George Fox University (GFU) is a Christian university of liberal arts and sciences and professional studies located in Newberg, Oregon, United States. Founded as a school for Quakers in 1885, the private school has more than 3,900 students combined between its main campus in Newberg and its centers in Portland, Salem and Redmond. Graduate studies include psychology, social work, business, education, counseling, physical therapy and seminary. The 108-acre (0.44Â km2) main campus is located near downtown Newberg, near the junction of Oregon Route 99W and Oregon Route 219. George Fox competes athletically at the NCAA Division III level in the Northwest Conference as the Bruins. The school colors are navy blue and old gold.
History
The university was founded in Newberg, Oregon, in 1885 by Quaker pioneers, originally serving as Friends Pacific Academy for several years before becoming a college in 1891 as Pacific College. The Bruin mascot name comes from a real bear cub found in 1887, in the Coast Range's foothills near Carlton, about 15 miles (24Â km) west of Newberg. The cub's mother had been shot and a student from Pacific Academy found the young bear and brought it back to campus. Years later, the bear hide became an unofficial mascot for the senior class and other students often attempted to steal it away. After the hide deteriorated, a leather replica was created and called Bruin Jr. Students today still participate in student-government-sponsored class competitions called "Bruin brawls" for possession of Bruin Jr.
In 1893, the school was incorporated as a joint-stock company and became a four-year school in 1925. Herbert Hoover’s uncle Dr. H. J. Minthorn served as the school’s first president, and Hoover was an early student at the academy. The school’s name changed to George Fox College in 1949 to honor George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement.
From 1991 to 2010, George Fox provided each traditional undergraduate student with a computer. In 1996, the college merged with Western Evangelical Seminary to form George Fox University. Dwight Kimberly, an associate professor of biology, received the Carnegie Foundation's Oregon Professor of the Year award in 2000. Rhett Luedtke, an associate professor of Theatre, was one of just three faculty members chosen nationally to receive a National Directing Fellow Award from the John F. Kennedy Center in 2010.
The university student body has grown more than 500% since 1986, when enrollment was 549. With more than 4,100 students in Newberg, Portland, Salem, and at other teaching sites in Oregon, George Fox is now the second-largest private university in Oregon.
In 2014, prompted by a housing dispute involving a transgender student, George Fox University sought and received an exemption from Title IX's requirements with respect to transgender students.
In 2015, the school completed construction of a new residence hall, Brandt Hall, named in honor of former school president David H. Brandt and his wife, Melva. Construction work also began in 2015 on a new dining hall, Canyon Commons, that opened in the fall of 2016.
Academics
George Fox grants bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university is a participant in the Richter Scholars program, which sponsors 15-25 students per year to perform original research. George Fox offers study-abroad opportunities through the "Best Semester" program offered by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).
Undergraduate majors
Students may pursue a career in the following majors:
Accounting, Applied Science, Art, Athletic Training, Biblical Studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Christian Ministries, Cinema & Media Communication, Cognitive Science, Communication Arts, Computer Science, Economics, Elementary Education, Engineering, English, Entrepreneurship, Exercise Science, Finance, Global Business, Health and Human Performance, History, Information Systems, Interdisciplinary Studies, International Studies, Journalism, Management, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Music Education, Nursing, Organizational Communication, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Spanish and Theatre.
Graduate programs
School of Education programs include a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), a Master of Arts in Counseling (MA), a Master of Education (MEd), a Doctor of Education (EdD), a Master of Arts in School Counseling (MA), an Educational Specialist in School Psychology (EdS), a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MA), Administrative License Programs and both a Library Media Endorsement and Reading Endorsement. The university's School of Business offers full- and part-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree. George Fox also confers a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree and a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. A Master of Social Work (MSW) program was launched in autumn 2015.
In addition, Portland Seminary confers a Doctor of Ministry program in three tracks: Leadership and Spiritual Formation, Semiotics and Future Studies, and Leadership and Global Perspectives. Also offered are a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MA), a Master of Divinity (MDiv), a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies, a Master of Arts in Spiritual Direction, a Master of Arts in Ministry, and various certificates and specializations.
Athletics
George Fox's athletic teams are known as the Bruins. The university offers 17 varsity sports â€" nine for women, eight for men â€" and competes in the nine-member Northwest Conference at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level. George Fox offers baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field for men. Women compete in basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
After four decades in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), George Fox University and the Northwest Conference switched affiliation to the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1998.
The Bruins have enjoyed recent success at the national level. The baseball team won the 2004 NCAA Division III national championship, a game that was named one of the top 50 moments in Northwest Sports History by Portland radio station KFXX AM 1080, "The Fan." In 2009, the school's women's basketball team went unbeaten (32â€"0) and capped the season with a 60â€"53 defeat of Washington University in St. Louis in the title game. In winning, George Fox claimed the first Division III national women's championship for any program west of the Rocky Mountains. Head coach Scott Rueck was named the NCAA Division III national coach of the year. More recently, the 2011â€"12 and 2014-15 women's basketball teams reached the championship game of the NCAA Division III tournament.
Football was reintroduced as a varsity sport at George Fox in the fall of 2014 after a 45-year hiatus from the sport. The head coach for the resurrection was Chris Casey, brother to former Bruin and current Oregon State Beaver Baseball coach Pat Casey.
Student life
George Fox University is a full member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. As such, students sign a lifestyle agreement, attend required chapel/current-event gatherings, and participate in service projects. No statement of faith or religious preference are required to attend, although the student body is overwhelmingly Christian. Faculty members and staff are required to sign a statement professing faith in traditionally Christian doctrines.
The university hosts dozens of Christian speakers each year through twice-weekly chapel/current-event gatherings. Hundreds of students each year participate in Winter and Spring "Serve trips" throughout the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada. In groups of 10â€"25, students give a week of either break to provide volunteer labor for missions, homeless shelters, nonprofits, and other charitable causes. Faculty, staff, and students also participate in "Serve Day" each September. A weekday off from work and classes allows over 90% of eligible individuals the opportunity to volunteer at local churches, schools, nonprofits, etc. performing manual labor and maintenance work.
George Fox University is a center for Quaker thought, although only about 5% of the student body are Quakers, and houses an extensive library of historical Quaker and non-violence literature. The Northwest Yearly Meeting gathers each summer on campus and is headquartered adjacent to GFU. In 1984, the university founded its Center for Peace Learning, now known as the Center for Peace and Justice, as an outgrowth of its connection to the Friends peace testimony.
Campus locations
In addition to its main campus in Newberg, the university teaches classes from four locations:
The Newberg campus includes two structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One, Minthorn Hall, was built in 1886 and is still used for holding classes. The other, Jesse Edwards House, was constructed in 1883 and serves as the residence for the university president.
There is a variety of student housing available on Newberg's campus including 23 houses, 10 residence halls, and four apartment buildings.
Rankings
Forbes included George Fox in its 2009-10 ranking of the top 100 "America's best colleges." George Fox ranked 58th, highest among colleges affiliated with the then 111-member Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).
George Fox University is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a first-tier regional university in the West. According to data compiled by that magazine for its 2014 "America's Best Colleges" issue, George Fox ranks No. 58 out of approximately 1,800 accredited institutions in the nation in percentage of students (49%) studying outside the country before graduation.
In 2011-12, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine rated George Fox among the top four Christian colleges and top 80 private schools nationwide in its "Best Value" assessment.
Notable alumni and educators
Those who have attended or graduated from George Fox include:
- Cherie Buckner-Webb, member of Idaho Senate.
- Robert F. Burt, an American Navy officer who served as the 24th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy from 2006 to 2010.
- Ken Carter, high school basketball coach for alma mater Richmond High School (inspired 2005 movie).
- Pat Casey, head baseball coach of the Oregon State Beavers.
- John Davis, member of Oregon House of Representatives.
- Aaron Elling, professional football placekicker (transferred to University of Wyoming before graduation).
- Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline.
- Peggy Fowler, retired CEO of Portland General Electric.
- Herbert Hoover, thirty-first President of the United States (attended Pacific Academy before his admission to Stanford).
- Rick Johnson (writer), author and speaker.
- Dan Kimball, pastor and author involved in the Emerging church movement.
- John Lim, former Oregon politician and businessman.
- Gina Ochsner, American writer.
- Andy Olson, member of Oregon House of Representatives.
- Darleen Ortega, judge, Oregon Court of Appeals.
- Bill Post, member of Oregon House of Representatives.
- Rolf Potts, travel writer
- Robert L. Saucy, biblical scholar and professor of systematic theology.
- Daniel L. Smith-Christopher, theologian and author.
Those who have taught at George Fox include:
- Stan Bunn, Oregon lawyer and politician, former Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Mark O. Hatfield, former Oregon politician and educator
- Lynn Lundquist, former Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
- Leonard Sweet, Visiting Distinguished Professor.
Footnotes
Further reading
- Ralph Beebe, A Heritage to Honor, A Future to Fulfill: George Fox College, 1891-1991. Newberg, OR: Barclay Press, 1991.
External links
- Media related to George Fox University at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website