Time to Change Your Clock…

Spring forward. To me those words are both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I know that as a result of shifting the little hand on my clocks, I will be able to enjoy an extra hour of daylight for the next eight months. That is something that a person who loves the outdoors, like me, absolutely delights in. At the same time, this short two word phrase also forces me to lose an hour of sleep; something else that I value greatly.

The difficult part of this annual scenario is that I know the temporary discomfort associated with my loss of sleep is what creates the exciting opportunities that are presented as a result. Still, this knowledge doesn’t make it any easier when the alarm goes off an hour early on Sunday morning. I think that this type of situation happens a lot in our lives: temporary distress or discomfort leading to something greater or to the next step in God’s plan.

At George Fox I see this tension all around, as we too spring forward.

With just over a month until graduation, I can see the uneasiness in the faces of seniors. They can almost taste the “real world.” Simultaneously, they face the realization that, for many of them, the real world comes at the price of leaving this place that they have loved. At one time or another, I suspect that we have all felt this way about moving on to a new phase of our lives. My guess is that for many people reading this, graduating from George Fox was one of those anxious moments.

The great thing is that although you graduated and left the student community that exists in each of our academic programs, graduation wasn’t a absolute goodbye to George Fox. This is a truth that I am urgently trying to communicate to our senior every chance I get. The Alumni Association exists to keep our graduates connected to this place, to the people that helped shape their lives, and to the memories that they hold so dear. This information may not settle the seniors’ nerves right now, but it does give them something to anticipate as they spring forward.

Another place that I see this strain between short-term unease and long-term opportunity is in the impending retirement of President David Brandt and the recent appointment of Dr. Robin Baker as the 12th President of George Fox University. President Brandt has done a marvelous job during his nine years at the helm of the university. He has guided George Fox to unprecedented growth both in the number of students and programs, an expansion of the physical campus, and a continued emphasis on spiritual development. Dr. Brandt is a much beloved member of the George Fox community. And yet, while it is difficult for us to see him retire and leave George Fox, excitement is mounting for the presidency of Dr. Baker. The presidential search committee and the board of trustees enthusiastically endorsed Dr. Baker, believing wholeheartedly that he was the appointed person for this task. Personally, I will be sad to see Dave and Melva Brandt leave George Fox, but I also know that this sadness opens the door for an exciting future!

So, as the hands of the Centennial Tower clocks spring forward this year, it is a good reminder that so must our lives, and so must George Fox University. Happy spring!

Robby Larson

Director of Alumni Relations