The Crescent: George Fox University's Student Run Newspaper

The Hawaii Club is hosting its annual luau on April 15 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Canyon Commons.

For the first time, George Fox University (GFU) is sending students on a mission trip to Cuba. The team will be in Santiago, Cuba from May 6-21.

Eleven years ago, in a small office in Lemmons Center, the foundation for what would become George Fox University’s Honors Program was laid. Last Thursday, students and faculty gathered to celebrate the program’s evolution and success with a forum and some cake.

Two of George Fox University’s sports teams, football and esports, have recently undergone coaching changes, both at the head coach level.

The 2025 Woolman Peacemaking Forum will take place on Feb. 25 in Hoover 105, with sessions from 3:30-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. The forum, named after 18th-century Quaker John Woolman, is a platform for discussing peacemaking issues at George Fox University (GFU).

TikTok faced a temporary ban in the United States starting Jan. 19 after the Supreme Court deemed the app a national security threat. However, the ban was quickly reversed within 24 hours.

Canyon Commons, affectionately known as “The Bon” by George Fox University (GFU) students and staff, has seen its share of changes over the years. The latest adjustment, removing the food waste system at the start of the 2025 spring semester, has left many students curious about its purpose.

The start of 2025 has been challenging for Los Angeles (LA) residents, who have faced devastating fires and evacuation notices since Jan. 7. As of Friday, Jan. 24, over 55,000 acres have burned, and more than 16,000 structures have been destroyed. 

In fall 2024, George Fox University (GFU) will welcome the final cohort of Act Six scholars as the program transitions to new initiatives supporting diversity efforts. The national Act Six organization, which partners with GFU for recruitment and development, announced that 2024 will mark the program’s final year of operation. Current and incoming Act Six students will remain in the program, with their scholarships covering the full four years.

Transportation across campus is a daily necessity for George Fox University students. What was once a mundane, safe task has become a somewhat harrowing experience with the rise of e-scooters. While these devices allow fast transit for riders, they have raised safety concerns for pedestrians.

As the academic year winds down, students at George Fox University are preparing for final exams, completing last projects, packing up, and heading into summer break. Whether this semester has flown by or dragged on, the last few weeks can be incredibly challenging as motivation wanes. Fortunately, an experienced upperclassman has some advice to help underclassmen finish strong.

George Fox University (GFU) offers a variety of mentorship programs designed to support students’ growth academically, professionally, and spiritually. One is the Spiritual Life Office (SPiL) mentorship program, which aims to connect undergraduate students with faculty or staff mentors in a faith-based environment.

The Department of Art and Design at George Fox University partnered with the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce to present a unique and vibrant gallery exhibition, Selections from the Studios. The show, featuring the work of various George Fox art students, will remain on display through April 28.

Amidst the busy school day, many students traverse Crisman Crossing and glimpse a canyon filled with plants and wildlife. The upkeep of this biodiverse area has passed through many volunteers, yet one man has stood by Hess Creek Canyon for more than 40 years, devoting his time to the care and beautification of the 15-acre area.

A new opportunity has arisen in the fall of 2025 for incoming students looking to explore faith, formation, and community at a deeper level during their time at George Fox University (GFU). 

Located at the end of Carlton Way, the Fell House spends most of the week as an unassuming George Fox University (GFU) house. But on Saturday nights, it is flooded with lights and laughter as students stream through its door for a night of fellowship in Christ. 

Something is rustling in the bushes!! Is it a rabbit? A bird? A squirrel? Nope, it is our campus cats! About two to three cats roam freely around George Fox University (GFU), bringing smiles to students and staff alike.

Last semester, George Fox University (GFU) students in a Beginner Photography class  were assigned a final project to photograph strangers. While the task may sound unconventional, it fostered connections between students and local community members.

Tristan Mancisidor’s deployment in Afghanistan forever altered his understanding of success, purpose, and peace. At 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army to challenge himself and push toward excellence. However, what he encountered in the military changed his worldview, reshaping him into the man he is today.  

Dr. Jason Lepojärvi, a professor of theology and literature, an Honors professor, a former contestant on Survivor, and a dedicated scholar of C.S. Lewis, shared his deep appreciation for the celebrated author and a glimpse into his teaching journey at George Fox University.

The 2024-2025 NFL season has ended unexpectedly, with the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX. Although I am not a gambling man, I would have bet my house (if I had one) on Kansas City taking home the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday.

Last week, I was sent to the hospital, not due to a bear attack, a bus accident, or poor judgment, but because of George Fox University’s very own Canyon Commons. I would be lying if I said the experience didn’t shake me to the core.

“Why is Thanksgiving break so short?” This question is often heard from students, parents, and even some staff at George Fox University (GFU). Currently, students only have Thursday, Friday, and the weekend off for Thanksgiving. While some students look forward to going home to see their families, others have to wait until winter break for that opportunity.

Since the start of the 2024 fall semester, George Fox University (GFU) has faced significant parking shortages due to ongoing construction and an influx of students, causing frustration and safety concerns for drivers.

In the 2020 Presidential election, 76% of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump. Today, two-thirds of white evangelicals continue to have a ‘favorable view’ of the former president, including 30%, who hold a ‘very favorable’ view. Although many of Trump’s political positions are widely considered extreme and not representative of American values, he continues to maintain a cult-like status amongst white evangelicals, who seem more devoted to him as a person than they are to his politics. While it may seem like the white evangelical worship of Trump came out of nowhere in 2016, the modern evangelical right does not exist in a vacuum. 

On Feb. 16, the Supreme Court of Alabama issued an unprecedented ruling and determined that embryos, stored for in vitro fertilization (IVF), have the same legal rights as children under the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act. As a result, IVF treatments shut down in the state until an additional bill was signed by the governor protecting IVF providers from criminal liability. Nothing in this bill addressed the repercussions of declaring frozen embryos “extrauterine children.” 

The desensitization of millennials and Gen Z has become a common occurrence on social media and pop culture. However, is this true and is there scientific evidence showing desensitization of these younger generations? If so, what does that mean for us now? 

As Gen Z spreads its wings, it’s developing its own generational trademarks. Some of the more obvious markers of this generation are its heavy use of the Internet and social media and its hankering for social justice. These factors have, however, helped construct this generation’s political identity. One facet of Gen Z’s politics is in its support of feminism, but these feminist trends of the 2020s are still being counteracted by misogyny. 

In 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 110, decriminalizing drug use within the state. Now, addiction rates remain high and overdose deaths a consistent problem, and the Oregon state legislature is considering backpedaling and making drug possession once again a low-level misdemeanor. Although this may be well-intentioned, especially as fentanyl deaths continue to spike across the US, criminalizing possession has never worked in the past, and it isn’t going to start working now. 

I have had my driver’s license since high school, but I came to college without a car. Instead, I brought a bike. Although having a bike certainly has its disadvantages, it is a good and feasible option for many students at George Fox University (GFU).