A Value Proposition
Illustration by Breanna Newburn
Article by Reese Borchert
NEWBERG, Ore. – George Fox University (GFU) achieved record enrollment once again in 2025. The undergraduate population living on the Newberg campus seems to be the most impacted by this growth.
“The institution was structured for 2,400 in 2017. Now we have 2,488,” says President Robin Baker. “It's not substantially different but if you were to look at the university, you would see that it's different inside.”
He explains the altered makeup of the college, as the student majority shifts from humanities majors to engineering, science, and business. Although population size has not drastically increased, changes are evident.
Across the street from the university, Meridian Street residents post signs in their front lawns requesting that students do not park there. GFU allows freshmen to bring their cars to campus, yet underclassmen frequently petition for more adequate space to park them.
The capacity of GFU’s residence area is also stretched. Three students were assigned to the two-person dormitories in Gulley Hall for the 2025 fall academic semester.
“It’s not terrible, but yeah, I don’t have much personal space,” says Damien Sledd, a freshman resident of Gulley Hall. Sledd lives with two football linemen in a room and, without his own desk, opts to spend his free moments in Klages, Murdock Library and his friends’ space in Sutton.
Another aspect of campus life that has been difficult for undergraduates to navigate is the dining hall. “The population of students on meal plans is largely unchanged since last year, though a slightly larger percentage are coming to each meal,” says GFU Bon Appetit General Manager Ryan Jensen.
He adds that this is likely because students are choosing to attend Canyon Commons due to increased accessibility or desirability. The heightened demand requires students to wait longer in line than previous years but the fluctuation has been accommodated.
“From a facilities perspective we still have capacity to grow,” says Jensen. The staff at Bon Appetit is always seeking feedback and experimenting with ways to improve the food distribution process.
“Over the past twelve years we are one of only two institutions in our West Coast competitive set that has grown!” states the University Mission and History document from the President’s Office. This success has been attributed to the initiatives flowing from the third floor of Edward Stevens Center, dedicated to being a “place of innovation in service of the mission” along with “God’s blessing.”
Like Jensen, President Baker appreciates a wide lens in his work. It was the input from firms across the Northwest which led to increased academic offerings in the field of healthcare, attracting students interested in physical therapy and even healthcare administration.
“In the broader higher education market, the schools that are doing exceptionally well are huge institutions,” says Baker. He comments on the nature of Grand Canyon University and its magnitude supporting the idea that students choose to enroll because of that experience, not despite it.
If a young adult chooses to continue their education, it is because they see value in doing so. Opportunities that GFU has added in the past decade, such as sports programs and graduate degrees, provide such benefits and have been strategic in ensuring the sustainability of the university.
The trends display that people are looking to be a part of something bigger than themselves. GFU is certainly that.
