Nov.
29
G e or g e F ox U n i v e r s i t y
Colleague
Next Issue: Dec. 13
P r e s i d e n t ’s P r o l o g u e
Two people from the George Fox community
died on consecutive Saturdays this month.
“They were `too young' to die” is a common
reaction. (I sometimes wonder how young is
“too young,” but that's for another discussion.)
How does this community “release” a 20-yearold student and a staff spouse who died
suddenly at 63?
Karissa Edwards and Jack Findley connected
with this community in different ways. I don't
think they knew each other. Jack was a part of
George Fox University for a long time. His wife,
Patty, has been a George Fox employee for 20
years (the last six-and-a-half in our athletics
department), and at his death Jack had in his
garage new baseball foul poles he was working
on for the Bruins. It was one of several projects
he took on for university sports teams this past
year. As Patty noted in her message to the
community, he was a “wonderful husband,
father, brother, and friend.” Karissa was a thirdyear student whose connection with George
Fox was just beginning. I knew Jack because of
Patty; I knew Karissa because she came to see
me several years ago to talk.
Those of us who attended the services for
Karissa learned she was energetic, somewhat of
a risk-taker, and full of ideas. She came to see
me to ask why she should stay in school when
she could be out in the world ministering to
people. I've gotten this question from others
who have a similar mind-set - people who want
to serve God more than anything else and want
to do it now. I'm sure Karissa discussed this
matter with others as well. Whatever the
various responses were, she was still in school
and doing very well.
Part of my answer to her was that ministry
happens everywhere - including on the George
Fox Newberg campus.The many testimonies to
her life were clear - she ministered right here. I
loved her method of leaving notes for her
friends, some of them a very short time before
she died. She encouraged those around her and
took initiative in service efforts. She was a
minister.
So, this year during the holiday season our
university has very big, very visible aches. We
have lost two people to heaven and it doesn't
feel good here on earth. I have no words or
other devices to help. I acknowledge the grief of
the university and the families and friends of
Jack Findley and Karissa Edwards, and I am
grateful we know the God of all comfort who is
present in our pain.
Send news items to spatterson@georgefox.edu
Remembering Karissa
The university is doing its part to honor
the memory of Karissa Edwards, the
George Fox junior who drowned in the
ocean near Lincoln City, Ore., on Nov.
13.The Karissa Edwards Memorial Fund
has been set up at Bank of America to
assist her family with funeral expenses.
Remaining funds will be donated to two
of Edwards’ favorite nonprofit
organizations: Compassion International
and The Oaks Christian Camp in Lake
Hughes, Calif.
Karissa worked summers with inner-city
kids at The Oaks. During the school year,
she worked for the university’s custodial
department, in part to sponsor
impoverished children through
Compassion International. She was an
honor roll student and received the
Presidential Scholarship, the highest
academic scholarship awarded by George
Fox.
The 20-year-old Edwards, a Christian
ministries major from Newberg, was
spending time alone on the beach during a
retreat for resident assistants.When she
failed to turn up at the appointed pick-up
time, she was reported missing.The next
day, her body was found in the ocean two
miles north of Depoe Bay, Ore. Police said
there was no sign of criminal activity, and
it appeared Edwards went wading and was
overpowered by strong currents and
unusually heavy waves.
The university honored her with a special
chapel service on Nov. 15 and a memorial
service on Nov. 17.
Let There Be Light
George Fox University’s 13th annual
Ceremony of Lights is scheduled for
Friday, Dec. 3, at 4:30 p.m.The campus
community will gather around Centennial
Tower for a candle-lighting ceremony, a
time of singing and devotions, and a
performance by the university’s brass
ensemble. In addition, Esther Klagas and
Melva Brandt will flip a switch to
illuminate the tower and surrounding
buildings with Christmas lights.The event
concludes with refreshments and
Christmas music in the Stevens Center
lobby and the Ron Gregory Atrium.There
will also be a live Nativity scene in the
Stevens Center plaza.
Come Let Us Adore Him
Singers from George Fox University and
local high schools will join with the
Chehalem Symphony Orchestra to
Colleague • Nov. 29, 2004
Volume 11
No. 38
E m p l oy e e N e w s l e t t e r
Deadline for Copy: Nov. 23
perform three Christmas concerts in
Portland and Newberg in December.The
first presentation of the program, entitled
“Come Let Us Adore Him,” will be at 7:30
p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at New Hope
Community Church in Portland.The
church is located at 11731 SE Stevens
Road, across I-205 from Clackamas Town
Center.
That night, the concert will feature a guest
choir from Canby High School.
The following Friday, Dec. 10, George
Fox singers and the Chehalem Symphony
Orchestra will perform with a choir from
Beaverton’s Southridge High School at
7:30 p.m. in Bauman Auditorium on the
Newberg campus.The final concert will
be Saturday, Dec. 11, when a South Salem
High School choir will be the guest group
for a 7:30 p.m. performance in Bauman
Auditorium.
The concerts will feature about 150
musicians each night.The George Fox
University Concert Choir will present
more than a dozen diverse Christmas
choral arrangements, and audience
members will have the opportunity to join
in singing familiar Christmas carols. Preconcert music, beginning at 7 p.m., will
be performed by several George Fox small
ensembles, including the university’s Jazz
Choir and brass, flute, string, and
woodwind ensembles.Tickets are available
through the university’s box office at 503554-3844. Admission is $10 for adults, $6
for senior citizens, and $2 for students and
children.
Big Turnouts
Both the Family Weekend and Bruin
Preview events drew big numbers to the
Newberg campus in November.The
former attracted more than 900 family
members the weekend of Nov. 5-7.The
latter, which took place Nov. 11-12, drew
212 students - 178 of whom were high
school seniors - and 130 guests.Those
visiting for Bruin Preview attended
classes, met faculty members, and got
tours of the campus, among other
activities.
President’s Invite
President David Brandt and his wife,
Melva, invite university employees and
their spouse/guest to a Christmas open
house at the Brandt’s home, the historic
Edwards House, on Sunday, Dec. 12, from
3 to 6 p.m.The home is located at 402 S.
College St.
Auxiliary Lunch
A George Fox Auxiliary luncheon is scheduled
in the Cap and Gown Room in Heacock
Commons on Friday, Dec. 3, at noon. George
Fox student musicians will present music of
the Christmas season. Lunch is $6. For
reservations, contact Louise Clarson at 503538-2850 or Bertie Roberts at 503-5383064.
Financial Advice
Office of Human Resources is hosting a
“Lunch and Learn” seminar on Friday, Dec.
17, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Cap and
Gown Room.The seminar, entitled “Reduce
Debt and Increase Net Worth: Financial
Management,” will be presented by
Rivermark Credit Union. Lunch is free and
space is limited. Registration must be
completed by Dec. 14 and can be done at
www.georgefox.edu/offices/hr/lunch/.
Wassail Party
The George Fox community is invited to the
library’s annual wassail party on Monday,
Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Wassail,
sweets, cheese, and crackers will be served
during the open house. Festivities will take
place on the main floor of the Murdock
Learning Resource Center’s multi-purpose
room.
ABOUT OUR PEOPLE
Karin Jordan (Counseling) spent two weeks
in Moscow training 40 psychologists and
psychiatrists from Moscow and Beslan
following the tragic hostage-taking situation at
a school in Beslan, Russia, in September.
Jordan presented training in traumatology
assessment and treatment and later assisted
Beslan therapists with trauma therapy
techniques, supervision, and debriefing.The
Beslan therapists have been providing crisis
counseling since Sept. 1, when the hostagetaking occurred. It lasted three days and left
an estimated 600 dead. An additional 200 of
the children were taken to hospitals in
Moscow with serious injuries and remain
hospitalized. Immediately after her time in
Russia, Karin presented three trauma
workshops in Germany at the annual
conference of the European Branch of the
American Counseling Association.
Martha Iancu (ELI) presented a paper,
"Seeing Fluency First Through the
Kaleidoscope of Grammaring," at the annual
conference of ORTESOL (Oregon Teachers of
English to Speakers of Other Languages) at
St. Mary’s Academy in Portland on Nov. 6.
Other George Fox guests who attended were
Dawn Todd, Peggy Nava, Amber Bliss,
and Ron Parrish (all ELI), Katsu Ozawa
(Education), and Madame Wu Han Mei, a
visiting scholar from Wuhan, China.
Balda, Matt Cox, Gregory Bowman, and Jon
Hanson attended, as did Kristina Hanson
and Mark Pothoff (Student Life).
George Fox baseball coach Pat Bailey
(Health and Human Performance) worked a
baseball pitching-only camp at the Wilkinson
Baseball Academy in Lynnwood,Wash., Nov.
12-14. Pat worked with Tom House, a former
major league pitcher and one of the most
sought-after pitching experts in the country.
Pat is a member of the National Pitching
Association, an organization for which House
is a representative. Pat is certified with House
and works clinics with him in the Northwest.
Mark Ocker (Division of Professional
Studies) made the presentation “Workplace
Ethics: Employer-Employee Standards” at the
Oct. 19 meeting of Tigard Rotary. October
was Ethics Awareness Month at the Tigard
chapter.
Alan Thurston (Plant Services) received
designation as Certified Registered Locksmith
in October. Alan earned the title by passing a
300-question proficiency exam through the
Associated Locksmiths of America.The exam
was comprised of questions covering 12
different skill categories of locksmithing.
Bob Lauinger, who retired from the
George Fox music department in 2002,
adjudicated the “Festival of Ribbons” music
festival sponsored by the Tualatin
Valley/Tigard chapter of the Oregon Music
Teachers Association on Nov. 13.
Office of Career Services (Bonnie Jerke,
Darren Noble, and Marla Sweningson)
hosted the regular meeting of Oregon Liberal
Arts Placement Consortium members on
Friday, Nov. 19. OLAPC consists of career
officials from nine Oregon small colleges and
universities planning the annual spring jobs
and graduate school fair scheduled for April
6, 2005. Special guest presentations were
made by Ian Symmonds, a marketing
professional, and three employers: Leslie
Dotson of A-dec, Barbara Palmer of Bank of
America, and Donovan Mattole of Borders
Group.
BIRTHDAYS
Nov. 29 Arden Butler
Michelle Conrad
Krissy Hanson
Nov. 30 John Barber
Melanie Hulbert
Dec. 3 Brad Lau
Dec. 4 Alan Kluge
Dec. 8 Kerry Irish
Dec. 10 Carlisle Chambers
Dec. 11 Rich Bass
Craig Johnson (Communication Arts)
participated in two panels at the International
Leadership Convention in Washington, D.C.,
Nov. 3-7.The first was entitled “Core Content
and Theories in Leadership Education
Programs.”The second was entitled
“Leadership as Symbolic Process:
Incorporating Communication Strategies in
the Leadership Classroom.” Students Joanna
Colleague • Nov. 29, 2004
CALENDAR
Monday, Nov. 29
• Newberg Chapel
Clay Jones, 10:40 a.m.
• “The Process of Personal Purity”
Clay Jones, Hoover 104, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 30
• All-Employee Lunch, Noon
• “The Process of Personal Purity”
Clay Jones, Hoover 104, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 1
• Newberg Chapel
Clay Jones, 10:40 a.m.
Friday, Dec. 3
• Faculty Business Meeting,
Hoover 104, 10:40 a.m.
• Auxiliary Lunch, Noon
• Christmas Candle-lighting,
Centennial Tower, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 4
• Christmas Concert
New Hope Community Church, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 6
• Newberg Chapel
Nancey Murphy, 10:40 a.m.
• Staff Lunch, Noon
Tuesday, Dec. 7
• Faculty Lunch, Noon
Wednesday, Dec. 8
• Newberg Chapel
George Fox choir, orchestra and band, 10:40 a.m.
Thursday, Dec. 9
• Women’s Basketball vs.Western Baptist
Wheeler Sports Center, 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 10
• Fall semester classes end
• Christmas Concert
Bauman Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
• Men’s Basketball vs. Concordia-Portland
Wheeler Sports Center, 7:30 p.m.
• Ten! Ten! Ten!
Wood-Mar Auditorium, 10:10 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 11
• Women’s Basketball vs. Cascade
Wheeler Sports Center, 7 p.m.
• Christmas Concert
Bauman Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
• Ten! Ten! Ten!
Wood-Mar Auditorium, 10:10 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 12
• Brandt’s Open House, 3-6 p.m.
Edwards House