The Daily Bruin

The George Fox University community is invited to join the annual sessions of Northwest Yearly Meeting this week, including the workshops at 1:30 p.m. and the evening worship sessions at 7 p.m. in Bauman, where Superintendent Jim LeShana and Malone Professor David Williams will be speaking.

In particular, Paul Anderson will be presenting a workshop, “Evangelism in the Early Church: Lessons We Can Learn for Today,” from 1:30  to 2:30 p.m. Monday, July 21, in Ross 208.

Get ready for our upcoming all-community meeting on Monday, Aug. 18!

To make this gathering extra special, we’re turning over the menu planning to you. To Be Known means your voice matters – yes, even when it comes to what’s for lunch! Submit your suggestions for your favorite cafeteria meal and help us create a shared experience that reflects the tastes and traditions our community loves most.

We’ve created this quick and easy form for you to nominate your favorite cafeteria lunch specials. Please submit your suggestions by Friday, Aug 1, for a chance to have your favorite menu item featured at our all-community meeting lunch on Aug. 18.

Thanks for your help!

Nationwide is offering a series of insightful webinars, with options for everyone, no matter where you are in your career journey. You can register for upcoming live events to engage directly with experts on topics like managing taxes in retirement, navigating market volatility, and understanding Social Security.

Prefer to learn at your own pace? They also have a wide array of on-demand webinars covering essential subjects such as personal finance basics, cybersecurity, investing 101, and planning for healthcare costs in retirement. Spanish-language options are also available for both live and on-demand sessions.

Don’t miss out on this valuable chance to enhance your financial literacy and secure the retirement you envision. These webinars are designed to provide you with the key knowledge and tips you need today for a better tomorrow. Take advantage of these free resources to build a stronger financial foundation.

Providence Health Plan member: It’s peak travel season and you are covered with ExpressCare Virtual. Within minutes, you can connect with a provider for free*, wherever you are, on any device. With extended hours seven days a week, care is always within reach.

Learn more about all of our virtual care options and access ExpressCare Virtual.

*ExpressCare Virtual and ExpressCare Clinic services are free with most plans. High Deductible HSA plan members must first meet their plan deductible; then services are covered in full.

Providence nurses are also ready 24/7 to discuss health concerns. With ProvRN, expert advice and support is just a phone call away, ensuring peace of mind, anytime, anywhere. Best of all, it’s free to all plan members. Read more here.

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.

Summer is here and it’s time for you to explore all the benefits of the LifeBalance program. You can take advantage of exclusive discounts on more than 20,000 recreational, cultural, and travel experiences – striking the perfect balance of health and happiness.

Find more about your Providence Health Plan member perks.

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 this 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.

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.

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!