3.1 Pro when working with Gemini.

Here is a summary of each:

• Gemini 3.6 Flash (new): A workhorse model engineered for high-speed efficiency and quality to scale agentic AI workflows. It delivers enhanced capabilities in coding, knowledge work, and multimodal performance, reducing output token usage by 17% compared to 3.5 Flash at a lower cost per token.
• Gemini 3.6 Thinking: A parallel-thinking reasoning model specifically designed for complex problem-solving
• Gemini 3.1 Pro: The optimal model choice for advanced mathematics, research, and intricate coding tasks

Learn more here.

Also …

• NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook: It has a new name but it’s the same product with additional updates coming for Pro users. Learn more here.
• New Google Meet homepage: The new homepage provides a centralized view of your meeting agenda and essential artifacts to help you stay organized and prepared throughout your entire meeting workflow. Learn more here.
• Check out Google’s Learning and Education page for tips and news for using Gemini AI tools in education.

What do you want to learn more about? Tell us by filling out this Gemini Interest Survey Form.

Finally, join us for the final AI Workshop in July, happening tomorrow (Tuesday) in Stevens 209. Bring your laptop and your questions. We’ll meet from noon to 1:30 p.m., but you are free to drop in anytime.

For more tips and resources, visit our George Fox IT: AI website or contact us at servicedesk@georgefox.edu.

Please be sure to share your appreciation for this year’s Milestone Service Award recipients by Friday, July 31. These are employees who have completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service at George Fox as of August 2026!

How to share you appreciation and gratitude:

• Submit your tribute: Please visit the 2026 Milestone Service Award Recognition overview document to see who is eligible.
• Be Personal: Share a story, express your gratitude or write a note of appreciation.
• Sign Off: Remember to include your name so the honoree knows who the kind words are from!
• Deadline: Please submit your tributes by Friday, July 31, 2026.

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

The Christ In Youth organization will be on campus for their MOVE Conference July 26-30.

This conference brings 600 high school students and their youth pastors to campus, representing 12 churches from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

As the new school year approaches, Providence Health Plan members can take advantage of exclusive savings through the LifeBalance program. Members receive a 10% discount for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years enrolled in KinderCare or Champions.

KinderCare delivers early childhood education to build foundational skills, while Champions offers structured before- and after-school care designed to support working families’ busy schedules.

Securing reliable care ahead of time ensures a smooth transition into the upcoming academic year. For inquiries regarding this discount or to explore additional LifeBalance benefits, please refer to the contact details below.

Contact & Support

• KinderCare Offer Details: Call 888-525-2780 or email Care@KinderCare.com
• LifeBalance Member Services: Call 888-754-5433 or email info@LifeBalanceProgram.com

Navigating housing and financial goals can feel overwhelming, but your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is here to help through Canopy’s Housing Support services!

Whether you’re aiming to boost your financial health with personalized coaching on budgeting, saving and credit repair; looking for rental support through emergency housing assistance and property alert notifications; or preparing for homeownership with down payment resources and discounts on buying or refinancing, your Employee Assistance Program Canopy provides free, expert guidance every step of the way.

Take advantage of these valuable resources today by visiting my.canopywell.com, calling 800-433-2320, or texting 503-850-7721.

Are you dreaming of owning your own home, or simply wondering what it takes to get there? You and your family are invited to attend a Free Homebuyer Education Seminar this Wednesday, July 29, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Sutton Community Room at the Friendsview Retirement Community in Newberg.

Whether homeownership is a near-term goal or a down-the-road dream, this interactive evening is designed for both first-time and repeat buyers to bust common myths, explore loan options, and map out a clear path forward.

You will have the unique opportunity to connect one-on-one with trusted industry professionals – including financial planners, credit repair specialists, mortgage lenders, and realtors – to get your specific questions answered and build a personalized roadmap.

The event is completely free for our employees and their families, but an online registration is required to secure your tickets, so please click this Eventbrite link to RSVP today! 

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is hosting Summer Visit Day on campus today (Friday). With around 450 visitors expected, we’re asking students and employees to help extend the Be Known Promise throughout the day. Here’s what you can keep in mind:

• Use street parking instead of campus parking lots (specifically Stevens and Hoover lots). Guests will be arriving on campus at 8:30 a.m. and will fill the main campus parking lots.
• All visitors will take a campus tour at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Be mindful of guests walking through the main buildings on campus.

If you have questions, email visit@georgefox.edu or call Lauren Hill at 503-554-2245.

We are still in need of volunteers for Welcome Weekend! This is our chance to welcome each and every new student as they step onto campus.

With such a large incoming class, we need all hands on deck as we each do our part to make students and their guests experience the Be Known promise. And who better to do that than our own faculty and staff?

Please complete this form if you would like to join our team to volunteer, and we will contact you with further instructions.

Questions? Contact Kara Holcombe at kholcombe@georgefox.edu.

Serve Day 2026 is set for Wednesday, Sept. 16, and preparations are underway!

A big thanks to the 305 employees who have already completed the “SD 2026 Employee Info Gathering Survey”! If you haven’t already done so, please complete it before Aug. 10.

We want to do our best to prioritize making serve site connections for you, our employee colleagues, that could encourage ongoing community service partnerships throughout the year – and over the years!

Also on the form, you can note any limitations and previous serve site connections or questions you might have, and we’ll take it all into consideration when coordinating this summer.

If you’re planning to be on sabbatical, family leave, or know of a significant change that will keep you away from campus during the week of Sept. 16, you can let us know using the form, which is essential for our preparations.

The next 50 days will breeze by, and before you know it, it will be time for Serve Day 2026!

Thanks again for modeling for our students the way to serve with passion both at George Fox and beyond!

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will be hosting Summer Visit Day on campus tomorrow (Friday). With around 450 visitors expected, we’re asking students and employees to help extend the Be Known Promise throughout the day. Here’s what you can keep in mind:

• Use street parking instead of campus parking lots (specifically Stevens and Hoover lots). Guests will be arriving on campus tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. and will fill the main campus parking lots.
• All visitors will take a campus tour at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Be mindful of guests walking through the main buildings on campus.

If you have questions, email visit@georgefox.edu or call Lauren Hill at 503-554-2245.

Recent Microsoft Windows security updates have created a critical incompatibility issue affecting all university HP laptops. Left unaddressed, the update can trigger “blue screen” system crashes, rendering devices unusable.

To maintain campus cybersecurity, IT must perform a mandatory, 15-minute BIOS/firmware update on approximately 300 affected laptops. Because this specific update carries technical risks, it cannot be deployed remotely and must be completed in person.

To minimize disruption, IT technicians will be visiting campus offices building-by-building to service devices directly. If your HP laptop hasn’t been updated yet, please bring it to tomorrow’s all-employee meeting for on-site IT support.

You can also schedule a 15-minute appointment at the Service Desk using this link.

If you have feedback, questions, or need to coordinate around summer travel, please reach out to the Service Desk at servicedesk@georgefox.edu. 

George Fox Athletics and the Chehalem Park & Recreation District are partnering to host Bruin Sports Day, a free clinic for second- through eighth-graders from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20.

The event invites kids to practice skills in a variety of sports and learn from Bruin coaches and athletes. Preregistration is required through CPRD and can be completed here. 

Please help us pass the word along! Reach out to Hailey Swenson at hswenson@georgefox.edu if you have any questions.

We are still in need of volunteers for Welcome Weekend! This is our chance to welcome each and every new student as they step onto campus.

With such a large incoming class, we need all hands on deck as we each do our part to make students and their guests experience the Be Known promise. And who better to do that than our own faculty and staff?

Please complete this form if you would like to join our team to volunteer, and we will contact you with further instructions.

Questions? Contact Kara Holcombe at kholcombe@georgefox.edu.

Show your Bruin spirit and be part of a favorite community tradition! Each year, George Fox participates in the Newberg Old Fashioned Festival Parade with a university float, and we’d love for you and your family to join us. This year’s parade is this Saturday, July 25.

This is a fun opportunity to connect with the community, celebrate George Fox, and enjoy the parade alongside fellow Bruins. Participants will help hand out candy, blow bubbles, and distribute other giveaways along the parade route.

Bring your family, wear your Bruin gear, and help us represent George Fox with pride!

You can sign up using this link. 

Questions? Contact Macey Lutey at mlutey@georgefox.edu.

Even when campus is quiet and students are away, maintaining focus through big summer projects, planning, and long workdays still takes sustained mental energy. Intentionally caring for our health and well-being matters in every season of the year.

If you want to boost your focus and mood through the afternoon, science offers a remarkably simple tool: the 15-minute sensory pause. Stepping away to a quiet, cool space to close your eyes cuts off nearly 80% of the sensory data your brain constantly processes. This swift downshift activates your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering your heart rate, releasing physical tension, and clearing away adenosine – the natural chemical compound responsible for afternoon sluggishness.

Research shows that a 10- to 15-minute rest period is the optimal “sweet spot” for mental recovery. Unlike longer naps that can leave you feeling groggy, a brief pause clears mental clutter without dipping into deep sleep cycles, giving your cognitive clarity a quick boost for the rest of the day.

Even if you don’t fall asleep, simply resting your eyes shifts your brain into restorative alpha and theta wave states. As you care for your health this week, take advantage of the quieter pace on campus and schedule a brief 15-minute reset – whether in your office, the chapel, or a shady spot outside – to sharpen your focus and refresh your afternoon.

Please be sure to share your appreciation for this year’s Milestone Service Award recipients by this Friday, July 24. These are employees who have completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service at George Fox as of August 2026!

How to share you appreciation and gratitude:

• Submit your tribute: Please visit the 2026 Milestone Service Award Recognition overview document to see who is eligible.
• Be personal: Share a story, express your gratitude or write a note of appreciation.
• Sign it: Remember to include your name so the honoree knows who the kind words are from!
• Deadline: Please submit your tributes by Friday, July 24.

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

The Hadlock Student Center is selling four commercial-grade Matrix treadmills. They are in very good shape, cleaned often, and recently serviced, with plenty of mileage left.

For specs, pricing and details, contact Kelsey Cantrall at kcantrall@georgefox.edu.

Join us at the Bridge Cafe for lunch this week! Tuesday through Thursday we will have a build-your-own salad or deli sandwich available.

You can also join us Tuesday in the main dining room for lunch. We will be open between noon and 1 p.m.

See the full menu at georgefox.cafebonappetit.com.