The Legacy of George Fox University - with President Robin Baker
In the latest episode of The Giving Town Podcast, I (Daniel) sat down with Dr. Robin Baker, President of George Fox University, to talk about how Oregon’s largest private university is navigating change from artificial intelligence to spiritual formation, while remaining deeply rooted in the Newberg community.
Since 2007, Dr. Baker has been at the forefront of Oregon’s largest private university. During his tenure, George Fox has nearly doubled in size, built nationally recognized programs, and remained true to its Christian foundation, all while embracing the complexities of the 21st century.
Aside from being a university president, Dr.Baker is a historian, a father, a Rotarian, and a voice for faith-based higher education at the national level. In 2023, he was recognized as one of Portland’s Business Journal’s executives of the Year, and he currently serves on multiple national education committees.
How George Fox Began & Where It’s Going
George Fox University was founded in 1891 by a group of Quaker pioneers who wanted to train young people not just academically, but spiritually. Dr.Baker explained that the university was originally named after George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement.
Under Baker’s leadership, George Fox has grown into a university that serves over 4,300 students, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Rooted in Newberg: The Local Impact of George Fox
Though its reach is national and even global, George Fox is deeply embedded in Newberg’s local identity.
The university employs over 700 people and brings in thousands of students, staff, and visitors into the city each year. Local restaurants, housing markets, small businesses, and nonprofits all benefit from the university’s presence.
Aside from its economic contributions, George Fox's contributions in many ways, including:
Serve Day - a tradition started in 1999, students and staff provide volunteer hours each fall to local nonprofits, parks, and schools.
In a new partnership with A-dec, the university is building a childcare center that will serve both campus families and the larger Newberg community.
When the Newberg Community pool needed funding, George Fox contributed to help make it a reality.
When the Newberg-Dundee Police and Fire Departments needed staffing support, George Fox also provided funding.
Whether it’s supporting city projects, opening up concerts and lectures to the public, or simply infusing Newberg with youthful energy, the university is woven deeply into the town’s fabric.
The Mission: Be Known & Stay Human
Dr. Baker emphasizes that George Fox’s mission is more than just delivering degrees. It’s about transforming people. That’s what makes the school’s motto, Be Known so powerful. Students aren’t just faces in a classroom; they are mentored, challenged, and shaped holistically.
At the heart of this mission lies a profound belief, students are more than minds to be filled with information. They need formation, community, and purpose. While AI may soon outpace humans in information processing, it still can’t form character. George Fox is betting its future on human-centered education, which focuses on community, ethics, spiritual development, and relational learning.
This vision is perhaps best embodied in the university’s new chapel, a project close to Dr. Baker’s heart. In contrast to today’s digital overload, the chapel was intentionally designed as a sacred, tech-free space. “There are no screens and no projectors; rather, the space is meant to invite stillness and sacred reflection,” says Dr. Baker.
Adapting to AI Without Losing Our Humanity
No conversation about education today would be complete without discussing artificial intelligence. Dr.Baker shared how the university is actively experimenting with AI tools in both academics and student life. But rather than fighting it, professors are learning how to incorporate AI into the learning process in ways that strengthen, rather than weaken, critical thinking.
He emphasized that while AI can transfer information, it can’t replace the human elements of education, mentorship, moral reasoning, emotional development, and spiritual formation.
Instead of banning AI or pretending it doesn’t exist, George Fox is asking bigger questions:
How can AI be used ethically in education?
What does it mean to cheat in a world where AI tools can write for you?How do professors teach interpretation, not just formation?
It’s a conversation that every educational institution will need to engage with, and George Fox is doing so thoughtfully.
What Gives Dr. Baker Hope
As we wrapped up our conversation, I asked Dr. Baker the question I ask every guest: What gives you hope for the future?
His answer was simple: “When you’re at a university, you’re always hopeful because you’re working with young people and in a sense they have to be hopeful. That’s your greatest hope, right? Is that they have a future?”
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