Newberg Point of View
Photos by Brynne Norton
Article by Jayden Forsyth
NEWBERG, Ore. – Whether public or private, universities often bring acclaim to their cities and become central to their identity, hence the term “college town”. Newberg, home to George Fox University (GFU), is indeed a college town—though it doesn’t quite fit the stereotype.
While most college towns are a step up in size for students, according to surveys, Newberg is smaller than most GFU students’ hometowns. Despite its size, Newberg plays an important role for GFU, providing amenities and benefits which students and faculty often speak in praise of.
Newberg was officially incorporated as a city in 1889. In 1891, GFU (then Pacific College) was founded. There have only been two years in this city’s history where it hasn’t served as home to the university.
For 134 years, the city and the university have existed together, providing higher education and a small-town environment for students and citizens alike. Newberg is an important part of every GFU student’s collegiate experience, and has garnered reviews of all kinds from its guests.
We recently conducted two surveys: A Google Form sent out via The Daily Bruin and a poll on The Crescent’s Instagram. Approximately 100 students responded to various questions about Newberg. Our goal was to gain an understanding of how current GFU students view their college town. The results offer insight into how students travel around, spend time in and value Newberg. Because not every student answered each question, the totals below will be inconsistent.
Across the polls it was ascertained that all students venture into Newberg, and a majority of them do so regularly. A question asking how students spend their time in Newberg yielded a clear majority answer: shopping. In the poll from The Daily Bruin, 17 students indicated that they shop in Newberg, while another 30 students specified that they grocery-shop when in town.
In the Instagram poll, shopping ranked as the second most common use of time for students in Newberg. Sixteen students said they leave GFU to stock up on groceries, behind the leading response of 25 students who said they eat at local or fast-food restaurants. In the poll from The Daily Bruin, 20 students reported eating locally, compared with 16 who choose fast food, suggesting a preference for local eating options.
Another popular use of time in Newberg is thrifting: 11 students chose it as their most common pastime in the Instagram poll, and 17 students said the same in the poll from The Daily Bruin. Thirteen total students (12 from The Daily Bruin and one from Instagram) stated that they like visiting Newberg’s parks, and six students (from The Daily Bruin) reported that they travel into Newberg for work.
There are two main ways that students travel around Newberg: by motor vehicle or on foot. Fifty-seven students (33 from the Instagram poll and 24 from the poll in The Daily Bruin) indicated that they either walk or run through Newberg, while 44 people (28 Instagram, 16 The Daily Bruin) said that they drive. Only two students said that they rode bikes or scooters into town, with those two votes coming only from the Instagram poll.
The majority of students expressed appreciation for Newberg’s size, stating that it’s fun to explore because of its smallness. Students also noted that they enjoyed being able to travel the town on foot and felt safe doing so.
Overall, opinions in both surveys were overwhelmingly positive, with 81 total students saying they liked the city, 19 students indicating they were neutral and only eight students reporting that they didn’t like Newberg.
For 75 total survey-takers, Newberg is smaller than their hometown. Despite a majority of students in this poll coming from bigger cities, they expressed having adapted well to Newberg’s small-town vibe and enjoying the community and culture available here. Quotes left anonymously on the polls reflect this:
“Newberg is a delightful little town, I love how centrally located everything is.”
“The community is very tight knit and I love the smaller size.”
“I think Newberg is a wonderful city that is centered on community and connection. I enjoy the smaller feel of it!”
Though Newberg may seem small to most students, its impact is positive, as many students regularly make trips into the town to socialize, shop, explore and otherwise enjoy it for its cozy atmosphere and humble feel.
