On the first of April, George Fox University launched the “George Fox Gives” campaign to support students in financial crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the closure of the George Fox campus, more than 400 students lost federal work-study jobs. Many students lost off-campus jobs when the state of Oregon commissioned the shutdown of nonessential businesses, and others struggled with remote learning, housing, and transportation expenses.

So much has changed. So much is still changing--perhaps forever. The world-wide effort to stop the spread of Covid-19 through social distancing and self-isolation has emptied school campuses, cancelled sport events, shut down businesses, and the Class of 2020 was not going to experience a graduation ceremony.

The women's soccer team at George Fox University (GFU) has a new coach: Laura Schott. This new change will take effect during their 2020-21 season. Teammates Joie Mckinnon and Madi Costello provided insight on how they feel about the change.

Newberg, Ore. - On Feb. 29, International Studies Abroad (ISA) sent out an email to all the George Fox University (GFU) students studying in Rome requesting their immediate return to the United States. The email was sent around 3:30 a.m., just hours after the U.S. Center for Disease and Control had updated Italy to a level three travel advisory amid the outbreak and spread of COVID-19, or the Coronavirus.

Newberg, Ore. - The polls for next year’s student government closed March 14. Mark Giese and Meredith Green were voted student body president and vice president. Danielle Korthuis is next year’s vice president of Finance. The class representatives include senior Rory Brown, juniors Ana Imes, Olivia Grijalva, and Anastasia Kilian, and sophomores Moriah Reed and Trevor Wilber.

Freshman Evie Daniels participated in the game, saying, “Bruins vs. Foxes was a school-wide game where Bruins wore bandannas on their arms or legs and foxes wore them on their heads. The fox’s goal was to tag as many Bruins as possible, and the Bruin’s goal was to survive as long as possible.”

The closing of Concordia University in Portland, Ore., came as a surprise. According to an Inside Higher Ed article, students as well as shareholders were blindsided by the sudden closure announcement. Some worry it’s a herald of difficult times for private, liberal arts universities.

When students came back from Christmas break, they were greeted by some changes to the card lock system on campus. All students were able to get access to each residence hall’s common area at all times. Additionally, individual halls in dorms were locked 24 hours a day, instead of just past floor hours.