TENZIN YANGCHEN

Biochemistry, Senior
Hometown: Portland, Oregon

“I come from a family where they are very supportive of leadership,” says Tenzin Yangchen, Linfield’s student body president in 2017-18. “We’ve all been in leadership positions.” She credits the college with giving her the platform she needed to hone her own leadership skills. A transfer student whose aunt and uncle are both Linfield alumni, she first became active on campus through the Wildcat Intercultural Network, which pairs first-year students with upper-class peers. “It helped me connect with people,” says Yangchen. She was encouraged by others on campus to move even farther outside her comfort zone and reach out more widely — active community is a Linfield hallmark. “There’s no point in hiding out. Be involved! The more you put in, the more you get. You get to explore more opportunities. That’s the purpose of Linfield.”