Be Known Illustrated: Faith Burns

When I first arrived at George Fox, I had little to no idea what I was doing. It was the first time I had ever stepped foot in Oregon. I remember feeling excited and confused when the taxi dropped me off outside of Edwards Hall. I stood in the parking lot with my suitcases watching parents, football players, PAs and RAs run back and forth from the dorms to the cars helping students move in.

Fun Fact about Faith
I’m one of eight children, with three brothers and four sisters! All five of us girls were adopted from different areas of China. Two of my sisters attend George Fox: Joy, a marketing major who just graduated, and Grace, a sophomore psychology major.

My parents were 2,000 miles away from me. Because flights were so expensive, both of them remained back home on Kauai. I remember having no idea where Hobson Hall was located and felt unsure how to ask for help. Thankfully, a group of student leaders saw my distress and came to my assistance. They not only directed me where to go, but actually ended up taking my suitcases and rolling them all the way to Hobson. When they did this, I suddenly felt less alone because these people who didn’t even know me went out of their way to help me.

I highly doubt they knew their kind act would be one that would stick with me throughout my college experience. It was the kindness shown to me that day that motivated me to want to become a student leader myself. I spent my last three years on campus in residence life, and I have loved being able to encourage and walk alongside fellow students on their college journeys.

Faith Burns
2021 Graduate
Major: Biology
Hometown: Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii