Presidential History
A legacy of leadership
Shown clockwise from top left: William Everson, Elam Anderson, Vivian A. Bull, Harry and Irene Dillin, Leonard Riley, Charles Walker, Marv Henberg, Gordon Bjork, Miles K. Davis, Thomas Hellie, George Chandler.
Click on the linked names below to see the program from that president's inauguration.
Presidents of McMinnville College
- 1857–1860: George C. Chandler
- 1864–1867: John W. Johnson
- 1873: J. D. Robb
- 1873–1876: Mark Bailey
- 1876–1877: John E. Magers
- 1877–1878: Ep Roberts
- 1878–1881: J. G. Burchett
- 1881–1887: E.C. Anderson
- 1887–1896: Truman G. Brownson
- 1896–1903: Harry L. Boardman
- 1903–1905: A. M. Brumback
- 1905–1906: Emanuel Northup* (interim)
- 1906–1931: Leonard W. Riley
Name changed to Linfield College in 1922.
Presidents of Linfield College
- 1906–1931: Leonard W. Riley
- 1931–1932: William R. Frerichs* (interim)
- 1932–1938: Elam J. Anderson
- 1938–1943: William G. Everson
- 1943–1968: Harry L. Dillin
- 1968: Winthrop W. Dolan* (interim)
- 1968–1974: Gordon C. Bjork
- 1974: Winthrop W. Dolan* (interim)
- 1974–1975: Cornelius Siemens* (interim)
- 1975–1992: Charles U. Walker
- 1992–2005: Vivian A. Bull
- 2005–2006: Marvin Henberg* (interim)
- 2006–2018: Thomas L. Hellie
- 2018–2023: Miles K. Davis
Name changed to Linfield University in 2020.
Presidents of Linfield University
- 2018–2023: Miles K. Davis
- 2024–2025: Rebecca "Becky" Johnson* (interim)
- 2025–present: Mark Blegen
* Denotes interim president. Read biographies on each of Linfield's interim leaders in Linfield Magazine.
Past presidents
Oral history interviews
Charles and Cherie Walker
Charles and Cherie Walker
Charles Walker was president of Linfield College from 1975-1992. During his tenure, he and his wife, Cherie Walker, worked together to raise Linfield's academic profile as well as address Linfield's financial hardships.
Vivian A. Bull
Vivian A. Bull
Vivian Bull was president of Linfield College from 1992-2005. During her tenure she worked to increase Linfield's profile and focused on construction projects that resulted in 14 new buildings, roughly doubling the size of Linfield's campus.
