George Fox alumnus returns to discuss his breakthrough research

Sunday, September 18th, 2022

One of our graduates is on the brink of changing how doctors treat chronic cardiac disease. Joel Rurik, a 2016 graduate of George Fox’s biology program, will explain the details of his research in a lecture all are welcome to attend on Monday, Sept. 26, at 3 p.m. in Hoover 105.

Rurik is now a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, where he does cutting-edge gene therapy research. Most recently, his team’s work was featured on the front cover of Science, the top research journal in the United States.

Cardiac fibrosis, a scarring of the heart, underlies most cardiovascular diseases and remains challenging to target therapeutically. Chronic cardiac disease often results in fibrosis, which negatively affects heart health and function. Therapies targeting this cardiac fibrosis remain limited, but Rurik’s research offers a promising and tractable immunotherapy approach for tackling fibrosis.

Contact Carly Reumann at creumann@georgefox.edu for more information.

Author Richard Foster presents inaugural Spiritual Formation Award on Oct. 3

Sunday, September 18th, 2022

Come see renowned Christian author, teacher and alumnus Richard J. Foster present an award in his name to pastor and fellow author Trevor Hudson on Monday, Oct. 3. The 7 p.m. presentation in Canyon Commons will be followed by Hudson’s keynote speech and a reception. Hudson will also speak at chapel the next morning, Oct. 4, at 10:50 a.m.

A selection committee selected Hudson as the first recipient of the Richard J. Foster Award in Spiritual Formation. The award recognizes those whose intellectual and practical work helps others come into an ongoing transformational relationship with Jesus Christ.

Hudson is the author of more than 20 books, the most recent of which, Seeking God: Finding Another Kind of Life with St Ignatius and Dallas Willard, was released in September.

Contact Carly Reumann at creumann@georgefox.edu for more information.

Register for Vocational Discipleship Group before Oct. 1

Thursday, September 15th, 2022

Organizations and institutions can seem cold and inhuman, somehow disconnected from the lives we lead. But the reality, especially in modern society, is that most of us are organizational beings. We work in companies or other types of institutions. We are members of churches and other civic organizations.

Join us this semester to explore “God’s Purpose for your Organizational Life.” Over seven meetings, we will seek to uncover some surprising biblical truths about human institutions. In the process, we will also discover that our lives can be more fully imbued with God’s purpose when we begin to appreciate that He is not just interested in our individual and family lives, but also our organizational lives.

This group is a great opportunity for students (graduate and undergraduate) who want to explore the integration of faith, work and vocation.

No outside preparation needed. All meetings will include a FREE catered dinner. Email Travis Pickell at  tpickell@georgefox.edu by Saturday, Oct. 1, if you are interested. (Space is limited to 12 students, so do not delay!)

Meetings will be held on Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Nov. 8, Nov. 22, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Location to be decided.

Come cheer on golfer Makensie Toole in LPGA tournament – for free

Tuesday, September 13th, 2022

The George Fox women’s golf team invites all George Fox students and employees to come cheer on junior Makensie Toole as she competes in the LPGA Portland Classic tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday, Sept. 16, at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club (2220 N.E. Marine Dr.).

George Fox students and employees are invited to attend the tournament free of charge! Simply show your Fox ID for free admission to the oldest continuous event on the LPGA Tour. Check the LPGA site for pairings and tee times.

Please contact Head Coach MaryJo McCloskey at mmccloskey@georgefox.edu with any questions.

Always be prepared for an emergency

Tuesday, September 13th, 2022

It is always good to be prepared for an emergency! Check out the following links for some basic emergency tools, tips, and resources.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Campus Public Safety or the student life office. Be well!

Join suicide prevention seminar via Zoom Oct. 3-4

Tuesday, September 13th, 2022

Join us on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 3-4, for the Interprofessional Primary Care Institute’s Strengthening Team™ Ethics & Legal Considerations Suicide Prevention two-day event.

Day 1: We will explore safety, security, risk and common ethical and legal concerns in healthcare practice, followed by applying these concepts to emerging roles in primary care (behavioral health clinicians and culturally responsive community health workers). We will share experiences of power differentials in high-quality primary care early adopters.

Day 2: Kent Corso, PsyD, will present “Proactive Reduction of Suicide in Populations via Evidence-Based Research.” After that, we will discuss suicide in healthcare workers, as well as a system-wide approach to suicide prevention in primary care sustained since 2011.

If you would like to register for the event, sign up here. Contact Tammy O’Doherty at todohert@georgefox.edu with any questions.

Join us on Zoom for suicide-prevention seminar Oct. 3-4

Wednesday, September 7th, 2022

Join us on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 3-4, for the Interprofessional Primary Care Institute’s Strengthening Team™ Ethics & Legal Considerations Suicide Prevention two-day event.

Day 1: We will explore safety, security, risk and common ethical and legal concerns in healthcare practice, followed by applying these concepts to emerging roles in primary care (behavioral health clinicians and culturally responsive community health workers). We will share experiences of power differentials in high-quality primary care early adopters.

Day 2: Kent Corso, PsyD, will present “Proactive Reduction of Suicide in Populations via Evidence-Based Research.” After that, we will discuss suicide in healthcare workers, as well as a system-wide approach to suicide prevention in primary care sustained since 2011.

If you would like to register for the event, sign up here. Contact Tammy O’Doherty at todohert@georgefox.edu with any questions.

Interested in doing research through Richter Scholars program? Connect with faculty mentor now

Monday, September 5th, 2022

Are you interested in doing research? The Richter Scholars Program at George Fox distributes funds to support student research activities that are devised, initiated and carried out by individual student researchers, with mentorship, guidance and expertise provided by a faculty mentor.

Students, if you are interested in doing research next summer, connect with a faculty mentor now so they can help you with your proposal. Before preparing a proposal, please read through the full proposal guidelines, eligibility requirements, and review criteria.

All submittals will be electronic. For more information, contact Vetta Berokoff at vberokof@georgefox.edu.

Disability and Accessibility Services hosts testing sessions this week

Sunday, September 4th, 2022

If you have testing accommodations and are unsure of how to schedule them, Disability and Accessibility Services is providing training this week. The sessions will take place in Murdock 020 on:

  • Monday, Sept. 5, 7:30-8 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Sept. 6, 3-3:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2-2:30 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 503-554-2448 or email us at das@georgefox.edu.

Starting a new on-campus job? Swing by HR with paperwork

Tuesday, August 30th, 2022

If you are starting a new on-campus job, please come to the human resources office with your new hire paperwork by your first day of work. You do not need to make an appointment; just come to 206 N. Meridian St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week, and we will be happy to help!

Don’t forget to bring your verification documents (a list of acceptable documents can be found on the George Fox website). Email Kelly Peterson at kpeterson@georgefox.edu with any questions.

Title IX prevention courses required of graduate and Connect students

Sunday, August 28th, 2022

George Fox University is committed to providing a supportive learning environment and fostering safe, healthy relationships among our students. This is especially true for a Christ-centered community such as ours that seeks to love God and others.

As such, the institution and members of our community will not tolerate sexual misconduct including but not limited to sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence.

We have contracted with Vector Solutions/Safe Colleges to provide training and education on these important topics. In order to comply with federal law, the Campus Save Act, all students, including those studying online at a distance, are required to complete the course titled “Sexual Violence Prevention for Graduate Students” by Sept. 26, 2022.

All students will be sent more information about this required course, including links to the online course.

The content of this course may be sensitive for you based on your past experiences and background. In no way is it our desire to be insensitive to you. While you will learn about numerous resources available to you, our Health and Counseling Center and Spiritual Life Office are here to support you. These are completely confidential, on-campus resources.

If you have any questions or if taking this course causes you to experience anxiety, please email our program administrator, Jere Witherspoon, at jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu.

Use site to look up details on classes

Sunday, August 28th, 2022

Class.georgefox.edu is a great resource for anyone needing to look up details on a class, including meeting times and location, teaching modality, enrollment limit and waitlist numbers, course description, instructor info and add/drop deadlines.

Just click on a class to see all the details.

DBA student seeks volunteers for autism research study

Sunday, August 28th, 2022

I am conducting a research study along with researchers at Boise State University and Northern State University. We are studying the experience of high-functioning autistic adults as they go through a job interview.

We are looking for anyone who is a high-functioning autistic individual, over the age of 18, and who has been through a job interview that is willing to be interviewed. The interviews will take place over Zoom at your convenience.

Our aim is to understand the lived experience of these individuals so that we can make recommendations to businesses and practitioners on how to make the job recruitment process more inclusive for individuals of all abilities.

If you would be willing to participate in our study, please contact Andrew Ellestad at aellestad@georgefox.edu.

Important federal student debt relief announcement

Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

The federal government released information about a student debt relief plan on Aug. 24. This includes:

  • The final extension of the student loan repayment pause through Dec. 31, 2022
  • Providing targeted debt relief to low- and middle-income families
  • Making the student loan system more manageable for current and future borrowers

We are currently awaiting further guidance from the Department of Education. You can find more information about the plan at studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement.

Important Note: The debt relief only applies to loans disbursed by June 30, 2022. This means loans for the 2022-23 school year do not qualify for this program.

To view your personal federal student loan and Pell grant history, login to your dashboard at studentaid.gov.

Questions? Contact Aaron Geist at ageist@georgefox.edu.

Be aware of phishing attempts

Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

As we get close to the start of the term, there are an increasing number of scam and phishing attempts around campus. These have primarily come in the form of emails and text messages. Often they are asking for wire transfers, advertising fake job postings or asking users to open documents.

So that you don’t fall victim to these attempts, please review the guidelines below.

If you feel you’ve received a suspicious email or text, check the following:

  • Check the sender’s address or phone number. If it is unrecognizable or something similar to, but not exactly the same as the sender’s normal email address, it could be a phishing attempt. Please note that a similar email address does not mean the original email address has been compromised; this is called a spoofing account.
  • Any link or odd instructions. If the email directs you to click on a link (even something familiar such as iTunes, etc.) or input sensitive information, it could be an attempt to get your password or other important information. Do not reply to the email or text. Always verify requests for sensitive data or transfers of money in person or by directly calling a known phone number.

If you feel that you have received some sort of phishing attempt:

  1. If you receive an email or text message that you suspect is a phishing attempt, you should forward it to servicedesk@georgefox.edu with an explanation.
  2. You should not click any links or open any attachments.
  3. When Google identifies that an email may be phishing or suspicious, they might show a warning or move the email to Spam.
  4. If an email wasn’t marked correctly, follow the steps below to mark or unmark it as phishing.
    1. On a computer, go to Gmail
    2. Open the message.
    3. Next to Reply <–, click “More” (represented by three dots vertically stacked).
    4. Click “Report Phishing”
  5. Request that anyone who has been emailed via the attempt also report it as phishing in their inbox.
  6. If you did not click on any links or reply, you do not need to do anything further.
  7. If you did click on a link or send a reply with sensitive information, you’ll want to change your password as soon as you can in my.georgefox.edu (this will automatically update your email password). Then go through the Settings in your Gmail account to look for anything amiss, such as an unfamiliar forwarding address, filter or vacation-responder that you never created.

Feel free to call the Service Desk at 503-545-2569 if you would like help walking through these steps.

Title IX prevention courses required of graduate and Connect students

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2022

George Fox University is committed to providing a supportive learning environment and fostering safe, healthy relationships among our students. This is especially true for a Christ-centered community such as ours that seeks to love God and others.

As such, the institution and members of our community will not tolerate sexual misconduct including but not limited to sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence.

We have contracted with Vector Solutions/Safe Colleges to provide training and education on these important topics. In order to comply with federal law, the Campus Save Act, all students, including those studying online at a distance, are required to complete the course titled “Sexual Violence Prevention for Graduate Students” by Sept. 26, 2022.

Next week all students will be sent more information about this required course, including links to the online course.

The content of this course may be sensitive for you based on your past experiences and background. In no way is it our desire to be insensitive to you. While you will learn about numerous resources available to you, our Health and Counseling Center and Spiritual Life Office are here to support you. These are completely confidential, on-campus resources.

If you have any questions or if taking this course causes you to experience anxiety, please email our program administrator, Jere Witherspoon, at jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu.

Mail Services seeks your feedback with survey

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2022

Mail Services wants to hear from you! Share with us how we are doing and tell us about your experience at Mail Services. Please use this link to fill out the survey.

Contact Richard Silver at rsilver@georgefox.edu with any questions.

Final call to register for Interprofessional Primary Care Institute’s CME event

Sunday, August 14th, 2022

Join the Interprofessional Primary Care Institute for a special continuing medical education (CME) event Aug. 17-19 on Zoom. Titled “Get Psyched!,” it is designed for all healthcare workers to assist in enhancing primary care behavioral health for all people served.

With rising rates of depression, anxiety, suicide attempts, substance use, etc. it is more important than ever to have robust, accessible and effective primary care behavioral health services.

Come hear about this transformational approach from Patti Robinson, PhD. Robinson is an internationally renowned psychologist, and we are privileged to have her as our institute’s innovation director. Joining her in the team presentation are Bhavesh Rajani, MD, MBA, Amber Nelson, PsyD, and Julie Oyemaja, PsyD, all of whom are experienced interprofessional primary care team players.

For more information or to register, please visit this page. Questions? Contact Tammy O’Doherty at todohert@georgefox.edu.

HR: Don’t forget your hiring documents

Wednesday, August 10th, 2022

If you plan to work on campus this upcoming school year, please remember to bring your identification documents for your new hire paperwork!

If have you worked at George Fox before you do NOT need to fill out more paperwork. For a full list of eligible documents (no copies!), please check the New Hire Paperwork Packet on the HR website.

Contact Kelly Peterson at kpeterson@georgefox.edu if you have any questions.

Final call to register for Friday’s ‘Welcoming Emotions’ course

Monday, August 8th, 2022

This is the last call to register for the August “Welcoming Emotions” course from 9 to 11 a.m. this Friday, Aug. 12. The cost is $49. You can read more and register here.

Email Michael Simmons at msimmons@georgefox.edu with any questions.