It is hard to believe, but we are in week five of the semester and the cooler temperatures suggest fall is in the air. We enrolled 4,036 students for the fall of 2022, which means that, for the third year in a row, George Fox is the largest private university in Oregon.
In our traditional undergraduate programs we have 627 freshmen, the third-largest class in history. We also added 76 transfer students to our community. Our total undergraduate enrollment is 2,086 students. As for grad students, there are 1,500 enrolled this year. There are also 250 students taking classes in the Adult Degree Program.
Take a look below at the make up of this year's incoming undergraduate class. Out of the top 10 majors, more than 30% of our students are enrolled in nursing and engineering. Students come to George Fox from many different areas, but primarily along the West Coast.
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These students have also done really well in the classroom. Our SAT scores and GPAs are at an all-time high.
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I got the chance to welcome our incoming class during Welcome Weekend at the end of August. It was a memorable time for all of the students and their parents. Watch some of these proud parents share their thoughts from the weekend.
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 During the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed our first undergraduate digital courses and this past summer we had a record enrollment of 350 students. George Fox Digital continues to be a popular option for students looking for flexibility in their busy schedules. Out of the students taking our cornerstone curriculum, 43% are doing so online compared to 57% in person.
We stay focused on the mission to help us attract and retain students who want to be known. I am grateful to God, who has been faithful in providing for George Fox. We are so thankful for where we are as a university.
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Robin Baker
President
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< Serve Day Returns for the 22nd Time
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 For the first time since the pandemic began, students and employees were able to join together for our annual Serve Day. Serve Day was the vision of Dr. David Brandt, our 11th president. It began in 1999 following a dialogue between Brandt, Vice President for Enrollment Management Andrea Cook and Vice President for Student Life Eileen Hulme, who together proposed the idea to him. Brandt noted that the “real genius of the proposal was the inclusivity of the plan. This was not only for students to learn, but for all of us to show the importance of service in the life of Christians.” At the time, Serve Day became the first instance of an entire university shutting down for a day of such activity.
 As many as 100 different sites benefited from the help of more than 2,000 students and employees. This year represents the 22nd time we have gathered and focused on serving our community. It has remained a vital part of our community because, as Brandt noted, “It’s crucial that we practice what we preach. It’s the way of Jesus.”
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< George Fox Still Ranked Among 'America's Best'
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 College rankings have limited value in determining what school is the best for serving a specific student, but George Fox again is ranked among the America's best "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report. In a category led by Princeton, MIT and Harvard, we are one of just a handful of Christian colleges to be listed among these elite schools.
Ranking Highlights:
- We are one of the top six Christian universities (CCCU) in the National University category.
- Our nursing program again received recognition in the Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs list.
- Engineering moved into the top 25 percent (No. 59 of 230) nationally for Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs where doctorates aren't offered. This is our highest ranking ever.
- We also made the publication’s list of “A+ Schools for B Students."
The recognition we should be most proud of is the our ranking among the top third of National Universities for Social Mobility. This ranking measures how our lower-income (Pell Grant recipients) students persist and graduate at our institution. I'm pleased to say we're a national leader in serving all of our students.
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< IGNITE Pairs Students with Industry Advisors
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 A program that fits well with our mission of preparing students spiritually, academically and professionally is IGNITE. It's an advisory initiative that pairs students from the College of Business and College of Engineering with industry professionals who serve as their mentors throughout the year.
Earlier this month, 70 students were introduced to their industry advisors at a dinner I attended in Canyon Commons. It's encouraging to see these kinds of relationships being built. IGNITE is all about students making connections that allow them to expand their network and develop critical skills. The industry advisors are Christian professionals who have significant career experience and can provide career guidance, job shadowing and networking opportunities. More than 70% of them are also graduates of George Fox.
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< Author Trevor Hudson to Accept Inaugural Award
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 I look forward to welcoming George Fox alumnus and Christian author Richard J. Foster back to Newberg to present an award in his name to a pastor and fellow author, Trevor Hudson. A campus selection committee selected Hudson as the first recipient of the Richard J. Foster Award in Spiritual Formation.
The Portland Seminary, School of Theology and the spiritual life office helped make this honor possible. The award recognizes those whose intellectual and practical work helps others come into an ongoing transformational relationship with Jesus Christ. A 7 p.m. presentation on Monday, Oct. 3, will be followed by Hudson’s keynote speech and a reception in Canyon Commons. All are welcome to attend.
Award recipient Hudson is the author of more than 20 books, the most recent of which, Seeking God: Finding Another Kind of Life with St Ignatius and Dallas Willard, was released in September. He is also an ordained minister in the Methodist Church of South Africa. After spending more than 40 years in pastoral ministry, Hudson now devotes his time to lecturing, teaching and writing in the areas of spiritual formation and spiritual direction.
 Foster is a former Newberg Friends Church pastor who is best known for his 1978 book Celebration of Discipline. It examines spiritual disciplines such as meditation, prayer, fasting, study, solitude, confession and worship. It was named by Christianity Today as one of the top 10 books of the 20th century. Foster also founded Renovaré, a Christian nonprofit that publishes print and online resources, including books, articles, messages and podcasts. The nonprofit also organizes retreats, spiritual formation groups, and educational initiatives.
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< Homecoming Brings Community Together
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Today we begin Homecoming. It's a great time of year to welcome alumni and friends back to campus. Check out the schedule of events for Homecoming Weekend, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. George Fox's football team is 3-0 so far this season. Come cheer them on this Saturday when they take on Pacific Lutheran at Stoffer Family Stadium at 4:30 p.m.
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< Get to Know Professor Jill Beals
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Associate Professor of Mathematics Jill Beals is a graduate of George Fox and longtime faculty member. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from George Fox in 1992 and a master's degree from Portland State University in 1995. She once served as vice president for a reinsurance brokerage company and won three 10,000-meter national track titles and the 1992 Seattle Marathon. Watch her story on how she came to teach at George Fox in this edition of "Meet Your Professor."
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< George Fox Alumna Receives Special Honor
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 It's encouraging to see George Fox alumni making an impact in their communities. One who has done so year after year is Dr. Sara Johnson. The Oregon Association of School Executives and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators have named Johnson the 2023 Oregon Superintendent of the Year.
Johnson is the superintendent at Crook County School District in Prineville, Oregon. She was named Oregon Principal of the Year and National Distinguished Principal in 2007. She also graduated that same year from George Fox University with a doctorate in educational leadership. Her philosophy is that all students will learn, that all voices will be heard, and that behind every data point is a face and a name. Johnson is now in the running for National Superintendent of the Year awarded by the American Association of School Administrators.
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< Makensie Toole Plays in the Portland Classic
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2021 NCAA Division III champion and member of our women's golf team, Makensie Toole recently played in the LPGA Portland Classic. She was given a sponsor’s exemption to play in the tournament at Columbia Edgewater Country Club. KATU News made sure to be there for this special occasion.
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< Faith-Based Universities Have a Purpose
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It is increasingly difficult to be a Christian institution in our postmodern culture. Nevertheless, it is possible for George Fox to play a significant role. It's a topic I discuss in an essay I wrote for Deseret Magazine's issue on the fate of the religious university. The publication includes contributions by presidents and scholars from a variety of faith-based institutions. It's well worth the time to read the essays that are part of this special issue.
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