George Fox University

What is the history of George Fox University?

George Fox University is a private Christian university in Newberg, Oregon, with roots in the Friends, or Quaker, tradition. It began in 1891 as Pacific College, serving a community that valued both academic study and religious education.

The college later took the name George Fox College, honoring a founder of the Quaker movement. It became George Fox University in 1996, when it merged with Western Evangelical Seminary. That history helps explain the institution's present mix of undergraduate liberal arts and professional programs, graduate education, and theological study through Portland Seminary.

What are the faculties and departments at George Fox University?

George Fox offers undergraduate majors alongside graduate and professional programs. Its academic offerings span the arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, health professions, and theology; Portland Seminary provides theological and ministry education.

Undergraduates can explore fields such as biology, psychology, business, nursing, engineering, education, social work, and the arts. Graduate and professional options include programs in education, counseling, health care, and ministry. Program structure matters: a student considering nursing, teacher preparation, or another credential-bearing field should check that program's admission requirements, clinical or fieldwork expectations, and pathway to licensure rather than relying on university-wide requirements alone.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1. That institution-wide figure describes enrollment relative to faculty; it does not indicate the size of every class or the availability of a particular course.

What is the location of George Fox University?

George Fox University's main campus is in Newberg, a smaller city in Oregon's Willamette Valley southwest of Portland. The setting offers a more compact college-town experience than a campus in central Portland, while keeping the metropolitan area within reach by road.

The university also uses a Portland-area location for some graduate and adult programs, so applicants should confirm where their specific courses meet. Commuters should account for travel time, parking, and the schedule of evening or in-person classes. Portland International Airport is the principal commercial airport for the region, but reaching Newberg requires additional ground transportation.

What is the mission and vision of George Fox University?

George Fox describes its educational mission in explicitly Christian terms, emphasizing academic learning, personal development, and service. Its Friends heritage remains part of its identity, although the university serves students from varied religious backgrounds.

That identity is relevant to everyday expectations, not just the institution's history. Prospective students should review the university's current community standards, chapel or spiritual-life expectations, and the requirements of their intended program. Institutional statements of purpose describe what George Fox aims to provide; they are not, by themselves, evidence that every student will have the same experience.