Get Involved: Fostering Community at George Fox Through Student Groups
With so many opportunities to participate in the community at George Fox, it can be difficult to figure out what to join first. For some students, clubs, multicultural organizations, Student Government, Life Groups and honors societies are their home away from home.
Here is how to get involved in a variety of student groups on campus.
Clubs
You name it, we’ve got a club for it – climbing, swing dancing, Frisbeeing, even Yerba Mate drinking! Plus, if you think up something new, all George Fox students are invited to start their own club.
Each semester, all clubs and multicultural organizations are invited to showcase their groups at the Fox County Fair and the Springs Club Fair. Additionally, during the various on-campus Scholarship Summit events throughout the year, clubs can set up tables and talk to prospective students about how to get involved once they’re enrolled.
To join a club, just email the president of the club you are interested in joining, and they can provide you with the next steps.
College is a time when people are molding their identity and solidifying the things and cultures they want to associate with. It's important for people to feel welcomed and have opportunities to be developed and develop each other through unique community outlets.
Peter Nordlund
Business Club
Being the president of the Social Work Club has impacted my time here at George Fox greatly. The Lord has called on me and my team to serve and love our neighbors. It has been rewarding working with my team in coming up with events that the whole student body would enjoy while keeping in touch with our social work principles and values.
Tatum Pierson
Social Work Club
These groups are important because they are student-led missions that work toward helping others. Programs like this are very beneficial to the student community; they provide resources, friendship and inclusivity.
Kaitlyn Ramirez
Society of Women Engineers
Community is essential to living the life that God intended for us. It’s important to have spaces where people can experience genuine connection with each other. We need people around us that stir us up in our faith, remind us of who we are, and unconditionally love us.
Alvin Lai
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Multicultural Organizations
Multicultural organizations are student-led initiatives at George Fox that encourage students to celebrate their and others’ cultures through monthly community-focused activities. These are led through the Intercultural Resource Center, and their focus is to provide a strong community for students on campus, even if their families are far away.
“Multicultural organizations bring a safe and common space that reminds you of home by speaking a language or sharing food that you have been eating since you were a child,” says Alejandro Del Cid, president of the Latinx Heritage Club.
“By having this community, we’re creating our own home here in Oregon,” says Tyra Hayashi, a leader of the Hawaii Club. “Leading the Hawaii Club has shown me so much George Fox has to offer, meaning there is more than just studies; you are able to grow and be who you are.”
To join a multicultural organization, just email their president, and they can provide you with the next steps. You can also follow the Intercultural Resource Center’s Instagram page for information on upcoming multicultural events.
If you are interested in starting a new multicultural organization, reach out to the Multicultural Programs Coordinator Zanne Backous at sbackous@georgefox.edu.
Student Government
Our Student Government at George Fox consists of students who are elected by their peers to represent and advocate for their community in periodic meetings.
Elections and campaigning for the executive president, executive vice president, and vice president of finance positions start in March for the next school year. Additional roles and their applications open later.
Life Groups
Life Groups encourage spiritual growth for students through studying Christian books, encouraging conversation, and following spiritual practices together. These groups meet weekly for six to eight weeks under the direction of a post-college leader, and students earn chapel credit for participating.
“Participating in Life Groups has allowed me to find a community that I otherwise wouldn’t have,” says Kyla Albertson, who has participated in Life Groups in the past. “Life Groups create a space for students to be open and find a community in which they can grow their faith. Sometimes it can be hard to find the right people in college, but these groups provide a way for students to come together and be comfortable talking about topics or issues they wouldn’t otherwise be able to discuss.”
To get involved with a Life Group, you can sign up each September and January.
Honors Societies
Honors societies encourage students to push themselves in their academics while fostering community with their peers. These are department-focused, which separates them from the George Fox Honors Program.
Each honors society is led by a faculty member within that discipline, and groups are often chapters of larger national or international organizations.
“Leading this group has taught me a lot about myself and my fellow students,” says Bree Maciel, who leads Sigma Zeta, the math and science honors society on campus. “People are the best part of life, and community is the support system that carries us through it. Honors societies give you the recognition of high achievement, but also allow you to build a community and encourage one another when college is hard!”
“We were created for community,” Sophia Komarek says. Komarek leads Alpha Psi Omega, the honors society for theatre students. “This particular community is important to me because it facilitates opportunities for students of any major interested in theatre to get to know each other more as holistic people, to get more experience in their theatre craft, and to celebrate each other’s work.”
Learn about more ways to get involved with campus life at George Fox University
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