Connecting Be Known and Stand Tall

Robin Baker, President

Not long after we introduced the phrase Stand Tall last fall, there was a question that began popping up around campus: “Is Stand Tall replacing Be Known as the university’s promise?” The answer is no.

Be Known has been at the core of who we are since we opened our doors in 1891, and it will continue to be foundational to the George Fox University experience. We only recently put a name to it, but professors and staff have been connecting with students in authentic ways – personally, academically and spiritually – long before Be Known started showing up on billboards.

So, what do we mean by Stand Tall? The short answer is, it’s what we aspire for our students. Certainly we want them to thrive in whatever career path they choose, be that in the arts, business, medical practice, ministry or any other field. But it’s so much more than that. By delivering on our Be Known promise to students, we hope to inspire and equip them to serve, to lead and to boldly share the love of Christ.

When I think of these character traits, I think of people like Fabian Jimenez, a 2017 alumnus who is standing tall as an engineer, a mentor and a giver. The first member of his family to graduate from college, he is now an engineer on the team that oversees the maintenance, everyday operations and capital improvement projects of six major bridges over the Willamette River. But he’s not content to simply work. He also volunteers with multiple nonprofit organizations, mentors students interested in pursuing a career in STEM fields, and regularly returns to campus to work with our aspiring engineers.

This special edition of the George Fox Journal is dedicated to telling the stories of students and alumni who personify what it means to Stand Tall. You’ll read about one of our students, Emery Miller, who started his own charity and has helped raise more than $300,000 for the American Heart Association. Another, Tracy Boyd, a mother of four who is blind and currently in our graduate counseling program, created a community for parents who are blind to share tips and encouragement with one another. And there’s alumnus Greg Lutze’s story – that of a former business student who went on to cofound VSCO, one of the world’s most popular photo editing and sharing apps, all without compromising his faith or commitment to family.

I hope and trust these stories inspire you as they do me. They are a good reminder of why we love George Fox and why the mission of this institution is so critical to the world at large.

Robin Baker
President