George Fox University is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Christian university in Newberg, Oregon. Founded as a school for Quakers in 1891, it is now the largest private university in Oregon with more than 4,000 students combined between its main campus in Newberg, its centers in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

, and Redmond, and online. The main campus is near downtown Newberg, near the junction of

Oregon Route 99W Oregon Route 99W is a state-numbered route in Oregon, United States, that runs from OR 99 and OR 99E in Junction City north to I-5 in southwestern Portland. Some signage continues it north to US 26 near downtown, but most signage agrees with ...

and

Oregon Route 219 Oregon Route 219 (also known as part of the Hillsboro-Silverton Highway No. 140 (see Oregon highways and routes)) is an Oregon state highway which runs between the cities of Hillsboro and Woodburn, Oregon, in the United States. The Hillsboro-Sil ...

. George Fox competes athletically at the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their st ...

level in the

Northwest Conference The Northwest Conference (NWC) is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are located in the states of Oregon and Washington. It was known as the Pacific Northwest Conference from 1926 to 1984. History ...

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 called Friends Pacific Academy for several years before becoming a college in 1891 as Pacific College.Horner, John B. (1919). ''Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature''. The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. p. 255. The Bruin mascot comes from a real bear cub found in 1887 in the Coast Range's foothills near

Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...

, about west of Newberg.Athletics at George Fox University: The Bruin Mascot
from George Fox University The cub's mother had been shot, and a Pacific Academy student found the cub and brought it back to campus. Years later, the bear hide became the senior class's unofficial mascot, 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. It became a four-year school in 1925.Corning, Howard M. (1989) ''Dictionary of Oregon History''. Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 98.

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...

’s uncle 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. Associate professor of biology Dwight Kimberly received the Carnegie Foundation's Oregon Professor of the Year award in 2000. Associate professor of theatre Rhett Luedtke was one of three faculty members nationally to receive a National Directing Fellow Award from the John F. Kennedy Center in 2010. The student body has grown more than 500% since 1986, when enrollment was 549. With more than 4,000 students in Newberg, Portland, and other Oregon teaching sites, George Fox is now the state's largest private university. 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 a new residence hall, Brandt Hall, named for former school president David H. Brandt and his wife, Melva. A new dining hall, Canyon Commons, opened in the fall of 2016.

Academics

George Fox grants degrees at each of the traditional levels of university education,

baccalaureate Baccalaureate may refer to: * ''Baccalauréat'', a French national academic qualification * Bachelor's degree, or baccalaureate, an undergraduate academic degree * English Baccalaureate, a performance measure to assess secondary schools in England ...

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

s, and

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...

s. The university participates in the Richter Scholars program, which sponsors 15 to 25 students each year in encouragement of original research. The university also offers study-abroad opportunities through the "Best Semester" program offered by the

Council for Christian Colleges and Universities The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) is a global organization of evangelical Christian colleges and universities. The headquarters is in Washington, D.C. History In 1976, presidents of colleges in the Christian College Co ...

(CCCU).

Athletics

The George Fox athletic teams are called the Bruins. The university is a member of the

Division III In sport, the Third Division, also called Division 3, Division Three, or Division III, is often the third-highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Association football *Belgian Thir ...

level of the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...

(NCAA), primarily competing in the

(NWC) since the 1995–96 academic year. The Bruins previously competed in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...

(NAIA) from 1993–94 to 1994–95. They had competed in the NAIA from 1965 before switching affiliation into the NCAA in 1998. George Fox competes in 23 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, eSports, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis and track & field (indoor and outdoor) for men. Women compete in basketball, cross country, eSports, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.

Accomplishments

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 (32–0) and capped the season with a 60–53 defeat of

Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

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 2011–12 and 2014-15 women's basketball teams reached the championship game of the NCAA Division III tournament. In 2018, the women's track and field team were co-champions with

University of Massachusetts Boston The University of Massachusetts Boston (stylized as UMass Boston) is a public research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the only public research university in Boston and the third-largest campus in the five-campus University of Massa ...

Football

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

. Students sign a lifestyle agreement, attend required chapel/current-event gatherings, and participate in service projects. No statement of faith or religious preference is 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 10–25, 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 literature. The

Northwest Yearly Meeting The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

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.Offices and Services: Center for Peace and Justice
from George Fox University

Campus locations

In addition to its main campus in Newberg, the university teaches classes in two other locations:

and Redmond. 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 classes.Historic Campus Architecture Project: Minthorn Hall.
The Council of Independent Colleges. Retrieved on October 1, 2008. The other, Jesse Edwards House, was constructed in 1883 and serves as the residence for the university president.Historic Campus Architecture Project: Jesse Edwards House (President's House).
The Council of Independent Colleges. Retrieved on October 1, 2008. A variety of student housing is available on Newberg's campus including 23 houses, 10 residence halls, and four apartment buildings.

Rankings

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 2011–2012, ''

Kiplinger's Personal Finance ''Kiplinger's Personal Finance'' ( ) is an American personal finance magazine published by Kiplinger since 1947. It claims to be the first American personal finance magazine and to deliver "sound, unbiased advice in clear, concise language". It ...

'' 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 the

Idaho Senate The Idaho Senate is the upper chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. It consists of 35 Senators elected to two-year terms, each representing a district of the state. The Senate meets at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, Idaho. Composition of ...

* Robert F. Burt, American Navy officer who served as the 24th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy from 2006 to 2010 *

Ken Carter Ken or KEN may refer to: Entertainment * ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. * ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film. * ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine. * Ken Masters, a main character in t ...

, high school basketball coach for alma mater Richmond High School (inspired the 2005 movie ''

Coach Carter ''Coach Carter'' is a 2005 American biographical teen sports drama film starring Samuel L. Jackson and directed by Thomas Carter (no relation). The film is based on the true story of Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter (played ...

'') * Pat Casey, former head baseball coach of the

Oregon State Beavers The Oregon State Beavers are the athletic teams that represent Oregon State University, located in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ( Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for ...

* John Davis, former member of the Oregon House of Representatives *

Aaron Elling Aaron John Elling (born May 31, 1978, in Waconia, Minnesota) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Wyoming. Elling has also been a me ...

, 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 Portland General Electric (PGE) is a Fortune 1000 public utility based in Portland, Oregon. It distributes electricity to customers in parts of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, and Polk counties - 44% of the inhabitants ...

, thirty-first

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

(attended Pacific Academy before his admission to Stanford) * Rick Johnson, author and speaker *

Dan Kimball Dan Kimball is an author and was a leading voice in the beginning years of the Emerging Church movement in the United States. Kimball's writings focus on encouraging churches and Christians to creatively make any changes needed in order to break ...

, pastor and author involved in the

Emerging church The emerging church is a Christian Protestant movement of the late 20th and early 21st centuries that crosses a number of theological boundaries: participants are variously described as Protestant, post-Protestant, evangelical, post-evangelical, ...

movement * John Lim, former Oregon politician and businessman * Carmen Guerricagoitia McLean, associate judge on the

Superior Court of the District of Columbia The Superior Court of the District of Columbia, commonly referred to as DC Superior Court, is the trial court for the District of Columbia, in the United States. It hears cases involving criminal and civil law, as well as family court, landlor ...

* Gina Ochsner, writer *

Andy Olson Andy Olson (born November 6, 1952) is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives for District 15, representing parts of Linn and Benton counties, including the city of Albany. Olso ...

, former member of the Oregon House of Representatives *

Darleen Ortega Darleen Ortega (born 1962) is an American attorney and judge in the state of Oregon. A native of California, she has served on the Oregon Court of Appeals since 2003. She is the first woman of Hispanic heritage and the first woman of color to s ...

, judge on the

Oregon Court of Appeals The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state intermediate Court of Appeals, appellate court in the US state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Judicial Department, it has thirteen judges and is located in Salem, Oregon, Salem. Except for death penalty cas ...

* Bill Post, former member of the Oregon House of Representatives *

Rolf Potts Rolf Potts (born October 13, 1970) is an American travel writer, essayist, podcaster, and author. He has written five books, including ''Vagabonding'' (Random House, 2003), ''Marco Polo Didn't Go There'' (Travelers Tales, 2008), ''Souvenir'' (Bloo ...

, travel writer * Robert L. Saucy, biblical scholar and professor of

systematic theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topic ...

* 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 David Hall Mark David Hall (born 22 February 1966) is Herbert Hoover Distinguished Professor of Politics and Faculty Fellow in the Honors Program at George Fox University. He is the author of a number of books on religion and politics in American life. The m ...

, author on early American history * Mark Hatfield, former Oregon politician and educator * Lynn Lundquist, former Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives *

Leonard Sweet Leonard I. Sweet is an American theologian, semiotician, church historian, pastor, and author. Sweet currently serves as the E. Stanley Jones Professor Emeritus at Drew Theological School at Drew University, in Madison, New Jersey; Charles Wes ...

, Visiting Distinguished Professor

References

External links

* *
Official athletics website
{{authority control Quaker universities and colleges Educational institutions established in 1885 Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Buildings and structures in Newberg, Oregon Education in Yamhill County, Oregon 1885 establishments in Oregon Evangelicalism in Oregon Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Private universities and colleges in Oregon