Photo by Molly Arias
Article by Katelyn Martin
NEWBERG, Ore. – The Presidential Challenge Coin is a tangible relic of the Be Known Promise, stemming from a tradition which began in 2025: each George Fox University (GFU) student is to receive a coin when starting college, and in their final semester they are invited to present it to someone who made a positive impact on their life.
Following the introduction of the Challenge Coin, the question of its impact arose: Does this little slab of blue and gold change the way professors and students see the Be Known promise?
On GFU's website, the Be Known promise is defined as being heard. It means that students will connect with staff and professors authentically in three main ways: personally, academically, and spiritually.
Even before the Challenge Coin came into play, GFU has been known for living out this motto. Kristina Kays, a current GFU professor of psychology, recounts her time as a student at GFU fondly, stating that even then, she felt known.
Perhaps not all students were able to recognize this before they moved on from GFU. This is where the coin comes in.
“It’s nice for students to have an opportunity to recognize somebody who’s had an impact on them and to reflect on that,” said Brandy Walton, assistant professor of business. “I wonder if it ties back to students thinking about how they want to have an impact on people in the future.”
To Kays, the token is a way to say “I let you into my life.” The coin is more than a blue and gold coin: it is also a student's words.
The coin doesn’t just stand for a one-way relationship. Being known is a two-way street, an effort on the side of both students and professors. But for those who don’t know how to reach out and make these connections, it can be difficult.
“I think a lot of students come in with the idea that if they’re going to a professor’s student hours, it’s because they’re struggling in a class or something’s wrong,” said Holly Shelton, assistant professor of rhetoric and composition. “It’s totally acceptable to ask a professor to go get coffee or take a walk!”
Students at GFU have the choice to determine the kind of relationship and connections they make with those around them. It can be easier to fly under the radar than stepping into a new connection, but sometimes all that's needed are the right words of encouragement.
“The easiest thing to do is to ask a professor, ‘I would love to find out what it takes to be successful in your class and get to know you,’” Walton said.
Student Jackson Kramer agrees with the proactive approach of getting to know professors: “Go up to the professor you jive well with after class one day and ask when you can meet with them. Ask them questions, because they’re really interesting people.”
Student Katelyn Davison has been challenged to grow by Assistant Professor of Management, Kelly Schmidt, who she has connected with over the last two years.
“I have struggled with becoming a better leader, and Kelly has helped me by calling me out and challenging me when I would talk over struggles I was having in a group project,” said Davison. “Those meetings in her office helped me to really consider why I loved what I was doing and that God did truly gift me with this talent to use for His good.”
The Presidential Challenge Coin amplifies the voice of a prominent culture of connection at GFU. It gives students a way to pass on their thanks with a tangible gesture and acts as a reminder to professors of the mindset they have long taken to heart.
Kays describes the coins as tokens of a ripple, one that started long before this new tradition. She recalls an email she recently received from a student who took a class from her in 2008, observing that impact goes far beyond what we see.
To Kays, the Be Known promise and its effects may not always be obvious, but they are there. Kays said, “I think that’s a thing we don’t understand fully, and we may never.”
Despite not always knowing the impacts we make on others, the Be Known promise and Presidential Challenge Coin aims to make these impacts visible and acknowledged.
