Portland Center employees encouraged to attend all-employee meeting in person

June 13th, 2019

Contrary to what was reported in yesterday’s Daily Bruin, live streaming will not be available for the all-employee meeting scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, June 27, in Canyon Commons. Lunch will be provided for attendees following the meeting.

If your schedule allows, please feel free to make the trip to Newberg for the meeting. If you can’t attend, you have the option of watching a recording of the meeting at a later date.

If you have a shout-out you’d like to give a colleague at the meeting, you can do so at this link.

Plan to attend all-employee and all-community meetings

June 12th, 2019

Make plans to join your colleagues at the next all-employee meeting, scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, June 27, in Canyon Commons (with live streaming in PDS 160). Lunch will be provided for attendees following the meeting.

Although there is live streaming at the Portland Center, Portland employees are encouraged to attend the meeting in person, if possible.

If you have a shout-out you’d like to give a colleague at the meeting, you can do so at this link.

Looking ahead, the all-community meeting this fall will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, in Canyon Commons. The day begins with a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m., and lunch will be provided midway through the meeting.

Football camps take over Stoffer Family Stadium this month

June 12th, 2019

Know any football players looking to get in a workout this month? The university’s football program is hosting four camps under the direction of coaches John Bates and Ken Ingram.

Here are the dates of upcoming camps:

  • June 15-18: High School Team Camp
  • June 21-24: High School Team Camp
  • June 25-27: Youth Football Day Camp (Grades 3-8)
  • June 28-29: Individual Skills Camp

To learn more, visit this page on the athletics site.

Campus Public Safety offers water safety tips

June 11th, 2019

Is it hot enough yet? If the river is your choice of cool-down today and tomorrow, please be aware of these important safety tips before just plunging in! 

  • Most Oregon rivers are still cold! The Deschutes and the Sandy rivers are still in the 50s, and the Willamette is in the mid-60s. That cold water can shock your system and cause you to gasp involuntarily and to take in water and drown!
  • Wear a life jacket. Always.
  • Don’t leave children unattended around any body of water, even for a second.
  • Learn CPR and never swim alone (Campus Public Safety offers CPR/first aid/AED classes; call us at 503-554-2090 for details).
  • Never dive into unknown water unless you know the depth and that there aren’t submerged logs, strong currents or other hazards.
  • All boats, no matter the size, need one wearable PFD (personal flotation device) for each person on board. Anyone under 12 must wear it at all times.

If trouble arises, attempting to rescue a swimmer in danger is very dangerous and can lead to multiple drownings. Trained rescuers teach and use a protocol called “Talk, Reach, Throw, Row.”

TALK. Call 911, then talk to the person and see if you can coach them to swim to you on shore or to a boat.

REACH. Next, try to reach them by extending a branch, pole or inflatable boat. Do NOT allow them to grab hold of your body; they may try to pull you in.

THROW. You can throw a distressed person a life jacket, life ring, rope or any other object that will help them stay afloat.

ROW. If necessary, use a boat to get to the person.

Thanks to Wilsonville Police Chief Rob Wurpes for these valuable tips!

Sign up for web editor training session on June 28

June 11th, 2019

A training session for Cascade Server, the system used to edit the university website, will be offered on Friday, June 28, from 10 a.m. to noon.

This basic-level session is tailored for editors who have either not edited the website before or need a refresher on using the software. The session will be held in Stevens 307. Sign up using this form.

Questions? Contact Peter Crackenberg at pcrackenberg@georgefox.edu or 503-554-2138.

Please avoid parking in Hoover and Stevens lots today through Friday

June 11th, 2019

The undergraduate admissions office is getting ready to welcome its incoming class for Genesis! Please be courteous of our guests by avoiding parking in the Hoover and Stevens parking lots Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kelly Friesen at kfriesen@georgefox.edu or ext. 2248.

Oklahoma is today’s culinary stop along Route 66

June 11th, 2019

Bon Appetit’s culinary road trip along Route 66 will be featuring an Oklahoma menu this week.

Stop by for lunch today (Wednesday) between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and enjoy Indian fry bread tacos with all the toppings, Spanish rice, cowboy caviar, a locally inspired dessert, and a beverage, all for $7.25. We’ll be serving on the patio outside the Klages Center.

If you don’t already have a punch card, be sure to ask for one in the Bruin Den. If you visit us four or more times, you will be entered in a drawing to win a fun prize at the end of the road!

Comings and Goings

June 10th, 2019

Alumna Abby Buckles has joined the university’s William Penn Honors Program to serve as its admissions coordinator. A 2018 graduate of George Fox, from which she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology while participating in the honors program, Abby has worked extensively on campus since her arrival as a freshman. Since September, she has worked as a retail associate in the Bruin Store. Previously, she was a student employee in the psychology department (2017-18) and both a student intern (2016-17) and student employee (2014-16) in the honors program. She lives in Newberg with her husband Zak, a student in George Fox’s PsyD program. The couple attends Church of the Vine in Newberg.


The marketing communications office welcomes Missy Downs as a marketing campaign and event manager. She graduated from George Fox this spring, earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and has worked as a marketing intern and graphic designer in the marketing communications office for the past four years. In addition, she served as a resident assistant on campus (2017-18) and worked as an organizational aid and social media manager for the Newberg Bakery (2018-19). Missy also gained external work experience as a marketing consultant for the Newberg Rotary Club during her senior year. She lives in Newberg and attends Journey Church in Sherwood, where she teaches preschool children.


The following professors are retiring from George Fox this summer: Christine Austin (ELI), Bob Bredemeier (Art and Design), Gary Buhler (Art and Design), George Byrtek (ADP), Viki Defferding (Spanish), Steve Delamarter (Seminary), Jim Foster (Dean, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences) and Mark McLeod-Harrison (Philosophy). Buhler will return to teach on an adjunct basis.

After 20 years of service with Bon Appetit on campus, Denny Lawrence is retiring this summer.

Danny Cross (Athletics), David Kerr (Art and Design), Kelly Lafferty (Graduate Admissions), Steve Leijon (Business), Paul L’Esperance (Nursing), Danette Newkirk (Marketing Communications), Janelle Olivarez (Marketing Communications), Marcus Peters (Plant Services), Polly Peterson (English), Erica Ramirez (Seminary), Aida Ramos (Sociology), David Rawson (Business), Jon Schatz (Business), Grace Tissell (IDEA Center), Rebecca Valdovinos (ELI) and Gina Worley (Graduate Admissions) have left the university. Leijon, Rawson and Schatz will return to teach on an adjunct basis.

Movers & Quakers

June 10th, 2019

Seth Preuss is taking over as director of sports information after serving as assistant director of sports information since last fall.

Belinda Creighton has transitioned from the Finance office to working in Employee Empowerment, where she will serve as a lead payroll specialist.

Elrika Shaw has transitioned out of the plant services department and into a position with Campus Public Safety as an administrative assistant and parking operations manager.

About Our People

June 10th, 2019

The following professors have been awarded tenure, effective Aug. 15: Joseph Clair (Christian Studies), Dawn Ford (Cinematic Arts), Marcey Keefer-Hutchison (Physical Therapy), Gary Sehorn (Doctor of Education) and Cindy Zablotny (Physical Therapy).

The following professors have been promoted from associate professor to professor, effective Aug. 15: Tyler Cuddeford (Physical Therapy), Amy Dee (MAT), Dawn Ford (Cinematic Arts) and Brent Wilson (Computer Science).

The following professors have been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor, effective Aug. 15: Jason Brumitt (Physical Therapy), Anderson Campbell (Christian Studies), Pam Fifer (Nursing), Jing Hao (Chemistry), Jennie Harrop (ADP), Celeste Jones (PsyD), Daniel Kang (Physical Therapy), David Liu (Business), Sarah Southworth (Marketing), Sarah Stevenson (Library), Matthew Stump (Biology), Danielle Warner (Music) and Brandon Waybright (Art and Design).

Jim Steele (College of Business) was the keynote speaker for the annual Leadership Summit for YMCA of the Columbia-Willamette on May 13. Seventy-five executives, managers and supervisors from every part of the organization participated in a three-hour interactive session on the topic of “Coaching through Change.”

Ron Clark (Portland Seminary) was presented the Midori Hamilton Award by the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The award is given each year for an individual’s outstanding work in domestic and sexual assault service to the state of Oregon. Clark is currently with a mission in Colombia training clergy, military and law enforcement in violence prevention in churches and the community. His book Freeing the Oppressed, used in the past at the seminary, is now available in a new Russian translation to be used by advocates, law enforcement and clergy in Russian-speaking faith communities in the Northwest. 

In April, Rachel Thomas (University Archives) presented “ArchivesSpace 2.0: A Step Further” at Northwest Archivists 2019 with fellow archivists Steve Duckworth (Oregon Health & Science University), Zach Selley (Reed College), and Conor Casey (University of Washington). The presentation focused on advanced uses of ArchivesSpace, an archival collection management software to enhance intellectual control of archival collections.

Cherice Bock (Seminary) coedited Volume 6 in the Quakers & the Disciplines Series, entitled “Quakers, Creation Care, and Sustainability.” The book is set to release at the Friends Association for Higher Education conference in Philadelphia June 13-16. Bock contributed an essay and a coauthored essay to the volume. Craig Goodworth also contributed to the volume, and Paul Anderson (College of Christian Studies) serves as the series editor.

Be courteous of Genesis guests when parking this week

June 10th, 2019

The undergraduate admissions office is getting ready to welcome its incoming class for Genesis! Please be courteous of our guests by avoiding parking in the Hoover and Stevens parking lots Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kelly Friesen at kfriesen@georgefox.edu or ext. 2248.

Wednesday’s culinary journey along Route 66 stops in Oklahoma

June 10th, 2019

Bon Appetit’s culinary road trip along Route 66 will be featuring an Oklahoma menu this week.

Stop by for lunch tomorrow (Wednesday) between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and enjoy Indian fry bread tacos with all the toppings, Spanish rice, cowboy caviar, a locally inspired dessert, and a beverage, all for $7.25. We’ll be serving on the patio outside the Klages Center.

If you don’t already have a punch card, be sure to ask for one in the Bruin Den. If you visit us four or more times, you will be entered in a drawing to win a fun prize at the end of the road!

Find Your Fit employee health and fitness program now available

June 9th, 2019

Are you interested in improving your health and fitness? The Find your Fit employee health and fitness program will help you do both! 

This program is free to George Fox employees and only $25 for spouses. As part of the program you will receive a health assessment, including body composition, BMI, blood pressure, pulmonary function test, electrocardiogram, blood lipid profile and fasting blood glucose, as well as fitness testing. These measurements will then be used to help an exercise science student create an individualized exercise prescription for you designed to reach your health and fitness goals. 

Due to limited availability, we can only accept the first 40 people this fall semester. Please contact Mary Imboden (mimboden@georgefox.edu) if interested.

Physical therapy clinic is open over the summer

June 9th, 2019

George Fox University’s Physical Therapy Clinic is open now and all summer long to serve your needs. We provide care from prevention to after-surgery rehabilitation.

Our team of therapists are board-certified specialists in sports medicine, pediatrics and neuro-rehab. We can help you regain function, decrease pain and enjoy life more. Some of the common conditions we treat are sprains and strains of all body parts, surgeries to the extremities and spine, chronic pain and many more!

If you would like more information regarding our services, or would like to speak with a licensed physical therapist, please give us a call at 503-554-2479 or visit our website.

We are providers for Regence Blue Cross of Oregon and are out-of-network providers for most other insurances. We look forward to meeting you and helping you on your journey to well-being.

Please take a minute to fill out chapel survey

June 9th, 2019

The Office for Spiritual Life is interested in having employees attend chapel more regularly, so we’d like to collect information to help us know how to encourage employee attendance.

Would you take a couple of minutes to complete this five-question survey? If you have questions, please email Jamie Johnson (jamiej@georgefox.edu). Thank you!

Registrar’s office seeks your input on form terminology

June 9th, 2019

The registrar’s office is considering changing the name of the Application for Degree form in order to better communicate to our students what they are doing and why it’s important.

Please complete this short survey to let us know what terminology best communicates the goal of the form so students know what it is and why they need to complete it.

Thank you!

Make plans to attend summer barbecue on the quad tomorrow

June 9th, 2019

Join your fellow employees for our summer barbecue on the quad lawn at noon tomorrow (Tuesday). In the event of rain, we’ll be in Canyon Commons. The cost is only $5 per person.

Please RSVP at this link. Summer student employees are welcome to RSVP as well; supervisors, please email this info to your student employees.

– Hosted by the Staff Development Committee

Student life office seeking graphic design and hospitality specialist

June 9th, 2019

The Office of Student Life is seeking a graphic design and hospitality specialist for both fall and spring semester during the 2019-20 academic year.

Please look for the complete job description in Handshake, or contact Jere Witherspoon (jwitherspoon@georgefox.edu or 503-554-2316) in the student life office for more information regarding the application process.

Be prepared for upcoming hot weather

June 7th, 2019

We are in for a very hot week, so here are some tips for staying safe.

  • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
  • Learn the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
  • Do NOT prop open your doors. We know it is hard to sleep when it is hot, but propping open your doors puts the entire floor or apartment at risk.
  • Purchase fans for your room now before the local supply is exhausted.
  • Purchase wooden dowels and cut them two to four inches less than the width of your window panel. That way your windows can stay open, but intruders can’t enter. Close your windows before going to work and draw the drapes/blinds to keep your residence as cool as possible.
  • The temptation to sleep outside is great, but please consider your own personal safety and risk.
  • Don’t forget the sunscreen, wide hat and sunglasses!
  • If you feel faint, get out of the sun into a cool area and sip on water. Seek medical attention if symptoms don’t improve.

    – From Your Campus Public Safety Office

Portland Center employees invited to Newberg campus for barbecue lunch June 11

June 6th, 2019

Join your fellow employees for our summer barbecue on the quad lawn at noon on Tuesday, June 11 (in the event of rain, we’ll be in Canyon Commons). The cost is only $5 per person.

Please RSVP at this link. Summer student employees are welcome to RSVP as well; supervisors, please email this info to your student employees.

– Hosted by the Staff Development Committee