Looking for a staff/faculty mentor this spring?

Sunday, January 4th, 2026

The Office for Spiritual Life is excited to offer the SPIL Mentoring Program, an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful conversations about faith and life with a dedicated George Fox staff or faculty mentor. This program is designed to support students in cultivating a growing relationship with Christ alongside someone who will walk with them through the semester.

The program begins the week of Jan. 26. Students will be matched with a mentor and meet once a week for about an hour over an eight-week period. Participants can also receive SPIL credit for being part of the program.

To sign up, please complete this form by Thursday, Jan. 22.

If you have additional questions, please contact the spiritual life office at spirituallife@georgefox.edu.

Live the monastic life for two weeks this May

Monday, December 22nd, 2025

This May, unplug and experience the monastic life.

The Monastic Life Retreat offers George Fox students a rare chance to immerse themselves in contemplative Christian traditions through direct participation in the daily rhythm of Western monasticism at Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey.

Over two weeks in May, students will join monks in prayer, work and study, practicing lectio divina and contemplative prayer, attending conferences led by different monks, and observing periods of communal silence.

Participants will also experience singing chants in the choir, community meals, and service activities, all while disconnecting from personal technology to deepen their spiritual journey in a monastic environment.

Here are some more details:

  • Info & Application
  • Apply by Sunday, Jan. 18
  • Retreat dates are May 11-24
  • Credit: 0-3 credits of THEO 485 Special Topics: Monastic Life Retreat
  • Cost: $1,375 covers tuition and two weeks’ room and board
  • Enrollment is limited due to abbey capacity, so apply soon!

For more information, contact retreat facilitator Bryan Boyd at bboyd@georgefox.edu.

Join us for an MLK Day of Service on Jan. 19

Thursday, December 18th, 2025

The Office of Spiritual Life would like to invite students and employees to join together for a day of service, learning and reflection. The event is set for MLK Day on Monday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Fill out this form to register. Undergraduate students who participate will be eligible for elective chapel credit.

Contact spirituallife@georgefox.edu with any follow-up questions.

Getting a new phone over break? Don’t get locked out!

Monday, December 15th, 2025

Unwrapping a new phone this holiday season? Make sure you update your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings to avoid getting locked out of your George Fox accounts.

How to Prepare Multi-Factor Authentication for a New Phone

If you have any issues setting this up, you will need to call the Service Desk at 503-554-2569 for assistance.

Please plan accordingly, as the Service Desk will be closed for the break:

  • Closed: Dec. 24 through Jan. 4
  • Regular Hours Resume: Jan. 5, 2026

Sign up to be a First-Year Experience guide!

Sunday, December 14th, 2025

Are you ready to be the difference?

We are looking for dedicated undergraduate leaders to serve as First-Year Experience (FYE) guides. FYE is an eight-week program designed to welcome incoming students and orient them to the Christ-centered mission of George Fox.

Through an engaging off-site retreat and weekly cohort meetings, new students make meaningful relational connections and are given a strong foundation for the rest of their college experience.

Why apply? Because you are the “X-Factor.” FYE guides serve a critical role in helping new students make personal connections with others and begin a process of spiritual formation and faith integration.

Your impact is measurable. While typical first-year students struggle with a drop in well-being, students in our FYE cohorts saw their satisfaction with life increase throughout the semester. They also saw a growth in an orientation toward serving others.

Your leadership meets the core need for relatedness, creating an environment of trust that makes growth possible. As one student noted, their guide helped make FYE “the place on campus where she felt the most safe.”

We aren’t looking for experts! We are looking for mentors who can model both vulnerability and competence. We need guides who can walk alongside students as they navigate the big questions like: What’s my story?, Where do I belong?, What kind of person do I long to become?, How do I follow God’s calling?, and How can I love others well?

Student guides receive one academic credit, a small ($250) stipend, and specialized training in spiritual formation, leadership and communication.

If you’re interested, please email Travis Pickell (tpickell@georgefox.edu) or Rebecca Sandberg (rsandberg@georgefox.edu). You can also indicate your interest on this general student leadership application.

Attend forum that uncovers a philosophy of attention in an age of distraction

Sunday, December 14th, 2025

You are invited to an Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) Forum at George Fox on Friday, Feb. 13.

Join us as we explore the profound connection between attention, skilled craft, and genuine freedom, drawing from philosopher-mechanic Matthew Crawford’s seminal work The World Beyond Your Head. We will examine the practices of skilled craftsmen to uncover a philosophy of attention that pushes back against a disembodied culture.

A Day of Discussion & Doing
This forum will be a mixture of seminar-style discussion and practical activities on a working farm and vineyard. Please be sure to wear work clothes!

All participants receive:

  • A free copy of Crawford’s book The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction
  • A free dinner at Lady Hill Farm

Space is limited, so sign up today! To learn more and/or to reserve your spot, email Travis Pickell at tpickell@georgefox.edu.

Google Workspace continues to add new AI features

Thursday, December 11th, 2025

Workspace Studio

Gemini as a collaborator is great, but when will it actually do things? This answer is…now! Get a taste of agentic AI as a co-worker that can act on your behalf.

  • Let Gemini highlight the most important emails from your unread backlog and send you a chat message with the details.
  • Let Gemini check your documents and send you notes to prepare you for that important conversation on today’s calendar.
  • Not sure how to get started? Just tell Gemini what you’d like to automate and it will build a starter flow for you. Examples are also provided.

Workspace Studio is available to everyone in the George Fox community!

AI Studio

Have you heard of “Vibe Coding?” With just a prompt, you can create your own app and include advanced AI tools!

Unlike our other Google Workspace AI tools, use of AI Studio is not automatically covered under our data protection agreement with Google, so its availability is initially limited. If you’d like to make an AI Studio app, please reach out to IT to get started! Learn more here.

Contact the IT Service Desk at servicedesk@georgefox.edu with any questions, or check the IT: AI website.

Bon Appetit hours shortened today and tomorrow

Thursday, December 11th, 2025

Bon Appétit’s locations will have shorter hours today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) as the semester concludes.

Today 

  • Canyon Commons
    • Breakfast: 7 to 10 a.m.
    • Lunch: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
    • Dinner: 5 to 6 p.m.
  • Bridge Cafe
    • 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Maker’s Market
    • 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tomorrow 

  • Brunch in Canyon Commons (final meal service of the semester): 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

All locations will be closed after tomorrow’s brunch and will reopen at the start of the spring semester. Canyon Commons will resume service on Friday, Jan. 9, with dinner from 5 to 6 p.m.

If you have questions, contact Katie Anderson at andersonk@georgefox.edu. For updated hours, please check the Bon Appétit website or their Instagram (@bonappetitgfu).

Pick up a free liturgy book from the SpiL office

Thursday, December 11th, 2025

Spiritual Life welcomes you to swing by Barclay House before you head off for break to pick up a copy of the liturgy book we’ve been using in chapel this fall semester. They are free for students, faculty and staff. Feel free to pick up one for yourself and another for your family and friends!

Please return dishes and green containers to Canyon Commons before leaving campus

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

While plates, cups and silverware should not be leaving Canyon Commons, we know that sometimes they make their way out. Before you head home for Christmas break, please return any items you’ve borrowed so we can keep the dining hall running smoothly. And don’t forget to bring back your green containers to swap for a carabiner!

Plan ahead to participate in a multicultural event from residence life and the IRC

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

Would you like to showcase your culture? In the spring semester, the Intercultural Resource Center and residence life will be hosting a campus-wide multicultural celebration, and we want you to be a part of it!

A portion of the event will include students expressing themselves through cultural song, dance and fashion in a performance-like setting. If this interests you, make sure you grab what you need from home over winter break (such as specific clothing or significant items).

More information will be coming in January about how to get involved, so stay tuned. Questions? Reach out to area coordinator Victoria Cole at vcole@georgefox.edu.

Christmas vacation to-dos: FAFSA and scholarships

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

Happy Holidays from the George Fox financial aid office! This year, all we want for Christmas is for you to get more financial aid in 2026-27.

Winter break will be a great opportunity to spend some time researching and applying for different types of aid. We’ve made a list (and checked it twice) to help you get started!

  1. The 2026-27 FAFSA is open and should be submitted ASAP! Have questions? Check out our FAFSA Frequently Asked Questions page and our Tips and Tricks for the FAFSA article, or schedule a FAFSA Help Session with your financial aid counselor.
  2. Oregon residents can now apply for OSAC Scholarships. One application grants access to more than 600 scholarships totaling more than $10 million! Need help? Check out our OSAC Scholarship Tips & Tricks blog and our OSAC Scholarship Guide!
  3. All returning traditional undergraduate students can apply for George Fox Donor-Funded Scholarships. Submit by Feb. 17 for the chance to win a $500 Early Bird Scholarship. Getting the application done early is strongly encouraged, as some scholarships require additional materials which will not appear until after the main application is submitted.
  4. Look through this Outside Scholarships page for links to regional and national scholarship search databases.
  5. Check out our Scholarship Resource Folder for valuable templates, tips and timelines. We have more tools than Santa’s workshop to help you build a great application, cast a wide net and increase your chances of earning scholarships.

If you have any questions, contact or visit financial aid!

Hadlock announces winter break hours

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

Please note Hadlock’s hours over the holiday break:

  • Saturday, Dec. 13: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 14: Closed
  • Monday through Friday, Dec. 15-19: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Weekends: Closed
  • Dec. 23 through Jan. 2: Closed

Regular hours resume Jan. 10.

Apply to be a student leader in the 2026-27 school year

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

Are you interested in serving as a student leader for the 2026–27 school year? Now is the perfect time to apply!

The Office of Student Life offers a variety of leadership opportunities, including roles in Spiritual Life, Intercultural Life, Student Leadership Council, Parent and Family Programs, Student Activities, Commuter Life, FYE and Residence Life.

To learn more about these opportunities, visit the Student Life Leadership and Employment page. Applications are open now and are due by Tuesday, Jan. 13. Apply today at this link!

The Bruin Community Pantry will be closed for Christmas break

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

The Bruin Community Pantry will be closed from Monday, Dec. 15, until Monday, Jan. 12. However, we will be open for a short period of time on Tuesday, Jan. 6, from 2 to 5 p.m.

Remember to return book rentals and order ahead for next semester

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

Friendly reminder: Bookstore rentals are due tomorrow (Friday). The Bruin Bookstore will be open Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for winter commencement.

Spring 2026 course materials are available, so shop ahead online and select “in-store pickup.” Your texts will be ready when you return in January!

IT update: Getting a new phone over break? Don’t get locked out!

Tuesday, December 9th, 2025

Unwrapping a new phone this holiday season? Make sure you update your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings to avoid getting locked out of your George Fox accounts.

How to Prepare Multi-Factor Authentication for a New Phone

If you have any issues setting this up, you will need to call the Service Desk at 503-554-2569 for assistance.

Please plan accordingly, as the Service Desk will be closed for the break:

  • Closed: Dec. 24 through Jan. 4
  • Regular Hours Resume: Jan. 5, 2026

Congrats to Advancement, winner of the 2025 Christmas Decorating Contest

Monday, December 8th, 2025

Thank you to all who participated in marketing communications’ annual Deck the Halls Christmas Decorating Contest. We were so moved by the Christmas spirit throughout campus! This year brought in 18 participating departments.

Congratulations to our winners! The top three placers were:

  • First place: Advancement (The “Rootin’ Tootin’ Best in the West” Award)
  • Second place: Finance (The “Internationally Acclaimed Christmas” Award)
  • Third place: Financial Aid (The “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Financial Aid Secrets” Award)

There were several honorable mentions across campus, including the Department of Education (The “Jim Henson Would Be Proud” Award), the Department of Social Work (The “Cozy Christmas” Award), the Maker Hub (The “Santa’s Workshop” Award), and many more.

And a huge shoutout to plant services for keeping all of campus merry and bright!

Be sure to swing by the various departments to get a look at all the work that went into making their spaces so festive.

Thank you!

Amanda Howard, Marketing, and the Christmas Committee

Swing by Chipotle today to support DPT’s service trip to Uganda

Monday, December 8th, 2025

Today (Tuesday) from 5 to 9 p.m., the Chipotle in Newberg will be hosting a fundraiser to support George Fox’s physical therapy service trip to Uganda!

There are a couple of ways you can support us. If you tell the person at the register you are there for the George Fox DPT trip to Uganda, your order will contribute. Another way is to order for pick-up online using the code EXC4LTL.

If you use one of these avenues, then Chipotle will donate 25% of your sale to our trip! Please tell people you know that every order helps!

Contact Evan Robinson at evanr24@georgefox.edu with any questions.

Check out the latest issue of ‘The Crescent’

Monday, December 8th, 2025

The Crescent’s fifth issue is here! Check out the latest news from your George Fox student-run newspaper at gfucrescent.com.

Sneak peek:

  • Does Anybody (Timely)Care?
  • Give Us a Break
  • Barli the BrED Dog

Visit our site today!