Articles

From The Alumni Director
A Global Reach and a Prayer Request
By Robby Larson, Director of Alumni Relations
Recently, I've been reminded of the truly global reach of our Alumni Association. George Fox alumni live in all 50 states and in more than 45 countries around the world. And yet, living and working in Newberg, I find that all too often I lose that perspective. Perhaps that's why these reminders, both big and small, that I have received in the past few weeks have been so encouraging. Here are two examples that have really stuck with me. More...

View From the Alumni Board
A Lifelong Experience
By Betty (Street) Hockett ('52), Alumni Board Representative
Does the size of a college or university bear a relationship to the amount of fun and life-changing experiences students encounter while on campus? I say, "No!"

My husband, Gene, and I recently sorted pictures that date back to the early 1920s when my parents attended Pacific College. These black-and-white snapshots of outings, May Day celebrations, a mock wedding, and football teams show that student life broadened beyond studies and classrooms. Enrollment then was less than 100, and yet pictures of my parents and their friends indicate that "a good time was had by all." Life-time friendships developed. My parents discovered each other at Pacific College, and most of their friends found their future spouses, too. More...

News

New School of Management Dean Named
Ken Armstrong, former dean of the College of Professional Studies at Anderson University in Anderson, Ind., will be the new dean of George Fox University's School of Management starting Aug. 15. Interim dean Dirk Barram will return to the classroom full time as professor of business. At George Fox, Armstrong will oversee the School of Management, which incorporates the largest undergraduate program at the university, the only doctor of management program in the Pacific Northwest, and a two-track (professional and executive) MBA program. To learn more about Dean Armstrong, click here.

Speech Champions
George Fox University freshmen Dustin Kamerman and Jennifer Salame were champions at the recent National Christian College Forensics Invitational. The team claimed the novice parliamentary debate championship, going 7-0 at the competition at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. Salame, a cognitive science major from Hillsboro, also won the novice impromptu and persuasion categories. The tournament featured divisions in after-dinner speaking, communication analysis, dramatic interpretation, duo interpretation, extemporaneous speaking, and impromptu speaking. The invitational drew teams from more than 20 schools representing the Council of Christian Colleges & Universities.

Golf Tournament
The university will host its fifth annual golf tournament at The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha on Thursday, July 17.  George Fox is seeking sponsors for the tournament to support student scholarships.  Last year, the tourney raised almost $40,000.  Many sponsorship levels are available; please visit the following links for more information.  Sponsorship levels and information.  General Tournament information.

Motorcycle Rally
Make plans to join us on Saturday, Aug. 16, for the third annual motorcycle rally departing from the Newberg campus. If you are a street motorcycle rider, we want to hear from you so we can send you an invitation. Also, let us know if you are interested in one of the longer rides (200-250 miles), or the short ride (100-125 miles). Please contact us by April 15 to let us know of your interest at alumni@georgefox.edu or 503-554-2131.

Ministry in Contemporary Culture Seminar
On Friday, Sept. 26, George Fox Evangelical Seminary will host the Ministry in Contemporary Culture Seminar featuring author, professor and philosopher Dallas Willard.

The title of Willard's talk is "Knowing Christ: The Hope of Moral Knowledge." Dallas Willard is a professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He also lectures and publishes books on religion. Renovation of the Heart was published in May 2002 and received Christianity Today's 2003 Book Award in the category of spirituality. The Divine Conspiracy was released in 1998 and selected Christianity Today's "Book of the Year" for 1999.

For more information and to register, go to: georgefox.edu/church/events/culture.html. Questions can be directed to Jean Borgman, executive assistant for the seminary, at jborgman@georgefox.edu.

Announcements

Journal Online
Recently, the spring 2008 issue of the George Fox Journal magazine was sent out to alumni and friends of the university. This issue features the inauguration of President Baker, an interview with seminary alumnus Todd Hunter on evangelism, the history of the Bruin Brawl, and the revival of the George Fox college song. To read these articles in the "Journal Online," click here. You can also use this link to read past issues of Journal.

Submit Your Update for Journal
By now, you have probably received the new issue of the George Fox Journal magazine. Like many alumni you may head straight to the "Alumni Connections" section near the back to find out what's new with your classmates. When was the last time you submitted your news for publication in Journal? If you have moved, gotten a new job or were promoted, gotten married, had a baby or adopted a child, received an award – or simply not submitted an update in a few years – your fellow alumni want to hear what you are up to. Submitting your update is easy, and only takes a few minutes. To complete one of the "Send us your news" forms, click here.

George Fox Alumni Association Facebook Group
Do you use Facebook? Join the George Fox University Alumni Association Facebook group. This group was created to be an additional way to connect and communicate with a greater number of our alumni, while also helping alumni connect with each other. Facebook is a social networking website that connects people with similar interests. To join the Alumni Association Facebook group you must have a Facebook account, but you do not need to be a member of the George Fox network on Facebook. Simply click this link: http://georgefox.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2333029839. You can also find the group by searching "George Fox Alumni" using the Facebook search function.

Theater Production, The Birds
On August 21-23, the George Fox University Amphitheater will come alive, as retired theater professor Jo Lewis directs Aristophanes' Greek comedy The Birds. All alumni are welcome to participate in the production. There are many parts available, from short cameos requiring little rehearsal to the lead characters requiring more.     

Auditions will take place in the Ron Gregory Atrium in EHS on May 9 (7-9 p.m.), May 10 (10 a.m.- noon) and May 18 (2-4 p.m.). The script is available online at http://gfubirds.pbwiki.com/.

For cast details, synopsis, or questions, e-mail Jo Lewis at jlewis@georgefox.edu.

As was mentioned in the last issue of eBruin, the focus of this month's "Highlighting Our History" is George Fox Evangelical Seminary. While researching several aspects of the seminary's rich history, it hit me that many George Fox alumni may not know the basics of the story: when, where and why it was founded, and the journey to becoming a part of George Fox University.

The seminary was founded in 1947 as Western School of Evangelical Religion by the Evangelical Church and the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends. The original campus was located at Jennings Lodge, southeast of Portland near Gladstone, at the Evangelical Church conference grounds. In 1951, the school changed its name to Western Evangelical Seminary, commonly referred to as WES. Many of the earliest students came from the two founding denominations. In time, the Free Methodist and Wesleyan churches lent their support as well, leading to increased students from these church bodies.

When the seminary began, it fulfilled the dream of its first president, Paul Petticord, and other regional Christian leaders, who recognized the need for a Wesleyan seminary in the Pacific Northwest. The ideal was set forth in an early catalog: "to train men and women in the definite doctrines of faith set forth in the constitution and bylaws and to give them such definite guidance and training that they may go out into the world with a positive message of salvation possible only in Jesus Christ. Not only is this training to be scholastic, but deeply spiritual. Not only theoretical, but practical in the usage of necessary methods essential for this day and age. This training is to be given by professors who are of high scholarship and of practical abilities and experienced in winning the lost to a definite relationship in Christ."