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Former names | Friends Pacific Academy (1885–1891) Pacific College (1891–1949) George Fox College (1949–1996) Western Evangelical Seminary (1947–1996) |
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| Motto | Christianity and Culture |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | 1891; 134 years ago (1891)[1] |
Religious affiliation | Evangelical Friends Church International (Northwest United States Yearly Meeting)[2] Wesleyan Holiness Connection[3] |
Academic affiliations | Council for Christian Colleges and Universities,Christian College Consortium,Space-grant |
| Endowment | $32.2 million (2021)[4] |
| President | Robin E. Baker |
Academic staff | 196 (full time) |
| Undergraduates | 2,488[5] |
| Postgraduates | 1,561[5] |
Other students | 290degree completion[5] |
| Location | , U.S. 45°18′13″N122°58′06″W / 45.3036°N 122.9683°W /45.3036; -122.9683 |
| Campus | Suburban, 108 acres (44 ha) |
| Colors | Old gold and navy blue[6] |
| Nickname | Bruins |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division III –Northwest Conference |
| Website | georgefox.edu |
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George Fox University is aprivate Christian university inNewberg, Oregon, United States. Founded as a school forQuakers in 1891,[1] it is now the largest private university[7] in Oregon with more than 4,000 students combined between its main campus in Newberg, its centers inPortland andRedmond, and online. The 108-acre (44 ha) main campus is near downtown Newberg, near the junction ofOregon Route 99W andOregon Route 219. George Fox competes athletically at theNCAA Division III level in theNorthwest Conference as the Bruins. The school colors are navy blue and old gold. The university is associated with theEvangelical Friends Church International and is a member of theWesleyan Holiness Connection.[8]
The university was founded inNewberg, Oregon, in 1885 byQuaker pioneers, originally calledFriends Pacific Academy for several years before becoming a college in 1891 asPacific College.[9] The Bruin mascot comes from a real bear cub found in 1887 in theCoast Range's foothills nearCarlton, about 15 miles (24 km) west of Newberg.[10] Years later, the bear hide became the senior class's unofficial mascot, and other students often attempted to steal it away.[11] Students today still participate in student-government-sponsored class competitions called "Bruin brawls" for possession of Bruin Jr.[12]
In 1893 the school was incorporated as ajoint-stock company. It became a four-year school in 1925.[13]Herbert Hoover's uncle H. J. Minthorn served as the school's first president, and Hoover was an early student at the academy.[13] The school's name changed toGeorge Fox College in 1949 to honorGeorge Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement.[13]
In 1996, the college merged withWestern Evangelical Seminary to formGeorge Fox University.[14] Associate professor of biology Dwight Kimberly received the Carnegie Foundation's Oregon Professor of the Year award in 2000.[15] Associate professor of theatre Rhett Luedtke was one of three faculty members nationally to receive a National Directing Fellow Award from theJohn F. Kennedy Center in 2010.
The student body has grown more than 500% since 1986, when enrollment was 549.[16] With 4,339 students in Newberg, Portland, and other Oregon teaching sites, George Fox is now the state's largest private university.[5][17]
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.[18]
In 2015, the school completed a new residence hall, Brandt Hall, named for former school president David H. Brandt and his wife, Melva.[19] A new dining hall, Canyon Commons, opened in the fall of 2016. The university's first dedicatedchapel was dedicated in 2024.[20]
George Fox grants degrees at each of the traditional levels of university education,baccalaureate,master's degrees, anddoctorates. The university participates in the Richter Scholars program, which sponsors 15 to 25 students each year in encouragement of original research.[21] The university also offers study-abroad opportunities through the "Best Semester" program offered by theCouncil for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).[22][23]
The George Fox athletic teams are called the Bruins.[24] The university is a member of theDivision III level of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in theNorthwest Conference (NWC) since the 1995–96 academic year.[25] In 2021–22 and 2022–23, George Fox won the Northwest Conference McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy for best all-around finishes in both seasons.[26] The Bruins previously competed in theCascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) of theNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (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), volleyball, and Stunt.
The Bruins have won four team NCAA DIII national championships. In 2004, the baseball team won the NCAA Division III national championship, a game recognized as one of the top 50 moments in Northwest Sports History by Portland radio station KFXX AM 1080, "The Fan."[27][28]
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In 2009, the school's women's basketball team went undefeated (32–0) and capped the season with a 60–53 defeat ofWashington University in St. Louis in the title game.[28] In winning, George Fox claimed the firstDivision III national women's championship for any program west of the Rocky Mountains.[29] Head coachScott Rueck was named the NCAA Division III national coach of the year.[29]
In 2018, the women's track and field team were co-champions withUniversity of Massachusetts Boston.[30]
In 2023, the women's golf team won the national championship after qualifying for the national tournament for 13 consecutive years. They were the third women's golf program west of the Mississippi and the first school in the Pacific Northwest to win the title.[31]
In 2024 the Stunt team was introduced as a varsity sport at George Fox. In its inaugural year, the team made it to the Division III national tournament as the fourth-place seed. They finished the tournament with a Third-place finish. The George Fox stunt team is currently the only ranked Division III program on the west coast.
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 coachPat Casey.[32][33]
George Fox University is a full member of theCouncil for Christian Colleges and Universities. 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.[34]
The university hosts dozens of Christian speakers each year through twice-weekly chapel/current-event gatherings.[35] Hundreds of students each year participate in "Serve trips" throughout the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada. In groups of 10–25, students provide volunteer labor for missions, homeless shelters, nonprofits, and other charitable causes.[36] Faculty, staff, and students also participate in "Serve Day" each September: 90% of eligible individuals volunteer.[37]
George Fox University is a center for Quaker thought (although only about 5% of the student body are Quakers)[38] and houses an extensive library of historical Quaker literature. TheNorthwest Yearly Meeting gathers each summer on campus and is headquartered adjacent to GFU.[39] In 1984, the university founded its Center for Peace Learning, now known as the Center for Peace and Justice.[40]
In addition to its main campus in Newberg, the university teaches classes in two other locations:Portland andRedmond. The Newberg campus includes two structureslisted on the National Register of Historic Places.[41] One,Minthorn Hall, was built in 1886 and is still used for classes.[42] The other,Jesse Edwards House, was constructed in 1883 and serves as the residence for the university president.[43]
A variety of student housing is available on Newberg's campus including 23 houses, 10 residence halls, and four apartment buildings.[44]
Those who have attended or graduated from George Fox include:
Those who have taught at George Fox include:
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