Squire earned his bachelor’s degree in English from George Fox University. He specializes in English tutoring, Spanish tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at George Fox University:
Describe the campus setting and transportation options.
Squire: George Fox University is located in Newberg, Oregon—a small town about a half-hour from Portland by car. Around 22,000 people live in this town. Throughout the day, there are busing options in Newberg that can bring passengers as far as Tigard in one direction and as far as McMinnville in the other direction. I always felt very safe at George Fox University.
How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants?
Squire: The professors generally go out of their way to help any students who ask for help. They hold office hours, during which students can drop by at any time and request assistance. Often, professors will even reach out to struggling students who have not asked for help. Academic advisers are always available in the main office for students to schedule meetings with. On top of this, each student chooses an academic adviser—a professor in their department who helps them schedule classes and keep track of graduation requirements. I have never worked with a teaching assistant at George Fox University, but I have heard that they tend to be quite helpful.
How would you describe the dorm life—rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students?
Squire: Most students live in dorms only in their freshman year. However, the campus does not contain enough dorm rooms to accommodate all students who would like to live in them. It is extremely rare for anyone who is not a freshman to live in the dorms unless they are an RA or an RA’s roommate. I tried to get into a dorm my first year, but could not because the dorm rooms were full with freshmen and I was transferring in as a sophomore. From what I have heard from others and witnessed, however, dorms are great for facilitating friendships between first-year students. If a student still wishes to live on campus after their first year, they usually live in the on-campus apartments, suites, or houses. Apartments usually contain multiple bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Suites are similar to apartments, except they are located within resident halls.
Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?
Squire: Nursing and engineering are two of the most popular programs at George Fox. I studied English, due to my passion for language and stories. The program suited my interests perfectly; it fostered my interest in writing and literature, while contributing to my learning and shaping my worldview.
How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life?
Squire: Because I did not enter George Fox as a freshman, and thus never lived in the dorms, I had a much harder time meeting people than I’d hoped. Only by my second year did I start making a lot of close friendships. George Fox University does not offer Greek life.
How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services?
Squire: The career center is quite helpful. I even have had a few meetings with career services over the last month—since they offer their services to alumni up to one year after their graduation.
How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges?
Squire: I spent plenty of time in the library over my years at Fox; it serves as a very comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for study. The building is spacious, and it is always heated. Even though I personally never spent much time in them, I have known the dorm lounges to be quite nice as well; they seldom seem overly crowded. There is also a place at George Fox called the Bruin Den, where students can relax, hang out, or do homework. There is a small café in the Bruin Den where students have the opportunity to purchase coffee, food, or snacks. As someone who likes being in public as much as possible, it became my favorite place to do homework.
Describe the surrounding town.
Squire: As I have said before, Newberg is a fairly small town. Downtown Newberg isn’t necessarily the most exciting environment, but I still managed to have a lot of fun there.
How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes?
Squire: For a university, George Fox is rather small. I felt very pleased with my class sizes at George Fox. While there are a few large lecture hall classes with 50 to 100 students, I never attended one of them. Most of my classes held about twenty students, which I loved because it offered me more of an opportunity to participate, as well as an opportunity to get to know my professor and classmates.
Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most.
Squire: Toward the end of my senior year, I was in Literary Criticism, which was taught by my favorite professor and faculty advisor, Bill Jolliff. Bill played the song “Courtesy of Red White and Blue” by Toby Keith and then facilitated a conversation about the ways in which the song conveys its message. As I sat there, passionately discussing the song's lyrics with my class, I realized with certainty that I had chosen the right major. Majoring in English had certainly been a risky decision for someone like me, since I still didn’t know exactly what kind of career I wanted to pursue. But no subjects enthrall me quite as much as stories and language. That day in Literary Criticism, I realized that I wouldn’t have been half as passionate about my classes if I had pursued any other major. My English classes had tapped into my interests and helped to shape my worldview.
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The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.
