Skip to Main Content
California State University, Chico

October 13, 2025 - Thank You for an Amazing Wildcat Weekend!

Dear Campus Community, 

All I can say is wow! Wildcat Weekend could not have been more incredible. Our campus was looking its very best, we rolled out the red carpet to welcome thousands of guests, and it truly seemed like everyone — from students, to alumni, to parents, to employees — enjoyed themselves at all the events throughout the weekend. I can’t thank this campus community enough for their months of work to make it all happen, as well as the many contributions by both employees and volunteers last week and especially on Saturday to bring it all together. From Admissions and Alumni Engagement to Facilities Management and Services and Student Life and Leadership to Associated Students and University Housing to University Public Engagement and every academic department that showed up to staff booths and give tours, thank you. We believe this was one of our largest Wildcat Weekends ever, and it’s all due to your contributions. 

I wanted to share a few impressive numbers: 

  • We welcomed more than 1,250 prospective students and their family members for Wildcat Preview, giving them the chance to experience Wildcat life firsthand! 
  • A crowd of 100+ people joined us for the unveiling of the new Chico State monument sign at the corner of West Second and Ivy Streets. If you haven’t seen it yet and snapped a selfie, go check it out!  
  • Thursday’s Wildcat Weekend Kickoff Party at the Barn at Meriam Park was sold out with 325 attendees. 
  • More than 500 people attended the Reggie Watts show Friday for an evening of laughs at Laxson Auditorium, and School of the Arts welcomed 723 guests during multiple student productions of Clue 
  • More than 1,000 delicious lunches made by our own Associated Students Dining — I can’t get enough of that smoked brisket — were enjoyed on the lawn while listening to a great concert by the Decades. 
  • More than 150 alumni participated in alumni games hosted by Athletics and Recreational Sports, and a whopping 22 teams competed in the Kinesiology Department’s pickleball tournament, perhaps starting a new tradition.  
  • More than 210 students attended the Nezza concert in the BMU on Saturday night, providing an entertaining, on-campus activity that I hope will be the beginning of a trend.  

On top of all of that, we welcomed several California state legislative staff members to tour campus and get a better look at what we do and how we do it. Additionally, the University Foundation Board of Governors and Alumni Association Board were on campus last week for meetings and tours. As is always the case, they all came away impressed with how we support our students, each other, and our region in ways no other university can match. I am so proud of all that we do and want to be sure that you share that pride.  

Wildcat Weekend is truly a showcase of what the Chico State spirit is all about—community coming together in support of the incredible academic and co-curricular experience we have offered for more than 138 years. With participation by our students, faculty, and staff, alumni spanning generations, prospective students and their families, and residents of Chico simply wanting to connect with this cornerstone of our city, we showed up in a big way.  

Thank you, so much, for all you do. You are amazing. 

Steve Perez