Get to Know the Class of 2023

My time at Fox has been filled with struggles, with joy and most especially God's goodness. Going to college in a completely different state, on a completely different coast, was difficult. It was intimidating to think that I had to start from scratch to find a community that I would belong to and call my own. Through God’s infinite grace, I have found so many wonderful, beautiful people that I know will be lifelong friends. I have learned that change, though scary and full of the unknown, can bring goodness and new people who I will love and cherish.

My friends have encouraged me and supported me through many twists and turns, and I am so grateful for them. My professors within the English department have helped me shape my worldview one book at a time. They have encouraged me greatly and given me the tools to help others and encourage them in their own writing and reading. I would like to especially thank Jessica Hughes, Bill Jolliff and Melanie Mock for the ways in which they have believed in me and point out the potential I didn't know I had.

I have learned many things, and each of them are important, but here are the key lessons I’ve learned: Love God, love others, strive to meet your standards but give yourself grace to make mistakes, feel the growing pains, move forward, move boldly, and move toward God.

My perception of what it means to engage with the world and with people has grown significantly since I’ve been at George Fox. I have always gravitated toward people, and I love investing in others, but throughout my four years at Fox I realized that I still had so much learning to do when it came to being fully invested and loving toward others. I have become strengthened in my values, in my priorities and in my faith. Every change and every hardship have been integral to my growth as a believer, a student, a friend and a daughter.

I hope to gain some experience working in the publishing world and pursuing internships in editing! My work at the ARC has sparked the desire to help authors accomplish their goals and dreams when working on their manuscripts and rough drafts. I hope to play a part in literature that may eventually shape the world. Most of all, I hope to continue working with people, supporting them in their academic, spiritual and individual journeys.

My time at George Fox has been filled with great opportunities and experiences I couldn't have had anywhere else. The community has always been welcoming, and professors have kept me accountable to keep pushing myself with a positive mindset. Most of my time has been spent on the golf course and with my amazing team. My teammates and Coach MJ have been my biggest supporters in the classroom and on the golf course, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to play with them for four years. I've seen myself grow in so many different ways because of their love and support.

During my time at George Fox, I grew a greater appreciation for my community. The culture of the university exemplified kindness and love in many different ways and taught me to always look at the positives rather than dwelling on the negatives. Being a part of the Bridge Network program gave me the opportunity to develop new relationships with other student-athletes of different years and to connect with mentors who give me the confidence to be ready for anything after graduating. Overall, I feel that I have become more confident and loving to myself, as well as seeking more opportunities to share this with my communities.

I will be working at Columbia Edgewater Country Club and focusing on pursuing my PGA membership through the Professional Golf Management Program. I hope to continue the growth of golf through my work, especially with a focus on junior golf and female participation. I am excited for this opportunity to continue my passion for golf!

The interconnectivity between myself and my professors made a difference, especially as I transitioned from the academic to the business world. I loved having the chance to form relationships with my professors, who believed in me and took the time to learn my story. I'm forever grateful to have made my mark on campus, spreading a smile or two to everyone I got to connect with.

These four years have flown by in a flash, but I got closer to Christ and some fantastic people. My faith has grown exponentially. Each year on campus was a new chapter of personal growth, especially with gaining confidence in the Lord. Walking around campus at night with some of my favorite people proved a huge turning point in my life, as I got a taste of what it’s like to enjoy the small things in life. I couldn’t be more grateful for George Fox’s Be Known promise, as I’ve formed some great friendships and bonds since my first day on campus.

This is where the fun begins! I'm starting my career with The Walt Disney Company as I pursue a master’s program in marketing. I can finally kick-start the career of my dreams and help spread some happiness to a world that desperately needs it. I aim to bring the light of Christ into the secular entertainment world through my actions, going about my work with biblical standards and honoring the Lord with the stories I tell, no matter if it’s at Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm or beyond. I’m mainly excited to start living, especially when making new connections and even starting a family.

My years at George Fox were some of the most important and formative in my life, thus far. I was pushed out of my comfort zone, I was able to gain leadership experience in my field, and I met some of the most amazing people on this campus.

As I say goodbye to this school, I’ll remember meeting my best friend while eating breakfast in the dining hall on the first day of classes. I’ll remember playing card games in the Bruin Den until 2 in the morning. I’ll remember discovering my love for writing and being encouraged to explore it by my professor. I’ll remember filming Welcome Weekend 2022 with my MarCom family. I’ll remember directing my first short film with some of my closest friends.

Coming into George Fox, I really wanted to pinpoint what exactly I wanted to do as a career, and I did just that. Professors like Alex Chung and mentors like Jake Thiessen, Hunter Bomar and Bronston Keliipuleole helped me along that journey. For that, I will always be grateful.

I definitely grew in my confidence as a filmmaker at George Fox. My junior year, I became a video intern in the marketing communications department. It was challenging and I learned a lot, but by the end of that year, I still was not sure that I had what it took to keep going. My boss sat down with me and asked me about returning to the department the next year. I told him that I appreciated the offer, but I thought there would probably be someone more experienced than me who could take my spot. I’ll never forget the look of concern on his face when I said that. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.

He asked me to reconsider, which I did, and I returned to the position for my senior year. That conversation was a turning point for me. It was as if all of a sudden I realized that my skills had value and video work wasn’t just something I did for fun, but something that I excelled at. My entire MarCom family gave me the push I needed to keep moving forward.

I will be returning home to Southern California to continue working as a video editor. I hope to grow more in my skill and build upon what I learned at George Fox. I also hope to continue to pursue screenwriting in the future.

My experience at George Fox is one that will stick with me for a lifetime. I remember the first day when I was moving on campus and did not know anyone at the time. I was extremely nervous about making new friends, but I made so many friends during Welcome Weekend.

There are so many people who had an impact on my life, from friends to professors, but one of my marketing professors, Laurie Koehler, stands out the most. She has been a mentor who has guided and pushed me to explore and network with people, as I tended to keep to myself. With her I have learned to become the young professional I am today, and I thank her for being a part of my time and journey at George Fox.

I was a pretty introverted person when I first started at George Fox. I was nervous to meet new people and make new friends, but one day I was sitting in my business class and my professor was lecturing about how to be successful in the class. She said you can sit on the sidelines and not put in the work and you will most likely fail, or you can be someone by doing the work and putting in the effort.

I don’t know what or why this point has stuck with me so much, and from that day forward I made it a point to Be Known by my peers and those around me by being involved and taking the initiative to do the best I could each and every day in everything I do. I did not want to go through college just trying to pass; I wanted to go through college to excel.

I will be going back to Arizona to find a job in marketing. I would like to find something like a coordinator, specialist or manager position in social media/marketing. Once I am settled in and have found a job, I plan to get my MBA. At this point, I may not know exactly what I will be doing or where my job will be, but God is paving the way for me and I am along for the journey that he has in store for me next.

It’s hard to put into words what this school has meant to me over the past four years. Being on our lacrosse team gave me a unique experience unlike any other. I have made bonds and connections with people that I now consider family. I was able to travel to Paris and London on Juniors Abroad and travel all over the U.S. for lacrosse. I was so supported and loved through these formative years, and I will never forget and treasure this experience for a lifetime!

I have grown so much while being at Fox! All credit goes to my lacrosse coaches; they always held me to a high standard in lacrosse and my personal life. In any conflict or issue I felt loved and still held accountable. We are pushed to always be kind and function with the utmost integrity. These lessons will carry me all through my life, and I can profoundly say I am a better person because of the people I have met at Fox.

I will be pursuing my career as a full-time wedding photographer! I have plans to travel to eight states this summer, as well as Ireland, Switzerland and Italy in 2024. I can’t wait to travel the world whilst taking photos!

I have had the amazing opportunity to be a student here at Fox surrounded by such supporting faculty, peers and teammates. I loved the atmosphere in the classes where the professors know your name and are always willing to help when you need it. The professors are the best resources when it comes down to internships and jobs.

I consider the soccer team my second family. They are the ones who will always be there for me no matter what, and for that I am very grateful. Playing soccer for Fox has been such a blessing because of all the friendships and memories that I created with all my teammates. Lastly, I will remember the time here being an RA. It was honestly so much fun getting to hang out with my staff members and create memories with the residents in Gulley and Le Shana.

I am definitely a different person now than the person I was my freshman year. My first two years at Fox, the only people I associated with were members of the soccer team. So, at the end of my sophomore year, the only friends I really had were on the team. After thinking about it the summer before my junior year, I came to the realization that I did not want to make soccer, the military or any other thing my whole personality.

So, when I was an RA my junior year I had to learn to open up with people a little bit more. I had to push my own boundaries by putting myself out there with my staff members, my roommates and my residents. I ended up making a lot of friends my junior year, and thankfully the same thing happened my senior year. I have a lot of friends whom I’ve created many memories with and love. I’m thankful for every year that I got to spend here, as I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I am sad to say goodbye to George Fox because of all the memories I have created; however, I am excited to see what the future has in store for me. I accepted a job from Human Investing, a wealth advisory firm in Lake Oswego. I start in August, and I hope to learn a lot from the people in my job. I am looking forward to helping out all these families in the community with the goals they have in mind.

My experience at George Fox has been unforgettable. I am so grateful to the friends, family, professors and faculty who have supported me through my academic journey. I have truly felt known at George Fox because of the meaningful relationships I have found here.

My professors in the nursing program have taken countless hours to get to know me, not just as a nursing student, but as a whole person with a deep passion for helping others. I have had opportunities to share meals with them, read their dissertations, and meet their families. Most importantly, my professors have helped me reflect on my personal values and discern how to respond to divisive topics. I have grown as a person, as a friend, and as a nurse because of their genuine interest in my life.

I also have met people at Fox who have redefined what friendship means to me. The friends I have today are some of the most caring, loyal and generous people I have ever met. Whether it was studying into the early hours of the morning, having a serious discussion about ethics and morals, or spending much-needed time to relax, I have never felt alone. I will always remember the time we have spent together at Fox, and I am so excited to continue to learn and grow together.

My turning point at George Fox was during my junior year. I felt as though I was distant from people, school and from God. After the pandemic, many of the opportunities I looked forward to were no longer an option. My fundamental beliefs and values had been challenged, and I found myself trying to blend in, rather than being an advocate.

During that time, I attended a church service where I learned the six foundational Quaker values: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship. Suddenly, I knew exactly who I was and what I stood for. I still cannot believe it took me three years to realize I was a Quaker at a Quaker university. Since then, my relationship with my community and God has been stronger and more genuine than ever before.

This summer I will be serving in Kenya with the George Fox nursing program to provide health education to school-age children. I will also have a unique opportunity to attend the Friends United Meeting Triennial Gathering. This is an exciting time to develop relationships with Friends around the world and grow in my faith.

When I return, I will begin an RN new grad residency program to further develop my hard skills and clinical judgment. Eventually, I hope to achieve my doctorate of nursing practice in health systems and leadership. Using my education, I want to conduct clinical research and use my findings to influence healthcare policy. I am passionate about serving my community, and will do all I can to expand healthcare access to our most vulnerable populations.

I had a great experience at Fox. I’ve made some lifelong friends during my time here, and some memories with them I will never forget. I loved to play intramural sports, and winning the floor hockey championship with my friends is still one of my favorite memories. I also won’t forget my engineering professors, who impacted me not only by teaching in the classroom but by caring for us and often leading devotional studies like EYS. After graduating from Fox, I am confident in my engineering ability and prepared for what comes next.

I think I grew more into the person I already was rather than changed. Classes allowed me to increase my knowledge and taught me things I never knew. I built new friendships that I never expected through classes and other activities. I grew stronger in my Christian faith thanks to a strong integration of it into the classroom. Overcoming the challenges of college far from home also helped me grow as a person.

I will be working as an engineer for General Atomics ASI back home in SoCal. I will miss the people who made Fox so special, but I am also excited to be home. It will be good to spend some more time with family, and I hope to pick up a few new hobbies this summer like surfing. There is still a lot I don’t know about my future further out. I am certain, though, that God has a plan for me, and I am excited for whatever may come.

My time at George Fox has been incredible and life-changing. The community here is remarkable. There have been so many early-morning workouts, midday study breaks and late-night conversations in the library that have formed me in so many ways. I have learned so much about myself, my friends and the world more generally.

Through conversations with others, whether in a seminar or on the quad, I have been forced to refine my theology, rethink my worldview, and redefine what I believe to be true and why. I have grown as a student, leader and friend. Furthermore, I have so many fun memories and meaningful relationships to cherish as many of us move off to different places. From daily prayer walks to weekly Bible studies to monthly brunches, the traditions and habits my friends and I have developed over the last few years have added such richness to my life that I struggle to find words. I also discovered a passion for hospitality along the way!

The Fox community extends to the professors and mentors I have had over the years. From the fall semester of my freshman year, the professors have gladly offered their wisdom and guidance on academic, professional and spiritual matters. They (or their wives) have taken me out to coffee, led Life Groups, introduced me to professionals in my field, and invited me and my friends into their homes for home-cooked meals and cookies. The genuine interest they have in the success of their students has been more encouraging and life-giving than I ever would have guessed.

In particular, the faculty and staff of the engineering department have been instrumental in my development as a student taking rigorous courses, as a young professional working in a largely secular world, and as a person seeking to develop my identity and grow in my faith. I am truly so blessed to have been able to experience the depth of fellowship, mentorship and community that George Fox proudly fosters.

I honestly cannot imagine having a more positive and formative undergraduate experience. Looking back on my time here, I can confidently say that God led me exactly where I needed to be. He has been by my side through all the peaks and valleys of college, COVID and community life.

I have grown academically, spiritually and personally since coming to Fox. I think the most significant change, however, is in my confidence. I started freshman year as a shy perfectionist, caring too much about what others thought of me, and living in fear of even the smallest failures. After four years at Fox, I have grown into a happy, sociable, confident leader. Difficult engineering coursework taught me how to ask for help when I needed it, even if my question made me sound unintelligent.

Worldview-challenging conversations with friends and peers taught me to examine my beliefs and assumptions carefully, even if I had to admit that I was wrong. Life talks with professors and mentors taught me that life isn’t always as perfect as it may seem to an outsider. Perhaps most importantly, however, my struggles have taught me to rely on God. I have come to know him as a good and sovereign God. What I can do with myself invariably pales in comparison to what God can do with me. These lessons, along with so many others, have guided me to a fuller understanding of what it means to be human and what it means to be me.

I have a better grasp of who I am and who I want to become. Knowing these things has enabled me to root myself more deeply in my faith and proceed confidently in life, knowing that my foundation is strong. I can take on big challenges, neither afraid of failure nor entitled to success because I know that my identity is not reliant on my performance.

The freedom that this sort of confidence has brought me is incredible. I no longer have to live up to the perceived expectations of others, but I can follow God’s lead. I am so grateful to my friends, peers and especially my professors for teaching me to let go of my anxieties and instead confidently trust that God is who he says he is, and that he is molding me into the person he wants me to be.

I am excited to begin the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at George Fox in the fall! I hope to integrate my engineering background with physical therapy to provide biomechanically appropriate solutions as I support patients in their individual wellness journeys. Although I am not yet sure what patient demographic I will work with, I want to provide a holistic approach to PT, encouraging the whole person to grow. I am confident that my undergraduate experience has prepared me well for the next phase of my education, and I trust that God will lead me.

The most influential part of my time here at George Fox was being a member of the swim team. Through being on this team I was given an instant community of athletes on campus that I was able to connect with. Being on the team gave me the opportunity to work hard and develop grit. I faced a lot of challenges, but being surrounded by teammates and supportive coaches gave me the courage and tenacity I needed to overcome them.

The assistant coach, Jason Hunter, specifically was very encouraging to me. There were a lot of times throughout my time here that I had failed to reach my goals, but he was always there to push me to keep going and to not stop fighting to reach them.

One of the core tenants of the social work field is to be a lifelong learner. I really leaned into this in my time at Fox. I chose to major in social work because I knew that I wanted to help people. I did not know what that would look like, but I knew I wanted to help people.

Throughout my time in the social work department I learned how to work with vulnerable populations. I enjoyed what I was learning but did not see myself working in a social work role because I was also fascinated with athletics and how the body worked. I knew I wanted to do something that incorporated helping people and movement.

My junior year I took a class that focused on trauma and recovery, and I realized that these two things could go together. Movement is such a good medicine for the body and can help heal people from traumatic events. Even though I’m not majoring in anything related to health sciences, I have come to realize that, as a lifelong learner, I can push myself to continue learning about the body and how it works – and how I can apply that to my work. Being a lifelong learner means you can incorporate your passions and hobbies into your calling and continue to develop as a professional.

I want to move to Houston, Texas, mostly so I can go watch the Houston Texans play some football, and to pursue a career in law enforcement as a police officer, hopefully specializing in domestic violence.

To incorporate my passion for athletics, I plan to get my certification as a strength and conditioning coach, and I want this to lead to being a strength and conditioning coach for a college swim team. Twenty to 30 years down the line I think the ideal goal would be to own my own gym and work specifically with trauma survivors, using movement as medicine to help them work through their trauma.

George Fox has truly lived up to its Be Known promise. The staff here is constantly striving to make their students feel supported and loved, whether that is a nursing professor or my boss at the library. I feel so grateful to have been able to attend this university, and blessed even by the amazing ways the school continued to support us and stay open during the pandemic. I have made some lifelong friends here, and also learned so much from the mentorship of the nursing faculty. While I am excited to move into the nursing profession, I will miss the joy that it is to be a George Fox student.

Every semester, with new classes and new professors, I feel I have gained so much knowledge. All of the faculty members have so much to contribute, and have each shown their own unique ways of walking with the Lord. I have loved learning what it really looks like to be a Christian woman and also a wonderful nurse at the same time. I also got married after my sophomore year, which has been such an amazing experience and definitely changed me for the better!

The next big obstacle for us nurses is passing the NCLEX (nurse licensure exam). After that, I am hoping to begin my nursing career in a residency. I am looking forward to working on a critical care unit. Additionally, I am looking forward to more travel this summer with my husband, and just enjoying the sunshine!

My experience at George Fox has been nothing short of amazing. As a transfer student, I’ve only spent two years here, but in those two years I’ve met some of my best friends and supportive mentors, with whom I will no doubt continue to keep in touch with long after graduating.

I also learned some fascinating things in my courses here at Fox, from neuroscience to microbiology to ornithology. Everything I’ve learned in my science classes here has been rewarding and interesting in some way. However, as much as I enjoyed the material, the biggest impact my courses had was not so much the content but my classmates and professors in those courses. I think in the small upper-division science classes it was easy to go from classmates to friends, because we all came ready to learn and support each other.

Speaking of which, another thing I love about George Fox is the small class sizes, which allowed me to actually get to know the biology professors here and for them to know me. In my two years here I took a class from every biology professor except one, and I’ve loved being able to walk down the hall of the second floor of EHS and have professors wave to me, or to lean in an open office door for a chat. They have been some of my biggest mentors, many of them giving me advice about graduate school and future career plans, writing me letters of recommendation, and allowing me the privilege of being a TA for some of their classes. I will always be grateful to them for that, because it impacted me more than they will know.

To put it bluntly, biology is not an easy subject! There were often times I was stressed about difficult projects and exams. But I had friends right there with me, and we bonded through our mutual support in the midst of the stress. In all the upper-division science classes I’ve taken, we usually had a tight-knit group of people for this reason. We were ready to learn about this immense universe that God has created, and to grow through it together. Through the late nights in the library and the long labs, and everything in between, I truly matured as both a student and as a biologist.

At George Fox, I learned how to be challenged in ways I had never considered before, whether that be through faith-science integration, the creation-evolution argument, bioethical debates, etc. I also learned how to navigate the unclear territory of entering a doctoral program, a feat no one in my family has done, and learned how to be both confident in my own abilities and humbled when necessary (i.e. being OK with things not going right all the time, because they often don't!). And finally, I learned to look to God for direction, and in times of complete uncertainty to be content with wherever he placed me.

Next year, I will be starting as a student in the neuroscience PhD program at the University of Oregon. My ultimate goal is to do research in neuroscience, with the hope of focusing on a more clinical/translational study of nervous system diseases and disorders. After my PhD/postdoc, I want to be a biology professor at a university and continue to do research, because overall my greatest hope is to 1) be able to help people with the research I do, and 2) be able to inspire a new generation of university students just like my professors at George Fox inspired me. And more than anything, I want to glorify God in all that I do.

Through my time at Fox, I have been able to spread my wings and have been encouraged by my professors and peers to try new things. I came into Fox with a very set and narrow vision of what I wanted my life to look like. But in my time, I have been able to participate in so many different things that I would never have considered, and my passions and skills have significantly expanded.

From learning how to do journalism, photography or even skiing, there were so many opportunities during my time at Fox for me to do new things and learn how to do them well. I have embraced the vastness of life and feel prepared to follow God's call for my life wherever that may take me.

Additionally, the communities I have been a part of will always have a place in my heart. I remember many desperate prayers in my first few months to find my place here and have people to share this experience with, and God answered that prayer beyond what I could have imagined. Even as we leave and go our separate ways, I feel the people I have connected with here rooting for me as I am for them.

The shy 18-year-old who entered Fox would be shocked to see the 22-year-old she would be leaving as. I have gained so much more confidence and self-assuredness. I have learned to be flexible and to allow plans to change, and even allow myself to sometimes not have a plan at all.

A huge turning point for me was my study abroad semester in Rome. I was very nervous before leaving, but I’m so grateful for all the support the study abroad office showed to make me feel that it would be OK. In those three months, I grew closer to God, became more confident, and felt myself step into the person I was always meant to be that I had just been too scared to embrace. And as I returned to campus, I could continue that growth as I embraced the changes God was making within me.

Next year I will go to Prague to get TEFL-certified and then teach English for a year! I’m viewing this time as a gap year before I dive into getting my MFA in creative writing. I think, as a writer, it’s important to go out and embrace life and all the adventures it offers so you have the experience to pull from when writing. I may not have another time in my life when I am as free to pack up and move across the globe as I am now, so I decided to embrace that freedom in this season!

These past two years have been some of the best years of my life. Being a transfer student, my biggest worry was not being able to make friends or find a home community. My fears were diminished the moment I stepped onto my floor that first week and met so many new people that, like myself, just wanted to be known. My time here at Fox and the Be Known promise have encouraged me to dream big and not let my fear of failure hold me back.

I recall graduating high school thinking I knew everything, but the small town I lived in couldn’t fulfill my desire to make a difference in this world. I wanted to do crazy amazing things, but I didn’t know how. After coming to Fox, I have come to the conclusion that I know very little of this beautiful world. However, I am confident that, with God, I have the means of making any dream come true.

I plan to attend the University of Sydney in Australia for its master’s degree program in international law this fall. After that, I would love to attend law school and work internationally with the U.S. Department of State or an NPO.

My four years at Fox have been tremendously transformative to me spiritually and academically, but most importantly, my time at Fox has been transformative to my personhood. One of the recurrent themes of my undergraduate years is agreeing to things that I have felt wholeheartedly unqualified for. This was made majorly evident during my first upper-division classes, my molecular biology Richter research project, and through my study abroad experience in a Spanish-speaking country.

I initially accepted all of these endeavors feeling wildly unqualified and impressed by the students who preceded me. It was precisely through being humbled over and over by such new experiences that I developed a lifelong, humbling initiative to learn and accept as many daunting experiences as possible. As challenging as these experiences were initially, they have all the more proven to be my primary sources of transformation.

One of the most valuable things I’ve learned during my time at Fox is that I am capable. I have a newfound, steadfast assurance that I am capable not by my own means, but because I have a God who is so much greater than me who is guiding me. It is difficult to pinpoint a specific personal turning point during my time here because, as considerably as I have been impacted by major experiences, such as my study abroad semester and Richter research, transformation was just as fully made through the countless late nights studying in the library and times spent discussing faith and ethics in professors’ offices and in dorm rooms.

Through four years of seasons filled with excitement, frustration, victories and defeats, I have developed a newfound confidence in my capabilities that is one that cannot be confined to the walls of any singular classroom, academic building or campus. Rather, such transformation was made through the hearts and minds of the professors, staff, students and community that have poured so wholeheartedly into me during my time at George Fox.

I plan to pursue an M.D. after taking a transition year to gain clinical experience while working as a medical scribe. I aspire to use my passion for medicine and share the love of Christ to one day offer compassionate, quality patient care.

My experience at George Fox was dynamic. The COVID pandemic hit at the end of my freshman year and sparked more than a year of masks and social distancing within the classroom (or over Zoom); I got married halfway through my undergraduate career in the summer between my sophomore and junior years; and I enjoyed two different on-campus jobs and semesters both involving and not involving the honors program.

Nevertheless, God proved his faithfulness again and again by sustaining me through fatigue, stress and the notorious “senioritis,” allowing me to maintain good grades and good relationships, and providing me with an excellent church body to be a part of (Chehalem Valley Baptist Church).

While many individuals had an impact or influence on me, one particular person who helped me figure out the direction I wanted to take in the accounting profession is my faculty advisor, Dr. Seth Sikkema. During sophomore year, I was deeply anxious about whether or not I wanted to pursue a CPA certification, because 150 credit hours are required to be CPA eligible and the best-case scenario would be to get those credit hours within the time of my four-year degree.

Seth (and my former CAP Coach Colleen Sump) encouraged me and explained to me how it could be done. By the grace of God, I graduated with 150 credit hours, making me eligible for the CPA exam. I am very grateful to Seth and other members of the faculty, and look forward to staying in contact with them.

My growth is still certainly a process. God has been teaching me how to trust him more and how to rely on him better, which directly pertains to my natural tendency to be anxious and stress. Through the various classes and experiences on campus, I have been forced out of my comfort zone, which has allowed me to grow and improve.

Additionally, I have been confronted with challenging situations and differing viewpoints that have required me to consider how best to civilly engage people, remaining both loving and firm with a focus on the truth.

I still have a long way to go, but I’m thankful that God is patient and faithful through it all.

By the grace of God, I will be starting at Aldrich, a CPA firm in Lake Oswego, this September. In the meantime, I will be working on my CPA certification by studying throughout the summer and taking as many of the CPA exams as I can by the time I start at Aldrich. My wife and I also plan on taking a few trips during the summer to visit family and to celebrate our upcoming two-year anniversary.

I hope and pray that I will be able to acquire my CPA license within a couple years, and I will see where God may lead my wife and me. We plan to continue to be involved at our church in the area.

I look back at my time at Fox and am truly grateful for all of the memories. The best part of my experience, hands down, was the people I met. The professors have always been willing to extend the Be Known promise by letting me hang out in their offices, even if I didn’t have questions about the class, and have been invested in me since day one. Don Powers specifically has had a huge impact on my life and my time here. He challenged me the most during my undergraduate experience and cared about me both academically and personally.

However, it wasn’t just the professors who shaped my time at Fox. I have made the best friends I could ask for. I will forever remember our late-night study sessions in the lab, our random midnight conversations, movie nights, ice cream runs, and everything in between. They have truly changed my life for the better, and I will forever be grateful for everyone I have met here.

The biggest way that I have grown at Fox is in my faith. I grew up in the church, but coming to Fox was the first time in my life that I was really challenged to examine my beliefs and ask myself why I believed the things that I did. The honors program specifically pushed me quite a bit in this area of my life as we broke down beliefs in different denominations, and even religions, and talked about a lot of the hard topics in the faith, like the problem of evil.

As a science student, I have also been challenged to integrate my faith with science, and figure out how the two can co-exist and intermingle. Overall, I feel like I am walking away from Fox with a deeper understanding of who God is, and I am more confident in my faith than I was when I stepped onto campus as a freshman.

I am looking at going into teaching! I would love to teach science at the secondary level.

My experience at George Fox has been life-changing! I have loved my four years here and have grown so much because of them. In addition to the rigorous courses that have prepared me for my future career, Fox has provided me with relationships that will last a lifetime. My professors invested not only in my academic success but in my personal growth as well, helping me find a future career I am passionate about and preparing me to get there. Professor John Schmitt helped me discover my passion for the laboratory and supported me in both my academic and faith journeys during my studies.

I am also grateful to have been a part of the Bruin track and field and cross country teams. My teammates and coaches have been like a second family to me; they were there for me through hardships and celebrated my successes as their own. Many of my favorite memories were formed with my teammates, who have become some of my closest friends. The community and support that Fox has blessed me with is truly amazing, and I will look back on these four years with immense gratitude and joy.

I have grown so much since I came to Fox in 2019, not only as a student, but as an athlete and in my relationship with Jesus as well. Before coming to Fox my faith was important to me, but I didn’t really have a personal relationship with Jesus. Through the time spent at team Bible studies, classes, chapel, church and daily conversations, I began to know Jesus through each and every one of my teammates, friends, coaches and professors.

One of the biggest lessons I learned was how to place my value in the fact that I am a child of God and not in my academic or athletic performance as I had so often before. I learned that my running and my career are not what define me, but rather ways I can express my love for God and bring him glory. I am so grateful for all of the people at Fox who have challenged, supported and encouraged me in my faith these past few years.

I always thought I would go on to medical school, but after the opportunity to do laboratory research under Professor John Schmitt, I decided that I love the hands-on opportunities the laboratory provides. I am now hoping to go back to school in a few years to further my education in cellular and molecular biology. In the meantime, I plan to work at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute as a research assistant and will be getting married this summer!

My experience at George Fox was formative. My professor, Dr. Young-Il Kim, had a major impact on my academic trajectory. He believed in me and encouraged me to produce my best work. He also shared his faith journey and personal life, inspiring me to seek personal relationships over academic production.

Another important part of my journey was all the readings in both my major and the George Fox Honors Program. It has been an honor to be part of a conversation of justice and peace through literature that spans centuries. Lastly, the friendships I developed here will have a lasting impact. These friends created a support system that will truly last a lifetime.

I had a major turning point at the end of my sophomore year and beginning of junior year. I began to understand God’s call as a mission of seeking love as a first priority. Love always wins; it is the only appropriate response. Love transcends political affiliation and citizenship. In any situation, love should be your litmus test.

I began to apply this theory to every aspect of my life and question the predominant rhetoric surrounding heated debates in our nation. I asked myself, “Which response is most loving to our neighbors? Which response honors the dignity of those involved on all sides of the issue?”

I am getting married this summer! I met my soon-to-be husband at George Fox. Then, we will do some exciting traveling. Next, I will pursue my Master of Arts in Teaching degree with the hope of teaching English to speakers of other languages. In the long run, I hope to use my degree to work in immigration and resettlement services. I aspire to learn from the powerful stories of immigrants and to advocate for policy reform.

My time at George Fox has been life-giving and transformational! I have met my closest girlfriends, my fiancé and incredible mentors at this university. I’m excited to take the material I learned in my classes into the real world! George Fox has always been my first choice, and after four years here, I’m genuinely sad to leave.

As an incoming freshman, I brought a lot of hurt into my first year from a past situation in my hometown. The first two years in college taught me so many hard but good truths, and I rediscovered my faith and my identity in Jesus. It was in Macy and Brandt Hall where I let him hold my brokenness and know my worth by his grace.

I will be moving back to Hawai’i and getting married at the end of December! Then, I will be relocating halfway across the country to Austin, Texas, to start a life with my husband!

In terms of a job, I’m looking at a remote occupation and am currently in the process of being on-boarded into a potential corporation. It’s a lot of change, but I am hopeful and choosing to trust the Lord with the rest!

George Fox is a place to grow! The people who had the biggest impact on my life are my lacrosse coaches and my team. My coaches have been a huge example to me as far as what it looks like to live a life pursuing Jesus. My team has shown me what it looks like to love and be loved unconditionally. Those girls will forever be close to my heart.

Coming in at 18, you never really know who you are going to be on the other side, but I could not be more grateful for the professors, coaches and teammates who have shaped me into the resilient, joyful, fulfilled, Christ-loving woman I am today.

I have grown in so so many ways ... athletically, intellectually and spiritually. Lacrosse at Fox is unlike any community I could have ever imagined. Through that team I watched selflessness, humility and servant-leadership pervade in what to me had always been a competitive, cutthroat experience. I learned how to care deeply in a healthy way, to love unconditionally, to choose peace and joy, and to bounce back from any difficulty.

I came to George Fox as a junior, and spent my first semester unable to tell if I was keeping up at all, letting the imposter syndrome get the best of me often. It was my professors who reassured me I could not only succeed, but excel. By my definition, I have thrived.

Before Fox, I knew God. But Fox has given me the tools and vocabulary to recognize him and let him rule over every avenue in my life. I have explored what it means to place my identity in him, and I will forever find my belonging and hope in the person of Jesus.

I am getting married in July and then have one-way tickets to Indonesia with my fiancé! We hope to spend the first couple months of our marriage traveling together and working remotely. I will be putting my degree right to work in a remote social media manager position at Emily Lex Studio. Eventually, my fiancé and I will settle back down in Tacoma, Washington, and pursue our careers before starting a family. :)

I would describe my experience at George Fox as being seen and cared for. I have had several on-campus jobs with supervisors who genuinely wanted to hear how my day was. Walking around the quad, it is beautiful to be able to stop and chat with a friend, staff or faculty member about the mundane, intellectual, spiritual, or any combination of the three.

Academically, Caitlin Corning has been my go-to professor. I am pretty sure every class she has offered I have either taken or helped her with. Her door is always open for a question as simple as, “How do you cite this?” to the more complex, “How can I prepare for life post-graduation?” While I learned a lot in terms of “book knowledge,” I think the most important lesson is the self-confidence that I have gotten through the care and attention of many professors at George Fox.

I have grown tremendously during my time at George Fox. There have been professors who I connected with on personal and intellectual levels, friends who make me smile every day, and experiences that I will always treasure. I think the biggest turning point I had came in the spring semester of 2021. I studied abroad in England and remember thinking how I could practically feel every day making me into a new person. I cannot recommend enough to students to take part in study abroad and Juniors Abroad as much as possible.

I would say, with the knowledge and experience I have gained, I have become able to acknowledge both my giftings in some areas and my shortcomings in others and work toward bettering myself and the world around me. Currently, I am in the process of learning to take today (yes, this very day, no matter how significant or insignificant it may seem) and cherish it.

I have been accepted to the MSc in history programme at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland!

I can say in complete sincerity that I felt truly known at George Fox. My professors strived to know each of us by name and made me feel more like their colleague than merely a student. I am so grateful for the support I was offered and for the kindness I experienced from the faculty, administration and my fellow students.

Looking back over the past four years, it’s remarkable to see the amount of learning I’ve attained and the confidence I’ve gained in my profession. It’s amazing to think that just three years ago I was learning the fundamentals of nursing, and today I have the ability to provide care for multiple patients independently and with critical thinking. Senior year seemed to be the moment everything came together, with all the studies and simulations, all the hard work and clinical hours. But they have all been worth it!

I plan to enter the ICU after graduation, and to ultimately become a nurse practitioner. I cannot wait to help better people’s lives through health and personal connections.

My experience at Fox was challenging. I was challenged as a student and as a person. I grew to understand myself more as a woman in STEM, leader in my community, and follower of Christ. I came to college to work hard to reach the next step in my “plan.” What I have received from George Fox was more than just an item off my checklist. It has been a dance-in-the-rain, Dino-Chicken-Nugget-Night, best-London-fog-of-my-life, crazy-filled-res-life-community type of experience.

I got more than an education from Fox. I got a community that loved and supported me throughout my time here. I have been blessed to be an RA, where I got to walk with so many incredible people. I have learned to be present in the moment and that it’s OK to fail. The staff and faculty at Fox have been a constant support and encouragement. My friends have stressed with me and laughed with me during the good and bad times of studying for exams.

My roommate Whitney has been such an amazing part of my family; she is a constant in my life that I will always be thankful for. My experience at Fox is almost over; however, the memories I have and the community I have built will last a lifetime.

Going into medicine there is always an outside pressure to do well in your classes. When I was a first-year student, I felt like I was never enough. The “A” I got was never high enough, and I could never spend too many hours in the library. I think the first time I ever questioned the plan I had for myself was when I first failed an exam. I thought I would never reach my goal of going into medicine because of this exam. I realized that I didn’t come to school to be given my education, but I came to learn. I came to school to try my best and work my hardest to reach my goals.

Suffice it to say, I built some boundaries in my life to enjoy the time I had here while also doing well and keeping up with my studies. I had to accept that I can only give my best and that I had to trust what I have learned. I always tell first-years that it’s OK to fail an exam; it will suck, and it’s definitely hard, but It’s also not the end of the world. I learned that people are more than just their grades and that things will work out in the end.

I am taking a couple gap years to continue my research at Oregon Health & Science University, where I work with a rare pediatric bone cancer. I plan to take the MCAT at the end of October in preparation for medical school. I have also been applying to different abroad programs, and I will have an internship in Costa Rica for two months in a medical clinic.

Once I get back home from that internship opportunity, I plan to work in a clinical lab at OHSU as a research coordinator for a year or two. I will then be applying to medical schools with the intention of going into pediatric oncology.

At Fox, I formed some of the deepest relationships in my life and made memories I will carry with me forever. I took sporadic trips to the beach at 3 a.m. on weekdays, I developed bonds with professors that I will continue long after graduation, I spent three weeks in Italy with some of my best friends, and so much more. I have learned how to be a friend and a professional, I now know how to turn a visual image into a rhetorical criticism, and how to find an apartment. I even learned how to make tiramisu.

Before coming to Fox, I really had no idea who I was or what I believed. My time here has given me the prompting and the space to develop a sense of self that I never had before. The introspection and self-knowledge I have gained has made me a better job candidate, friend, son and person overall.

I am also thankful for the curiosity and love of learning that I have cultivated during my time at Fox. My classes in the honors program and the communication department were an amazing place to let my curiosity run wild. Whether it was discussions in class, grabbing coffee with professors, or talking with friends, I will never forget the conversations I had here.

I’m planning to extend my current internship with Congressman Earl Blumenauer through the summer. In October, I plan to live in Spain and teach English as a second language at an elementary school for a year. After traveling for a while, I will look to start a career in public policy with a focus on climate/environmental legislation.

(Alternative scenario: I will become a potter/woodworker in a small Italian village and spend my free time listening to opera, working in my garden, and reading in my little skiff out on the Mediterranean.)

My experience here at Fox has been very meaningful. The community here is so special. I have been able to develop important relationships with the faculty on campus and make some lifelong friends along the way. Freshman me wasn’t sure how well I would fit in in this community, but I found people whom I love dearly quickly in my theatre department. I am blessed to have professors and friends who will pray for me when I need it and who will also celebrate with me.

I’ve grown a lot in my faith here at Fox. I wasn’t super solid in my faith when I came. Freshman year I was able to ask questions and engage in my faith in ways that I hadn’t been able to before. Engaging with the theatre classes also helped me grow in my faith. My theatre professors were so intentional about teaching us that our art and faith are combined. When you grow in your art you grow in life. I have discovered that that is very true because the more I dove into theatre and learned new things the more I was able to make those faith and art connections that I didn’t know existed. The more I strengthened my faith the more understanding and growth I would see in my theatre making.

I will be taking some time off to breathe and celebrate graduating! I am hoping to stay in Oregon in the Portland area to continue pursuing acting and directing with the theatre companies in this region. I am excited to see where God takes me!

My experience at Fox has been incredible. I loved being a part of a community of professors, coaches, teammates and friends who want to help you grow into the person God is calling you to be. All of the lessons I’ve learned through my time on the cross country and track and field teams I will take with me for the rest of my life. Some of my most memorable moments have been spent traveling with and racing alongside my teammates. The opportunity to step away from homework and classes for a few hours a day and spend time running with my family is truly a blessing.

One of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned during my time at Fox is that your worth isn’t defined by what you do or what you achieve. You don’t have to earn the love of those around you. The unconditional support and love I received from my coaches and teammates even after some of my worst performances and races helped me learn that lesson. Everyone at this university wants the best for you and wants to walk alongside you on your journey through life. It was truly special to be a part of such a loving and intentional community.

Next year I will be attending the Doctor of Physical Therapy program here at Fox and will continue to run for the cross country and track and field teams here on campus!

I have absolutely loved my experience at George Fox! I believe the years from ages 18 to 21 are some of the most formative. You are truly learning who you are, and I’m so glad that I spent those years at George Fox. My professors, specifically those in the civil engineering department, and my track coaches have been a huge blessing to have behind me, and with me, during my time at Fox. They have poured into me, both in the academic and physical sense, but also spiritually.

I have created so many memories with some of my best friends during the last four years that I will never forget. I will forever remember the sunsets spent on the track after a completed workout, followed by the late nights in the Maker Hub completing homework.

I have grown so much since coming to Fox. It started right away when, in my first week of freshman year, I lost my grandfather. I had just started a grueling engineering program, was entering into five-day-a-week practices, and was also hit by this great loss. I learned very quickly to lean into the Lord. I have found this was a tool I needed throughout my four years at George Fox. I have learned that there are things much bigger than myself, and although I knew this before coming to school, I have since come to a new understanding of how this can be enacted every day.

I will start work as an Engineer in Training (EIT) at Westech Engineering in Salem, Oregon, after a summer of traveling. I will be traveling to Japan as part of a Juniors Abroad program, then taking a trip to Cancun, Mexico, with my family. I am very excited to join the team at Westech and start my engineering career!

My experience at George Fox was an adventure. Every year, something went really wrong or in a direction that I did not expect, but God was so faithful to reveal himself to me through it. The people he brought alongside me through athletics, FCA, and the Bridge Network were some of the best people I can imagine growing alongside. I will remember all the times he showed up when I thought there was no way.

My turning point was my entire freshman year, as I dealt with incredible spiritual warfare and doubt over my faith. Every day was a battle to find where God was, but that year ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. In the fire, I discovered how desperately we need God, and that was such a gift. I have become a man who believes God and is willing to go wherever he goes, trusting his plans are so much better.

I will attend the Faith and Sports Institute at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, to get my Masters in Sports Ministry. I honestly have no idea what I want this to lead to, but I hope to learn better how to live into my calling of raising up strong coaches, fathers and athletes to live out their true identities in Christ and to build up others to do the same.

I transferred here as a junior, and it’s the best decision I have ever made. From the moment I toured it, George Fox has felt like home. My two years here have been more fun than I ever could have hoped for. The friends and memories I made will be with me forever. I will remember the activities around campus, staying up late with friends, and how much I loved my courses.

The biggest impact on my life has come from friends, cohort members and professors. I have definitely felt the Be Known promise because of the incredible professors in the elementary education department. They helped me so much when I first came here and are always there for students. I always felt like they put so much effort into the classes they taught, and are passionate about the content (and the homework never really felt like work because I loved what I was doing).

The biggest change I have seen in myself is my faith. I have been a Christian for most of my life, but I did not feel strong in my faith until coming here. Last year, some of my friends invited me to go to Northwest Christian Church with them, and I have looked forward to going every Sunday. My friends and the atmosphere at Fox have also helped me grow in my faith. My professors prayed or included devotionals in lessons, and I have had many conversations about faith with friends, which is something I didn’t know was missing from my friendships.

I have also grown in my confidence as well, and this stems from all of the presentations we did in el ed classes, as well as student teaching. Knowing that my cohort members, friends and professors are all rooting for me to succeed has been a big blessing. :)

Along with graduating, I am also in the process of getting my Oregon teaching license, and I am currently looking for teaching positions in the fall; my hope is to stay around this area because I love the Northwest. I am really excited to become a teacher and have my own classroom, fulfilling a dream I have had since I was in second grade.

While at Fox, I also have become ESOL certified, meaning I can teach students who do not speak English as their first/home language. I hope to use this and one day teach overseas at a military school or international school, and this really excites me!

Every community I was a part of on campus became incredibly important to me. Each class took on its own personality, gained its own culture, and became a part of the person I am now.

Post-colonial British literature sounds pretty dry, but it may have been my favorite literature class. We were just a dozen English majors around a table discussing books in the basement of Minthorn, guided by the brilliant Jessica Hughes – perhaps the life of an English major at its best. But even a few weeks into the semester, that class felt like a sort of family I never knew I needed. We would all arrive early and have 15 minutes of discussion about the text before class even formally started. Then we’d be guided to pull at the threads of these novels until there was a whole web of connections that were both theoretical and applicable.

Dr. Hughes made us baked goods and posed difficult questions so we could just try to wrap our heads around the literature, and even now, I’m not sure if we fully succeeded. And we would discuss far past the end of class, eager to get to every passage that sparked interest.

Not only were we engaging intellectually, we were engaging personally. We made memes about the books we were reading, stayed up late texting anecdotes and predictions for future chapters, met for coffee and study dates, and were invested in each other’s lives. We edited papers for other classes, offered relationship advice, had theological debates, planned post-graduation book clubs, and gently chastised poor sleep habits. It was like I had 11 brothers and sisters who were excited about books the same way I was.

I used to believe that reading and writing were things best done alone. But the English majors have gone through all the writing and reading together. We were living out reading and writing in community, which has been the slow-burn lesson of college: Stories are most important when they’re shared, and they build stronger and more meaningful communities than perhaps anything aside from music.

There is value in hearing the stories of our elders (I wrote a tribute to my great grandmother); there is value in sharing the human experience (I wrote flash fiction to illustrate human struggles); there is value in exploring history under new lenses (I tried to write about the history of the Levant); there is value in being present and writing about now (I wrote articles about my own experiences). Every word is a reflection of ourselves and of others, and to build communities based on them – whether the story is mine, Harry Potter, or an academic essay – we are better together. This is the lesson that I want people to understand most: Our lives are stories, and we have common ground in them and live them together.

Right now I’ve been called to Camp Tilikum, which is where I will stay until God calls me elsewhere. Someday I may end up teaching or working in the school system. I may end up going to grad school for a master’s degree in library science or some form of ministry. I’m excited to have a family. But that’s all in the future and all up to God.

George Fox is a place that overflows with life, and it has molded me into a person that I am proud of. Time and time again, I have felt not only a sense of belonging but a sense that people want to see me thrive. Fox has endless opportunities for leadership and growth. Even when I did not feel like I was adequate enough to step into leadership roles, others around me saw something I did not see in myself. I have learned that, at Fox, people really want to see you become the person God created you to be.

It is a great joy to be able to walk across the quad and be met by familiar faces and friends, even as you are just trying to get from one place to the next. I have never been so uplifted, loved and supported by so many people at once than I am at Fox. I am overwhelmed by how many sweet memories and friendships I get to take with me moving forward.

I am not the same person who moved into Edwards four years ago. I came in as a timid and uncertain person who was afraid of many things. I am now leaving Fox as someone so grounded in who the Lord says I am. I am full of new passion, life and confidence. I am leaving having a better understanding of what I am called to do in life.

George Fox created a space for me to bloom. With every class attended that pushed me to think about learning in a new way, I grew. With every opportunity to go into elementary schools and teach and care for students, I grew. With every conversation over coffee with new and old friends, I grew. My elementary education professors, track coaches, mentors, FCA club leadership, Bridge Network program and peers are all people and things that I hold close to my heart and owe so much of my growth to.

The Lord used Fox as a place to reveal his heart for me. I got to know my Creator intimately while being here, and now I can step into post-grad life and have a newfound trust and sensitivity to God and where he is leading.

I’m heading over to Washington Family Ranch to do a Young Life summer internship. After the summer, I hope to be a primary elementary teacher and continue in ministry spaces.

It is so difficult to put my time at Fox into a few simple sentences. In my time here, I have learned the importance of friendships and relationships. My coaches, teammates, professors and friends who turned into family have impacted my life for the better, and I am inspired by their resiliency, compassion and faith. I feel so blessed to have done life beside them at Fox.

George Fox granted me the opportunity to play a sport I love and earn my teaching degree simultaneously. I am especially grateful for the athletic and education departments who granted me the opportunity to learn through successes and failures.

Next year, I will be teaching in my own classroom!

George Fox really kept its Be Known promise! I have always felt like my professors knew me at a more personal level than just being their student. Especially in the nursing program, my professors made me feel like I’ve known them forever, and I felt that they always looked out for my best interest and encouraged me to grow and blossom as a nurse and as an individual.

Wow, I have grown a lot since freshman year! I started George Fox feeling excited yet very nervous for this new chapter in my life. As I am closing this chapter and starting a new one, I’m proud to say that I have grown immensely in my identity and confidence. I am graduating knowing who I am, staying true to myself, and more than ready to create new beginnings and cherishing what life has to offer!

I hope to start an RN residency program at a local hospital here in the Portland area!

My time at Fox was a wild ride! I learned and grew so much and had to face the adversity of being a performer during the pandemic and having my major and program cut. I won’t ever forget the community I was able to cultivate in my time here. The group of theatre students I have been here with is so caring of one another, and we have struggled and made it through all the challenges of the past few years together.

I do think the struggles did solidify my love for the art, though. Making high-quality live theatre through Zoom, with masks or just in Wood-Mar is such a gift and blessing to this community and to us that having it taken for that time made it that much more special.

I've grown a lot as an artist in my time here. I came in wanting to join theatre because it was fun and I liked being in front of an audience. But now as I’m getting ready to graduate, I feel ready to jump into the professional field not only as an actor, but as a designer or carpenter. I leave this program and community feeling prepared to do whatever is needed of me in theatre and excited to do all kinds of work.

I plan to audition around the local area and send audition tapes all across the PNW with the hope of landing some acting gigs. I will also be applying to local theatres in an attempt to join their production crews in some capacity. I’m hoping to start a theatre company in the area and tell meaningful and hopeful stories that the community needs.

Throughout my time here I’ve met many wonderful, God-fearing people who have become lifelong friends. Some of my favorite memories are from the annual track and field spring break trips, playing volleyball on the beach with my teammates.

One of the greatest ways this school impacted my life was by introducing me to my fiancé! While the engineering program certainly equipped me with the technical skills I need to succeed in my career, my greatest takeaway from college is learning the importance of love. Loving Jesus and loving others well is the key to a happy and purposeful life; I’m so grateful for all of the professors, coaches and friends who taught me this.

One of the most obvious ways I have grown since coming to George Fox is in the way I prioritize my life. As a freshman, I came in with a very self-centric outlook. My experience as a student and athlete have taught me that chasing recognition is a disordered endeavor; true satisfaction can only be found through Christ. Maintaining a focus on kingdom living has helped shape me into a more humble and grateful person.

I will be staying in the area. Next month, I start my first full-time position as a mechanical engineer. The month after that, I will be getting married! I am really looking forward to this next stage of life, and I plan to continue growing the relationships I have formed over the last five years.

I will forever remember the friendships I made and the community I found while studying at the university. Through my classes and extracurriculars, I found so many ways to build skills that would set me up for success in the future. I have gotten the chance to take part in amazing opportunities and create many opportunities for myself. I am so blessed to be leaving Fox with amazing memories, great friends and skills to set me up for the future.

During my second year, I was taking an entrepreneurship class with Laurie Koehler. I was really excited about the company I was putting together but was going about it all the wrong way. After a conversation with Laurie, I realized I needed to take action beyond the classroom to be successful. I ended up driving six hours in a day to get market research that could help inform decisions I was looking to make in the business.

Since that moment, I have not looked back. I realized that there are so many opportunities available; all that is needed is a first step in the right direction. This idea has been the driving force for growth at Fox. I have been able to connect with so many amazing people and do so many amazing things at Fox because of taking the first step.

I look to work in the outdoor industry, specifically within the sport of rock climbing. I have loved taking part in the sport at George Fox and wish to continue to be a part of the sport’s growth. I hope to continue to work with professionals in the industry and eventually own my own gym. I look forward to new opportunities in the future!

When I was a freshman I hoped I would have a college experience like the one Fox has given me. In both the classroom and on the cross country team, I’ve experienced the Be Known promise because of the high-quality people who surrounded me and loved me through my highs and lows.

My best memories at Fox have come from the time spent with teammates going to get food after a tough race or spending time playing beach volleyball in Santa Barbara. Professors like Ryan Dearinger and coaches like Mike Wilson cared for my personal and spiritual well-being along with my performance as a student-athlete, providing me with incredible role models as a future teacher and coach.

I’ve grown in my faith substantially since coming to Fox. Before Fox my faith was in a rocky spot, but this community has encouraged the growth of my faith above everything else. The cross country team Bible studies helped build my faith and gave me a community to grow with and ask difficult questions about what it means to be a Christian in today’s world.

While my faith was growing in this community, Dr. Paul Anderson’s theology classes challenged me to think critically about why I believe what I believe. The personal and spiritual growth that I’ve experienced at Fox are things that I am extremely thankful for, as these memories will shape how I see God’s creation for the rest of my life.

I will be applying for the Master of Arts in Teaching program at George Fox to pursue a career as a high school history teacher!

George Fox has been awesome. I have met many people who have changed me for the better. The faculty, student body and staff have been amazing.

I have changed a lot since coming to George Fox. The person I was freshman year and the person I am now are so different. Being in a nurturing environment really enabled me to become a better person.

I will be attending graduate school at the University of Nevada in Reno, where I’ll pursue a PhD in chemistry, with plans to pursue cancer research in the future.

My experience at George Fox was wonderful in terms of educational fulfillment. I met some incredible students and professors who each had profound impacts on different areas within my life. The classrooms at George Fox proved to be great places to grow both academically and spiritually. Through my time in undergrad, I learned the importance of developing a community around you which supports your endeavors while simultaneously holding you accountable when you stray off the good path.

In my time at George Fox I’ve noticed the most immense growth in my personal life to be spiritually based. While initially deciding to attend George Fox, my belief system was in turmoil. Beginning my freshman year through the prodding of religious studies, I began to explore my faith, and my life has been changed for the better.

In the upcoming months I will be getting married, road tripping back to my home state of Alaska, and then traveling to Southeast Asia this winter. I will be taking a year off of any academic pursuits to work and give more time to my hobbies (e.g. hunting, fishing, and jiu-jitsu). I then plan to attend law school in the fall of 2024.

My time at Fox was filled with personal and spiritual growth, memories and great people. I learned what it means to be a steward of Christ and what it looks like to serve the community and those around me with his love.

The women’s basketball team and the athletic department had the biggest impact on my life. They helped me grow in ways I never knew possible, and I created relationships with those around me that shaped me into the person I am today. They pushed me to reach my goals and be the leader God called me to be. One thing I learned is that the most growth happens when you get out of your comfort zone and allow God to work in and through you. The countless memories from the basketball team, to nursing clinicals, to all the studying at coffee shops, and everything in between will truly be lifetime memories I will be forever grateful for.

Throughout my time at Fox I have grown in my personal relationship with God and what being a true disciple of God looks like. I am more outspoken about my faith as I have made it more my own and made it more of a prominent part of my life and the way I live out each day. There were many times I had to respectfully fight for something that I believed in for either the betterment of those around me, or to achieve my own goals. During these times, I learned what it looks like to fight for what you believe, then let God take care of the rest. God’s plan is better than anything I can ever imagine, and no matter how hard things seem to get, he will bring me through and reveal his plan for my life at the appropriate time.

I will be starting my nursing career on the resource team at a hospital in Southern Oregon, but until then I will be preparing for the NCLEX exam, traveling and spending time with family! I am looking forward to seeing how God uses my career in nursing to further his kingdom!

When I first transferred to George Fox, I had just left a school I loved due to some health challenges and landed at a new school in the middle of a pandemic. I felt diverted to a path I never envisioned and was concerned about finding connections during such an unusual time of distance learning.

Once my classes started, my worries quickly disappeared. Surrounded by amazing professors who truly cared about learning about me as a person, inspiring me to follow my passion for teaching, and reminding me about the importance of seeking God during every walk of life, I found that was just the beginning of what Fox had to offer.

I am so grateful I did not overlook what God had placed in front of me, because it has become the greatest blessing. My experience has been an affirmation that, through faith, God will bring his blessings to fruition. When we follow God’s direction for our lives, the outcome is often much better and more defined than we could have possibly imagined.

We not only receive blessings through the outcome but added the blessing of his all-encompassing vision. Lamentations 3:25-27 says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

I’ve felt blessed by the numerous opportunities I have had and the many amazing students I’ve interacted with. From supporting a fourth-grade science club, volunteering with the Science Outreach Program, student-teaching in a fifth-grade classroom, and now finalizing my last stretch of student teaching in a seventh-grade language arts classroom, I have learned more about who I am and want to become as a person, teacher and Christian.

Next I will be headed to Stayton, Oregon, to teach third grade. I am beyond excited to set up my own classroom, meet all of my amazing students, and spend every day doing what I love!

After my first year or two of teaching I am hoping to attend grad school to pursue my masters. I am so thankful for the opportunities and support provided by Fox and my amazing professors and cohort, and I look forward to moving on to this new chapter.

My time at Fox has been really impactful and influential, and I’ve been incredibly blessed by the community here. I think the most important thing for me while here has been the personal connections I’ve made with people, not only with my friends but also with my professors. These connections have not only provided me with support while working through a challenging academic program, but have also enriched my academic experience, exposing me to new perspectives and ideas. This has also made my time at Fox very formative; the personal connections I’ve made with friends and professors have shaped my academic journey and also helped shape my character and values.

I’ve definitely grown a lot at Fox. Probably the biggest influence on this was my time in the honors program. I really appreciated being able to engage with a wide variety of ideas and worldviews, and it was really impactful exploring that with similarly curious and engaged students and faculty. This experience influenced how I see and understand the world around me and got me thinking deeply about the big ideas that underpin so much of historical and modern thinking. I’ve come out of my time at Fox with a much deeper understanding both of modern and historical philosophy and theology, and that’s been incredibly valuable in continuing to develop my own faith and worldview.

I'm going to be continuing my education at the University of Washington, pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Eventually, I hope to do research and development in the aerospace industry, potentially in the PNW area.

My time at George Fox has been deeply impactful in molding me to become the person that I am today. I will always remember the way in which people pushed me to be the best version of myself, day in and day out. Specifically, I owe my gratitude to my teammates and coaches on the cross country and track and field teams. I have learned what my calling is, how to find contentment in the midst of struggle, and how to live my days with gratitude.

Since coming to George Fox, I’ve grown in the sense that I know what I want to prioritize in life! While it’s easier said than done, I know I want to prioritize all things that can help to bring me in closer relation to my Savior, Jesus Christ. While there was no one moment in time that necessarily solidified this rationale for me, it happened through the multitude of conversations I’ve had with incredible people at this university.

After a very fruitful internship last summer, I have been blessed with the opportunity to come back and work full time up in the Seattle area at Ronald Blue Trust, a Christian financial planning company. Ronald Blue Trust’s mission is to help Christians become financially free to assist in fulfilling the Great Commission.

I will study the next few months to take my examinations for the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) and CKA (Certified Kingdom Advisor) designations, both of which will assist me in providing the maximum value possible for those who entrust our advice.