Coming home to community
By Monique Kleinhuizen '08, GS'16, content specialist
October 27, 2025 | 12 a.m.
There are a few traditions that are core to the Bethel experience. Welcome Week kicks off fall semester, no holiday season is complete without Festival of Christmas, and by January, the broomball sticks practically pull themselves out.
But when the leaves change colors and that fall crispness settles in the air, Royals know it’s time to come to campus for Homecoming and Family Weekend.
The 2025 event happened October 17-19 and featured a mix of beloved traditions and a few new additions to the schedule. Royals of all ages, new and seasoned, donned their best BU apparel, cheered loudly for Bethel’s athletic teams, connected with one another, and took part in a week-long celebration of what it means to be a Royal.
— Jennifer Scott ’95, S’02, Senior Director of University Relations
Students kicked off the festivities
For decades, Bethel students have competed in time-honored games and events each night leading up to the Friday student banquet, where the Royal Cup is awarded to the residence area with the most points.
Congratulations to the following winners this year:
- Cheer Night: Heritage
- Dodgeball: Arden Village
- Tug-of-war: Heritage
- Men’s Dance: Bodien
- Powderpuff Football: Bodien
The overall winner was Heritage Hall. These events, many of which have been held for decades, foster connections among students and build excitement as Homecoming and Family Weekend approaches.
My favorite memory from Homecoming was Men’s dance and being able to connect with people that I normally wouldn’t have talked to. Homecoming makes me feel competitive but allows me to engage with the school and the other students.
Simon Swenson '25
The Bethel community to me is basically a family. Everyone knows everyone, and people are always smiling. This weekend just reinforces this because it shows the generations in this same family! I love seeing all the alumni come back with their kids, and it makes me feel connected with everyone who’s come to Bethel before me.
Sofia Arana '26
The Bethel community is my family, and spending time with them working towards a goal, and then competing, brings a real sense of connection. Homecoming makes me feel connected with the school, and brings me closer to a lot of people.
Connor Leishman '27Alumni awards announced
Each year, Bethel celebrates an Alumnus of the Year and “4 Under 40” Alumni Achievement Award recipients. Awardees and their guests are celebrated at Homecoming and Family Weekend. This year’s award winners were:
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 Alumnus of the Year and “4 Under 40” awards. Read more about these awards and suggest a deserving Royal here.
Something for everyone
Homecoming and Family Weekend featured a bevy of events. Here are a few highlights from this year’s schedule:
- Athletics: Bethel football took on St. Olaf, winning 64-10 and remaining undefeated for the season. Men’s soccer defeated Hamline, 3-1, and women’s soccer also played Hamline, ending in a 0-0 tie. Volleyball fell to Gustavus, 0-3. The 1975 and 2000 Bethel football teams commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bethel’s Tri-State conference championship and the 25th anniversary of Bethel Football’s first MIAC Championship.
- Vocation and calling: Bethel’s new Studio for Vocation and Calling held an open house event, where families and alumni could tour the new space and learn more about the Bethel Career Commitment—showcasing how students can experience built-in career exploration within their majors.
- Alumni and Parent Tailgate: The second annual Alumni and Parent Tailgate featured food trucks, a kid zone with petting zoo, free caricature drawings and temporary tattoos—plus Bethel-branded gifts for parents and families of current students.
- Athletic recognition space:The new athletic recognition space was unveiled, along with the relaunch of the Bethel University Athletic Hall of Fame. A gathering was held to celebrate the athletes, coaches, and teams who’ve left a mark on Royal athletics—and how they’ll be honored moving forward.
- Cookies and Canvas: At a new “Cookies and Canvas” event, attendees enjoyed cookies and refreshments while painting their own Bethel-inspired artwork.
- Concert: Performing artists Jeremy and Adrienne Camp gave a concert in Benson Great Hall, offering a chance for the community to slow down and worship together.
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Celebrating milestone reunions
Several athletic teams and affinity groups held gatherings, and major milestones were celebrated by Platinum Alumni (who graduated prior to 1976), Bethel University Young Alumni (BUYA), and the Classes of 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. Volunteers were recruited to plan bespoke gatherings for their classes, with celebrations ranging from morning coffee gatherings to pickleball to dinner in the Dining Center.
— Steven Johansson ’10
Steven Johansson ’10 was part of the team planning his 15-year reunion, and he says being on campus made him remember what a blessing his time at Bethel was. “Truly, I had a blast during my college years at Bethel,” he says. “A few of us in my class were talking Saturday, and one guy said, ‘I just want to go up to every student and say, slow down and enjoy this time.’ So true! I think what I so appreciate about Bethel is that it truly is a Kingdom-focused environment that values the uniqueness of each person. Bethel is not trying to create a cookie-cutter student, but fosters an environment where students can ask deep questions and seek truth in an environment that honors God.”
He says he’s been inspired to get more connected to the Bethel community, whether supporting the university financially, helping mentor students, or encouraging his kids to consider Bethel. “I would say I re-caught the fire of Bethel this past weekend!” he says.
Judith Berg ’75 had a similar experience. Celebrating the 50th reunion of her graduation, she shares that she had a special time reconnecting with others from her Bethel years. Their reunion included anyone on campus from 1971-1975, years she says “bonded them in a precious way, such that time is erased and the years fall away.”
As the first to move to “The New Campus” as students, they admittedly had a little trouble finding their way around, as campus looks almost nothing like it did back then! Over dessert and charcuterie on Friday, the tailgate, and then dinner on Saturday evening, the group connected through worship songs from the 1970s, conversation prompts, and sharing “God stories” from the years since commencement.
“While singing with Dave Shaw to lead worship songs, I glanced around and saw a room filled with faces, beaming with joy, singing with fervor—and love pouring over the room!” she says. “We feel such a desire to connect again…perhaps Homecoming should be an annual event for our class!”
Join the Bethel community
Become part of a network of Royals 50,000+ strong. When you join us on campus for events like Homecoming and Family Weekend as a Bethel alum, you’ll truly feel like family. The next Homecoming and Family Weekend is slated for October 9-11, 2026!