George Fox University | About | Community Contributions

Consistent with the university's mission to "serve humanity in a spirit of Christian love" and to provide "distinctive learning opportunities through continuing education programs," George Fox participates in and sponsors numerous community-oriented activities, including the following:

Serve Day - Every fall, George Fox closes campus for a day and sends more than 1,400 George Fox students and employees into the community to volunteer on about 60 service projects. Typical projects include painting, yard work, and assisting seniors.

Science Equipment Loans - More than 70 public and private K-12 schools in Oregon and Washington borrow science equipment from George Fox's science department. Items loaned include microscopes, snakes, and cadavers.

Homeschool Science Courses - George Fox education and science undergraduates teach science courses in campus laboratories to about 360 homeschool and local elementary students. Between six and nine eight-week classes are offered a year. The only cost to students is for materials used. One of the science classes is presented in Spanish free of charge to local Hispanic students.

Summer Science Camp - Since 1998, George Fox students and professors have offered five-day science camps for children ages 9-12. About 50 children each summer participate in hands-on labs and scientific field trips to locations such as the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. St. Helens, and the Oregon Coast.

Science Laboratory Use - About 45 elementary, middle, or high school classes a year visit and use George Fox's science laboratories. George Fox professors often provide instruction.

School Visits - George Fox science professors travel to about 35 elementary, middle, and high schools a year to judge science fairs, make presentations, and assist in outdoor schools.

Mr. Bruin Pageant - George Fox students annually hold a male "beauty" pageant to raise money for a local charity. Pageants have raised about $5,000 each year.

ArtReach - George Fox art students annually teach summer arts camps for local children. The camps are provided at cost.

Art - George Fox professors and students annually volunteer help on art projects for nonprofits including the Portland Youth Philharmonic.

Art Exhibit Judging - George Fox art professors regularly serve as judges for local art exhibitions, including the Newberg Harvest Festival.

Facility Use - The Newberg School District, church groups, and other organizations use the campus auditorium, gymnasium, and other facilities numerous times a year at no charge.

Meeting Facilities - George Fox provides meeting facilities for Rotary, Kiwanis, the City of Newberg, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and numerous other groups.

Field Use - Chehalem Park and Recreation District uses George Fox fields for summer park programs, such as softball tournaments. Local high schools and churches have used fields for practice and games.

Tennis Court and Track Use - George Fox's tennis courts and track are available to the public for use free of charge.

Fitness Center - Newberg high school athletes conduct weight training in George Fox's fitness center without charge.

Student Ministries - Organized by the student government office, students travel weekly to Portland to assist the homeless. They also have a student-led program to build relationships with local seniors.

America Reads/America Counts - Using student-employee funds, George Fox students work with the America Reads and America Counts programs at Newberg public schools.

Little Bruin - George Fox's students manage a big brother/big sister program that pairs students with at-risk and low-income children in the community.

Volunteer Internships - Numerous students - many from the psychology, sociology, or social work departments - have volunteer internships in local agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Red Cross Blood Drives - George Fox University has hosted more than 65 Red Cross blood drives. Faculty, staff, and students have donated more than 1,300 gallons of blood, averaging more than 70 gallons per year since 2000.

Mental Health Consultation - Staff and graduate students in the Doctor of Clinical Psychology program provide 24-hour coverage, 7 days per week in the emergency department at Providence Newberg Hospital. They provide consultations on all patients with mental health concerns. They also participated in the National Depression Screening Day.

Library - The George Fox Murdock Learning Resource Center and Portland Center library are open to the public and share their volumes and journals with several consortiums of academic and public libraries.

Cultural Contributions - George Fox offers hundreds of free or inexpensive theatrical, musical, artistic, educational, and sporting events to the public.

Chehalem Symphony - George Fox provides staff and facilities for the Chehalem Symphony, an orchestra made up of local residents, faculty, and students.

Oregon Symphony - George Fox and A-dec annually host a Newberg performance of the Oregon Symphony as a gift to the Newberg community. Tickets are distributed free to community residents.

Workforce Training - The majority of George Fox graduates stay in the Northwest, contributing to the region's workforce. George Fox is one of the largest producers of teachers in the state. George Fox's new bachelor's degrees in engineering and nursing are expected to ease labor shortages in the region.

Sports Camps - George Fox coaches and alumni host low-cost youth sports camps on campus and volunteer with youth athletics programs in the community.

Summer Camp and Conference - During the summer, George Fox opens its facilities to dozens of groups for camps and conferences. The influx of thousands of visitors contributes to the local economy.

Activity Day at George Fox - The George Fox Department of Heath and Human Performance hosts Yamhill County fifth- and sixth-graders on campus for a day in April to participate in music, dance, and track and field activities.

Service Trips - George Fox annually sends out more than 10 weeklong service trips. Groups of 10 to 25 students are led by George Fox employees and volunteer at various projects, including building houses in Mexico and working with inner-city populations in West Coast cities.

International Service Trips - George Fox annually organizes employee-led student groups to volunteer on monthlong international service trips. Past trips have included working in orphanages, churches, and camps in India, Brazil, Ukraine, and Romania.

Citizenship - George Fox employees volunteer on numerous city and country commissions and committees, including the Newberg Planning Commission, the Newberg Downtown Association, the Focus on Newberg's Future Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Traffic and Safety Committee.

Seniors - George Fox provides tuition-free classes for seniors.

Tilikum - George Fox's Tilikum Retreat Center is available to the public for group meetings and retreats.

Green Space - Much of George Fox's 75-acre campus is green space open to the public.

Spanish Language Program - Since 2002, George Fox has provided Spanish language classes for the Newberg Police Department, Fire Department, and other city employees.

Classes for Local Businesses - George Fox's accounting department offers an "accounting for nonfinancial managers" class for local and national businesses.