From the Nominator

"Faith. Grit. Joy." It’s not just a tagline seen on George Fox University billboards, web pages, admissions brochures, and social media posts. It describes, in an aspirational way, the transformational four years we hope students will experience at George Fox. We acknowledge the hard times, celebrate the moments of joy, and above all else, affirm our commitment to a faith-based education—which we believe prepares students to think with clarity, act with integrity and serve with passion.  

While some Christian universities across the country are seeking to downplay this commitment—taking note of national trends that show faith-based institutions struggling to fill classrooms—George Fox made the bold and strategic decision to lean into our Christian faith to go all in on our heritage that dates back to Quaker founders in 1891.   

This brings us back to faith, grit, and joy. It looks great on a billboard, but how do you define it? The university marketing department determined that the most effective way would be through a story in George Fox Journal, our university magazine, which reaches an audience of 33,500 students, parents, alumni, employees, and donors.   

The result was a strong collection of feature stories that could be used well beyond the magazine, especially in admissions materials both in print and online. And while it’s difficult to measure impact, these materials seem to be resonating with our target audience: George Fox is on pace to set a first-year enrollment record in the fall of 2023.

From the Judges

The judges found the nomination to be a compelling representation of students, showcasing their active engagement and dedication to community service. The nomination effectively highlighted the meaningful contributions made by students, emphasizing their role as agents of positive change. The judges commended the nomination for capturing the essence of student involvement and the impact they can have on the community.