The Daily Bruin

The start of a new year often brings pressure to change, but we prefer to think of it as an opportunity to grow. To help you build a stronger, more resilient mindset, our Canopy Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers support that fits into your daily routine.

From one-on-one coaching to help you hit your personal goals to digital tools and self-guided resources for managing stress and finding focus, everything you need is right at your fingertips. By using the Canopy app for on-demand access, you’re not just checking a box – you’re giving yourself the space to feel more balanced and capable every day. You’ve got this, and we’re here to support you.

Find out more here.

Questions? Contact Aga Kasprzyk (akasprzyk@georgefox.edu).

All are invited to the 2026 Martin Luther King Day event at the Chehalem Cultural Center (415 E. Sheridan St., in Newberg) on Monday, Jan. 19. The event is being co-sponsored by the center and the George Fox Office of Inclusive Excellence.

The program centers around Dr. King’s “The Other America” speech, given at Stanford University in 1967, and includes music from George Fox students and a performance by a local dance troupe.

After the program, attendees will be invited to participate in:

• A community art activity led by Marvin Eans, assistant professor of art and design
• Singing of “Freedom Songs”
• A station for writing letters to state and national elected officials
• Conversation with representatives from local nonprofits that are making a difference in our community

The free program will begin at 6 p.m., with the activities scheduled to begin around 7 p.m.

Contact Rick Muthiah at rmuthiah@georgefox.edu for more information.

The annual Camp Fair is happening this week, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, in Canyon Commons!

Summer camps from across Oregon and California will be in attendance. If you have ever struggled to find summer work, or have a passion for serving in a camp environment, this is your chance to meet camp employers and secure some fun, paid work over the summer.

Be sure to swing by Canyon Commons anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. this Thursday. Bring your friends!

The annual Camp Fair is happening this week, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, in Canyon Commons!

Summer camps from across Oregon and California will be in attendance. If you know of students eager to find summer work, or have a passion for serving in a camp environment, this is their chance to meet camp employers and secure some fun, paid work over the summer.

Please encourage students to swing by Canyon Commons anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. this Thursday.

The Office of Spiritual Life is looking for staff and faculty members to participate in the SpiL Mentoring Program this spring.

This program provides an opportunity for students to have meaningful conversations about faith and life while receiving encouragement and support from a George Fox staff or faculty member. Students in the program will be matched with a dedicated mentor, with whom they will have weekly meetings lasting approximately one hour, spanning a duration of eight weeks within the semester.

The program begins the week of Jan. 26 and ends the week of March 16.

To support you in your mentoring role, we will provide a booklet with weekly suggested spiritual formation practices for you to engage in with your mentee. Additionally, there will be a training session prior to the start of the program to ensure you feel prepared and equipped.

We are looking for staff and faculty who would like to serve as mentors. If you are interested, please fill out this application by Friday, Jan. 16. Your involvement will make a meaningful impact on our students’ lives!

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.

Reminder: Student leader applications are due today (Tuesday), so if you are interested in serving as a student leader for the 2026-27 school year, make sure to get your application in by the end of the day! You can apply at this link.

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.

George Fox students are invited to volunteer at Friendsview Retirement Community’s Sock Hop on Friday, Jan 23, from 5:30 to 9 p.m.!

We’re looking for volunteers to help with set-up, tear-down, and to mingle with residents during the event. This is a fun and meaningful way to connect with the community while earning community service hours.

If you’re interested or would like more information, please reach out to Lilly Aime at laime24@georgefox.edu or Julie Nipp at jnipp@friendsview.org.

Richter Scholars proposals are due Monday, Jan. 26. The program 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.

The purpose of these funds is to support educational research opportunities that encourage the practices of independent thought, leading to independent achievement and personal responsibility.

For the purpose of this program, research is defined as a knowledge-generating activity that is designed to provide new information on a topic, tool or process, and that proceeds according to established and accepted research methods.

Before advising on a proposal, please read through the full proposal guidelines, eligibility requirements, and review criteria at this link.

All applications must be submitted through our Google Form link on the website.

For more information, contact Hannah Greene at hgreene@georgefox.edu.

Are you interested in pursuing independent study or research this summer? The Richter Scholars program at George Fox distributes funds to support student projects and research activities that are devised, initiated and carried out by individual student scholars, with mentorship, guidance and expertise provided by a faculty mentor.

If you are interested in participating, connect with a faculty mentor now to consult with them on your proposal application. Please review the full proposal guidelines, eligibility requirements and review criteria at this link.

The submission deadline is Monday, Jan. 26. All applications must be submitted through our Google Form link on the website.

For more information, contact Hannah Greene at hgreene@georgefox.edu.

If severe weather makes travel to or from campus unsafe this winter, the provost will make the decision to announce a shift to remote classes. In nearly all cases, classes will continue to be offered online.

In the case of a delayed in-person start, university offices will not open until an announced time in the day, most often 10 a.m. or noon. Students are not required to report to campus prior to the announced start time, but are expected to attend class online before the start time. If in-person classes are not held that day, students are expected to attend class online. You should expect to receive information from your professors on how to access remote learning.

The following is our process for announcing when there is a delayed in-person start or a shift to remote classes and work. The provost will make the decision by 6:30 a.m. for the Newberg campus and Portland Center for daytime classes or 2:15 p.m. for evening classes. Decisions on weekend classes and at the Redmond site will be made by the professor.

Stay notified: Here’s how to find out if a decision has been made when severe weather occurs:

• Visit the George Fox flashalert.net page. This is the first site updated. Enter your email address to create an account and receive notifications from FlashAlert Messenger.
• If you wish to receive a notification on your mobile device, download the FlashAlert smartphone app for iOS or Android. Either log in or create an account if you haven’t already.
• Listen to local radio and television stations or visit their websites (this info comes via FlashAlert).
• Call the George Fox University switchboard at 503-538-8383.

More information on this change in procedure can be found on our winter weather policy page.

If severe weather makes travel to or from campus unsafe this winter, the provost will make the decision to announce a shift to remote classes and work. In nearly all cases, classes will continue to be offered online and employees will work remotely.

In the case of a delayed in-person start, university offices will not open until an announced time in the day, most often 10 a.m. or noon. Students, faculty and staff are not required to report to campus prior to the announced start time, but are expected to attend class online or work remotely before the start time. If in-person classes are not held that day, students, faculty and staff are expected to attend class online or work remotely.

Those who cannot perform their duties at home should report to campus if they can arrive safely. If an employee cannot arrive safely or must remain home for any other reason, they may use a sick or vacation day to cover the absence. If no vacation time is available, the employee can make up hours during the same week or record the time off without pay.

The following is our process for announcing when there is a delayed in-person start or a shift to remote classes and work. The provost will make the decision by 6:30 a.m. for the Newberg campus and Portland Center for daytime classes or 2:15 p.m. for evening classes. Decisions on weekend classes and at the Redmond site will be made by the professor.

Stay notified: Here’s how to find out if a decision has been made when severe weather occurs:

• Visit the George Fox flashalert.net page. This is the first site updated. Enter your email address to create an account and receive notifications from FlashAlert Messenger.
• If you wish to receive a notification on your mobile device, download the FlashAlert smartphone app for iOS or Android. Either log in or create an account if you haven’t already.
• Listen to local radio and television stations or visit their websites (this info comes via FlashAlert).
• Call the George Fox University switchboard at (503) 538-8383.

More information on this change in procedure can be found on our winter weather policy page.

The Virtual Learning Center opens in week two of the semester. To schedule an appointment via Zoom or asynchronous, please click on the TracCloud icon on your Canvas dashboard or go to traccloud.georgefox.edu.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at vlc@georgefox.edu or call 503-554-2449 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The Community Life Fund will reopen for the spring semester today (Monday). Please keep an eye out for updated office hours.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email Janessa Antemann at slctreasurer@georgefox.edu.

All faculty: Register for the May Deep Dive Retreat, one of the best ways to conclude the academic year. The Deep Dive offers the opportunity to work on a project, delve into research, or dedicate time to a course in a serene and inspiring environment.

In addition to solo work, you can collaborate, rest, and play with your colleagues. For a more reflective experience, a self-guided spiritual retreat is available. Lodging, meals and camp activities costs are covered by the university.

Dates: Monday, May 11 (4 p.m. check-in) – Thursday, May 14 (9 a.m. check-out)
Location: Twin Rocks Friends Camp (Rockaway Beach, Oregon)
Rooms: Lodging assignments are dependent on tracks. Most people will be sharing a room with one person.

Offered Tracks:

• Track 1: Guided intensive to work collaboratively on your first Faculty Growth Plan
• Track 2: Guided intensive to work collaboratively on your Third-Year Review Portfolio
• Track 2.1: Guided intensive to work collaboratively on your Fifth-Year Promotion
• Self-guided: Open to all faculty to work on a professional project

Registration deadline: April 17, 2026
Questions? Email facultydevelopment@georgefox.edu

Students and employees are invited to reflect and serve in Portland on MLK Day! On the first day of our “Serve With Passion” re-emphasis week (Jan. 19-23), the spiritual life office would like to invite students and employees to join together for a day of reflection and service alongside SOLVE in Portland.

The event is set for MLK Day on Monday, Jan. 19. Please complete this form to register.

The day plan will be as follows:

• 9 a.m.: Continental breakfast and departure from SpiL House
• 9:45 a.m.: Meet at Irving Park in Portland for service and learning orientation
• 10 a.m.: Join SOLVE for MLK Day service project
• Noon: Lunch and discussion on houselessness and litter/garbage service
• 1-2 p.m.: “Walkabout” (prayer walk, distributing hot cocoa and socks, practicing presence and humanity with our unhoused neighbors)
• 2 p.m.: Debrief and drive back
• 3 p.m.: Arrive back at SpiL/Newberg campus

Undergraduate students who participate will be eligible for five SpiL/chapel elective attendance credits.

Contact Rusty St. Cyr at rstcyr@georgefox.edu for more information.

What better way to celebrate your return to campus than a giant open gym! Come to Hadlock this Sunday, Jan. 11, for a night of open-gym activities, tournaments and top-rope climbing between 5 and 8 p.m.

The courts will be set up for volleyball, basketball, Spikeball and cornhole, while the climbing wall will feature new routes for you to try out.

Please note the schedule change in the Hadlock Student Center for this weekend. We will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m.

We return to regular Hadlock hours this Monday.

Get ready for Winter Welcome today (Friday) through Sunday! For residential students, the residence halls will be reopening today at noon. We hope you’ll join us for a host of events over the weekend before the start of the spring semester.

Winter Welcome is a time for you to get re-acclimated to campus and reconnect before the start of classes this Monday. Check out the Winter Welcome schedule here. We’ll see you for a fun-filled weekend!