By BSU Alumni & Foundation
Published 4:00 pm on August 25, 2025
More than 30 Bemidji State University alumni came back to campus on Sunday to be recognized in a ceremony 50-plus years in the making.
The BSU Alumni & Foundation hosted the Golden Beaver Celebration at the David Park House to honor graduates who earned their degrees from Bemidji State at least 50 years ago. The event returned for the first time since 2019 and brought back alums from both the 1960s and 1970s.
Angela Schmidt, the foundation’s director of alumni relations and career advancement, was proud to put on the event for such an enthusiastic and deserving crowd.
“It was really special to bring our alumni back after such a long hiatus,” Schmidt said. “You could feel how much it meant to them to be on campus again, and celebrating their journeys reminded all of us how deeply connected they remain to BSU. It truly felt like a family reunion in the best way.”
Attendees shared memories, food and camaraderie with one another at the social. But the culmination of the day was certainly the moment when they received their Golden Beaver medallions — a token of recognition for carrying BSU in their hearts all these years.
“The highlight for me was absolutely seeing the smiles when they received their medallions,” Schmidt said. “It was such a joyful and heartfelt moment that really honored their place in BSU’s story. It brought the spirit of Bemidji State to life in such a genuine way.”
Following the event, attendees walked across the street to the Beaux Arts Ballroom, where they watched incoming freshmen participate in the 2025 Convocation ceremony. Afterwards, both Golden Beavers and baby Beavers alike returned to the Park House lawn for an ice cream social.
The Golden Beaver Celebration will return on Aug. 23, 2026, to honor all graduates from 1976 and earlier.
