Celebrating beginnings, endings and everything in between during Homecoming Weekend

Neither gray skies nor intermittent rain could dampen the Wildcat spirit during Linfield University’s 2025 Homecoming Weekend. More than 700 alumni returned to McMinnville to take part in nearly 30 events held on and off campus. Wildcats of all ages reconnected with classmates, celebrated shared memories and cheered the Linfield football team to a 23–6 victory over Pacific.

This year’s event was especially memorable: It marked President Mark Blegen’s first as Linfield’s leader.

“Homecoming is not like this at every school,” Blegen told a crowd of 150 alumni at the Best Wildcat Club (BWC) Tailgate. “It is something special to share here at Linfield.”

Honoring alumni award winners

On Friday night, the university celebrated the four recipients of the 2025 alumni awards at Linfield’s Finest. The annual celebration recognized alumni who exemplify hard work, innovation and generosity of spirit. The university honored four alumni:

• Ajeeta Khatiwada ’10 received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. She is currently a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A published author of more than 550 peer-reviewed studies, she is also an advocate for STEM equity and a mentor to aspiring scientists.
• Steve Pickering ’74 earned the Alumni Service Award for his enthusiastic and ongoing support of the university. He is a committed volunteer and donor who has long supported Linfield Athletics, alumni reunions and Wildcat events in Arizona.
• Makayla Cordoza ’08 received the Distinguished Nursing Alumnus of the Year Award. A nationally recognized researcher on sleep and recovery, Cordoza is an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.
• Dan McMillan ’88, president and CEO of The Standard, was named Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. In addition to his professional leadership, McMillan was recognized for his civic commitment to revitalizing downtown Portland.

Getting to know President Blegen

Saturday kicked off with a casual question-and-answer session with Blegen, moderated by Debbie Harmon Ferry ’90, director of alumni and parent engagement. In front of an audience of about 60 alumni, Blegen shared both professional insights and personal favorites. He revealed, for instance, that his favorite season is fall, his go-to drink is coffee and he’s already learned to call Oregon’s beaches “the Coast.”

He split the crowd when he admitted to being a dog person — though he quickly redeemed himself with advice that resonated deeply, especially with one of the event’s younger attendees. When asked what guidance he gave his daughter during her college search, Blegen replied:

“The college will choose you. Visit campuses, and go somewhere that feels like home. I sincerely hope it’s Linfield, but trust your gut — it will lead you to the right place.”

Celebrating BWC Appreciation Day

While it was President Blegen’s first Linfield Homecoming, 2025 marked the final gathering of the Best Wildcat Club (BWC) Tailgate, a beloved Homecoming tradition since 1988.

Over the decades, the BWC made a remarkable impact on Linfield, supporting scholarships, athletics and alumni engagement. The group regularly donated to the Linfield Alumni Scholarship Fund, created the Gil Hargreaves Alumni Scholarship and was honored with the Alumni Service Award in 2013.

To honor the group’s legacy of friendship, service and Wildcat pride, Blegen declared Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, as “BWC Appreciation Day” at Linfield. He read an official proclamation and presented each of the club’s founders — Bill Hayden ’71, Steve Lathrop ’71, Mike Maley ’72, and the families of Gil Hargreaves ’71 and Kip Patterson ’72— with “keys to the university.” Each handcrafted wooden key was made from wood salvaged from the university’s historic Old Oak.

Coming together at class reunions

Following victories by the women’s soccer, volleyball and football teams, Wildcats filled McMinnville with laughter and nostalgia at reunion gatherings. The Classes of 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005 and 2015 celebrated with special events, where alumni shared stories, rekindled friendships and proved — rain or shine — that once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.