Derek Dixon came to George Fox University to play baseball but found the Christian atmosphere difficult as a non-believer. After an unsatisfying freshman year, he roomed with students who introduced him to Christianity and he committed his life to Christ as a sophomore. Dixon now serves as a leader for campus ministries and challenges athletes to represent their faith on and off the field. Though he came only to play baseball, Dixon is grateful that God used his time at GFU to grow him spiritually.

1. George Fox University senior and Bruin baseball first baseman, Derek Dixon was initially drawn
to GFU by its baseball program but soon found himself in awe of what God had in store for his
college years.
Upon arriving on campus, his freshman year, Dixon was enthusiastic about his baseball career.
Choosing GFU for solely athletic purposes and paying no mind to the Christian atmosphere, he
found it hard to relate to faculty and his fellow peers.
“Honestly, my freshman year, I wanted to transfer out of Fox,” says Dixon. “Everyone was so
different. I wasn’t a follower and I just did things my own way.”
Despite his feelings towards the university, Dixon felt a need to stick it out for one more year. As
housing arrangements were made for the upcoming semester, he found himself rooming with an
unexpected group of guys.
“They didn’t even want me to room with them,” says Dixon. “I thought that they thought I was
annoying but over time we ended up hanging out and they’re the ones who showed me Christ.”
It was through the examples and guidance set out by his roommates that Dixon ultimately made
the decision to give his life to Christ his sophomore year.
“Ever since then it has been a journey. It has just been a huge adventure,” says Dixon, “It’s not
easy being a follower. It’s a constant, daily thing to get better at.”
Since his sophomore year, Dixon has stepped into many leadership roles throughout campus.
Serving as a member of the Student Athletic Advisor Committee and leader of GFU’s
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Dixon strives to encourage Bruin athletes to live out their faith
both on and off their playing fields.
“We’re supposed to be Christ minded. We want to play so that people can see us and say, “wow,
that person is a follower of Christ,” or “wow that person has something different about them,”
says Dixon. “That’s how we try to challenge our athletes.
As Dixon’s time in GFU’s undergraduate program and as a member of Bruin athletics comes to a
close, he is thankful for the time spent with his teammates and for the coaches that first took a
chance on him by recruiting him to GFU, claiming that they have all pushed him to his fullest
ability.
“It has just been a huge blessing,” says Dixon. “It’s just crazy looking back upon everything.”
Looking towards the future, Dixon is open to any opportunities that may come his way. Whether
he go onto furthering his business degree in GFU’s graduate school or continuing on with his
baseball career, he is prepared for a challenge.

2. “Fox has done a good job, for me, in giving me a firm foundation,” says Dixon. “I came to Fox
to play baseball but it ended up being a lot more than that. God had an opportunity for me to
grow spiritually and play baseball. I will always be really grateful for that.”