2018 Student Inductees
The following members of the Class of 2018 were inducted into the College Key on Friday, May 25, 2018 in Olin Concert Hall.
Adam Blau wrote a politics thesis on the internal use of chemical weapons in Syria. Actively engaged in the Lewiston-Auburn community, Adam served two years as a tutor at Farwell Elementary School through the Bates Civic Action Team, and this year, launched the Montello Elementary School Mentorship Program. He recruited a wide range of peers to serve as mentors for this initiative, building a foundation that will continue for years to come. He received the Harward Center Award for Outstanding Community Volunteerism and Student Leadership, and was also a member of the Carignan Grant Committee. A varsity men’s lacrosse player, Adam was elected by his peers to the Bobcat Leadership Council as a freshman. Post-graduation, Adam will be working for Creative Artists Agency, an entertainment and sport agency in Los Angeles.
Adedire “Dire” Fakorede Student Body President for the Bates Student Government, Dire has been an active and involved member of the Bates community in many capacities. During his time on campus he has been a member of the Bates Christian Fellowship, served as a Residence Life junior advisor for two years and a resident coordinator for one year, was an AESOP Leader, and president of the Bates Weightlifting Club. He wrote his thesis on the effects of relaxed credit constraints on housing prices, and plans to work for Merrill Lynch after graduation. The captain of men’s track and field, Dire is a two-time All-American Weight Throw and three-time NESCAC Discus Champion. In addition to his new job, he’ll also be busy training in the discus for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Ainsley Jamieson is a Purposeful Work Ladd Internship Grant Recipient and a student liaison with the Bates College Board of Trustees. She’s was a member of varsity women’s soccer for four years, and has also played club lacrosse. An active student volunteer for the Office of College Advancement, Ainsley has served as senior gift co-chair and a Reunion BatesStar. Her thesis examined how institutions distribute resources unfairly along ethnic lines, including a specific case study in Xinjiang, China. Building on her experience working on numerous campaigns during her time at Bates, Ainsley has accepted a position as Assistant Finance Director for Class of 2011 alum Jared Golden’s campaign to represent Maine’s second district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Allison Berman is an environmental studies major and education minor whose coursework and capstone allowed her to spend time in local schools where she helped new Mainers learn English through literature circles. Her thesis was a proposal for an environmentally-focused, experimental summer camp for Phippsburg Elementary School students at the Bates Shortridge property. For this project, she researched the benefits of different educational methods and outdoor program models. On campus Allison was the student director of Orientation for two years and a leader of the Village Club, the Ronj, and the Ultimate Frisbee Club. She plans to attend the Bank Street College of Education in New York City to pursue her master’s degree in elementary and special education.
Amelia Wilhelm is a recipient of the Mary Brushwein Award for Excellence and Achievement in Service and Leadership from the chemistry department. Her thesis investigated gene expression regulation in the causative agent of Lyme disease. A four-year varsity women’s rowing team member, Amelia was a NESCAC All-Academic in 2017, and helped the team win two Division III NCAA National Championships. She also served as an Admission tour guide, Residence Life staff member, Career Development Center Fellow, and senior class representative for Student Government. Following graduation, Amelia will be working as a research assistant in the biochemistry lab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Bantu Mabaso is a Davis Projects for Peace Grant Recipient, which she received in 2016 to design and implement a project to alleviate poverty and reduce the vulnerability of farming communities in rural Swaziland. The initiative provided farmers with skills and capital investment to develop climate-resistant agricultural enterprises, and was highlighted at the 2016 Clinton Global Initiative University Summit. In addition, Bantu has served as a Residence Life junior advisor, an Office of Intercultural Education Fellow, president of the Africana Club, and coordinator of the Inside Africa Fashion and Cultural Showcase. After graduation, she will return to Swaziland to work in partnership with farming communities and scale their established climate-resilient agri-business for increased social impact.
Isabella “Bella” Miller wrote a community-based psychology thesis examining student perceptions of intimate partner violence and support. A dual-major, her English thesis studied the role of performance in 9/11 novels. Bella is a recipient of the Senior Scholar, NESCAC Spring All-Academic, and NIRC All-Academic awards. During her time on campus she’s served as a Residence Life staff member, Admission tour guide, Orientation leader, Class of 2018 representative for Student Government, and member of the Prevent Action Response Team steering committee. Bella has been a four-year varsity women’s rowing team member, and assistant manager of the Ronj. Bella’s plans after college include moving to Boston to work for a recruitment firm as part of their executive search team.
Brianna Wilson is a Harward Center Community Outreach Fellow and, in this role, recruited, trained and scheduled student volunteers for the after-school program at Lewiston’s Hillview Family Development complex. In addition, Brie has been an advocate for campus-based Special Olympics programming, which she developed into a student club. A volunteer for the local Boys & Girls Club, Brie won a fellowship for full-time work at the organization in the summer of 2015. For her civic leadership on- and off-campus, Brie was named a recipient of the Heart and Soul Award by Maine Campus Compact in 2018. At Bates she has served as a Residence Life junior advisor and residence coordinator, a volunteer for Bates EMS, and co-president of the Bates Christian Fellowship. Brie will be returning to campus this fall as an employee, working on community engagement programming for the Harward Center.
Cameron Veidenheimer wrote his thesis on the macroeconomics of commercial property price cyclicality and the risk exposure of commercial real estate lending institutions in the United States. Active as a student caller for the Bates Fund, he is one of the leaders for dollars raised through the calling program. He has served as Senior Gift Vice Chair for the Class of 2018, planning events, raising funds and educating his classmates about the importance of giving back to Bates, and also played club soccer. A Dean’s List student, Cameron plans to move to Boston after Bates, where he’ll work in commercial real estate.
Emily Halford is a Harward Center Community Outreach Fellow and was a part of the Short Term Action/Research Team in 2017, where she designed a potential health coaching program for Bates students in the Lewiston community. In 2017 she participated in a Purposeful Work Internship at Heywood Hospital, where she evaluated a program that provided school-based counseling and social support. She has volunteered locally at Trinity Jubilee and Lewiston’s Social Learning Center, and is a 2018 recipient of the Maine Campus Compact Heart and Soul Award for her work fostering positive community and campus change. At Bates, Emily has served as co-president of Cats Against Cancer and vice president of Public Health Initiative. Emily plans to pursue her Master in Public Health degree in epidemiology and applied biostatistics at Columbia University this fall.
Gift Kiti has been a three-year Residence Life junior advisor, psychology research assistant, and chemistry peer tutor. Motivated by Bates’ commitment to inclusive pedagogies, Gift took on a year-long thesis project exploring Bates’ STEM classes using the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM. During her time at Bates she has volunteered in the Lewiston community with both Trinity Jubilee Center and the Root Cellar. On campus, Gift has been an active member of the Africana Club, Bates Christian Fellowship, and the Gospelaires. Accepted into the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, Gift will pursue her master’s degree this fall.
Jacqueline Forney worked on an interdisciplinary, community-based research project in fulfillment of her thesis: the design of a comprehensive analytical tool that measures the self-efficacy girls and women gain through community programming. A member of the Bates Civic Action Team and the Bonner Leader program, Jacqueline has also served three years as a Downtown Walkabout Leader. Captain of the women’s varsity volleyball team, she was named NESCAC Athlete of the Week, and the New England Women’s Volleyball Association Senior All-Star and MVP in 2018. She has also served as a senior fellow for Admission. Jacqueline has been honored with a Kaiser Family Foundation Fellowship to pursue a Master of Public Affairs at Brown University beginning in June.
John Dello Russo wrote a thesis titled, “Establishing the Thermoneutral Zone of Neonatal Sprague Dawley Rats.” A biology major, he has served in both the vice president and secretary positions for the Helicase Biology Club. John has been involved in the Bates Theater Department, most recently playing the role of Louis in the department’s production of Angels in America. He was also selected as an Irene Ryan Scholar for Acting for his portrayal of Michal in The Pillowman in 2017. John served as resident coordinator and team leader for Residence Life and was a contributor to the Prevention Action Response Team curriculum. Graduating as a member of scientific research honor society Sigma Xi, John will be exploring a career in environmental policy and advocacy after graduation.
John Thayer has spent his senior year working as an intern for both Admission and the Jared Golden for Congress campaign. His thesis questioned whether the United States is at risk of becoming a less democratic nation as a result of party polarization and homogenization, using Republic efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act as a case study. A Dean’s List student, John has served on many committees including Senior Gift, Baccalaureate, and Senior Speaker Selection. He is class co-president, has been an AESOP leader, and a member of The Deansmen. Following graduation, John will join the Jared Golden for Congress campaign as a member of the finance team.
Lisa Slivken is a Charles A. Dana Scholar and recipient of the Harward Center Award for Outstanding Community Volunteerism and Student Leadership. She is a four-year member of the women’s volleyball team and received the All-NESCAC Sportsmanship Award this past season. For her thesis she explored the social enterprise organizational model in the criminal justice context, assessing its potential in facilitating reintegration among former offenders. For this project she received the Myhram / Swett Award, presented to the senior who has written the most outstanding thesis in sociology. Lisa has also volunteered for the Center for Women’s Wisdom, assisting them with their social entrepreneurial project, Herban (pronounced Urban) Works. After Bates Lisa plans to live in Portland, Maine, and work for a business strategy consulting firm.
Matt Bodwell was selected to speak on a panel about the politics of global climate change at the 2017 Mount David Summit. His thesis examined how the 2011 Fukushima accident shaped Japan’s long-term renewable energy policy strategy. During his time on campus Matt served as co-president of the Bates Musician’s Union, vice president of the Dharma Club, was a member of Residence Life staff, hosted radio shows for WRBC, played intramural basketball, and was a staff writer for the Bates Student. He also tutored students at Lewiston Public Library and Lewiston High School, and played guitar for the Bates rock band “Lewiston Variety.” Over the summer Matt plans to work as a teaching intern before taking a position a consultant at the Beacon Group in Portland, Maine.
Raegine Clouden Mallett graduates with membership in Sigma Xi, the international honor society of research scientists and engineers. Her thesis study provided information on the regulatory mechanisms that take place during the transfer of Lyme disease causative agent from tick host to vertebrate host. A Residence Life junior advisor and member of Amandla! Black Student Union, Raegine also choreographed works to describe challenges associated with being a woman of color. She served as co-director of Sankofa, a student-led performance, as part of MLK Day celebrations. Additionally, Raegine volunteered as a math tutor at Lewiston Public Library and served as an informal tutor for her peers. Following graduation Raegine plans to work in fundraising and apply to graduate programs in genetics.
Rakiya Mohamed is a double-major in African-American studies and biochemistry. For her two theses she researched first- and second-generation Africans’ relationship with American racial identities, and explored the reliability of lead detecting methods currently used in commercial labs and home detection kits. Rakiya has been president of Amandla! Black Student Union, and co-director of Sankofa, a student-run theatrical production performed on MLK Day. She also served as a Reunion BatesStar and was a member of the Cats Against Cancer and Concerned Students of Color groups. As part of the Prevention Action Response Team, Rakiya helped promote healthy relationships between students and campus security. Rakiya plans to move to Dallas, Texas, where she’ll work in a lab while she prepares for medical school.
Reed Mszar is a recipient of the Myhrman / Swett Award for the sociology thesis deemed most outstanding by faculty. Majoring in both sociology and biochemistry, his theses examined the impact of familial high cholesterol and premature cardiovascular disease among local Franco-Americans and French-Canadians, for which he engaged several community organizations. A Bates Global Education Fellow, Reed also served as co-president of the Bates Public Health Initiative for two years, and participated in the Purposeful Work initiative. In addition, Reed is a member of the men’s baseball team. He will be attending Yale University this fall to pursue a Master of Public Health in chronic disease epidemiology.
Sally Ceesay is a Bates College triple jump record holder, three-time Maine Triple Jump Champion, and five-time All-American. She is a member of Sigma Xi honor society for excellence in scientific research, and, her thesis explored the physiological responses of adult male rats exposed to low environmental oxygen. Captain of women’s track and field, Sally has also served as a Peer Assisted Learning Leader for organic chemistry, Residence Life junior advisor, Reunion BatesStar, and member of Amandla! Black Student Union. She participated in the Concerned Students of Color working group and has been an AESOP leader. After graduation Sally will be attending Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences to pursue a dual degree in biomedical science and public health.
Sam Lagerstrom is a Harward Center Bonner Leader, and as such devoted time each week to community work and leadership development for the past four years. One of these community-based projects involved volunteering with the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, an organization which provides free counsel to low-income Mainers facing civil legal issues. He wrote an empirical research thesis examining how witnesses behave in line-up procedures, ultimately concluding that triers of fact are unable to access cues about certainty and accuracy of eyewitnesses. A Dean’s List student, Sam was a Residence Life junior advisor and team leader, and served on the Student Conduct Committee, Student Judicial Board, and Participation Action Response Team. Sam is taking the LSAT this summer to apply to JD and PhD programs this fall.
Samra Husremovic is a chemistry major and the recipient of the Amadou Cisse Excellence and Achievement in Research Award, as well as a two-time recipient of national achievement awards from the American Chemical Society. As a Residence Life junior advisor for two years and most recently, a team leader, Samra has helped students integrate into the academic and social environment at Bates. Samra has also participated in the International Club, Muslim Student Association and the German Club. She is also a former varsity track and field athlete, and a chemistry tutor. After Commencement Samra plans to pursue a PhD in chemistry at the University of California Berkeley.
Talia Martino volunteered as a tutor at the Lewiston Public Library After School Homework Help Program for two years where she provided a number of English language learners academic and social support as they navigated the American school system. She was invited to join the Harward Center Bonner Leader Program her freshman year, and helped to manage the program for the next two years. President of the co-ed A cappella group Take Note, Talia has also served as Orientation Week leader, a member of the Residence Life staff, and was a recipient of the Newman Civic Fellowship in 2017. For her thesis Talia explored the relationship between childhood adversities and resulting experiences with education, focusing specifically on issues of immigration and poverty.
Thorn Merrill is the current president of the Bates Outing Club and this year’s recipient of the Harold Norris Goodspeed Jr., Class of 1940 Award, given annually to a senior who has contributed the greatest amount of service to the club and its activities. During his tenure as president of the Outing Club he has led conversations about diversity, transparency and inclusivity, and has sponsored activities to encourage participation from students who may be new to outdoor activities. He has also served as president of the campus snowsport group Shred Club. A geology major, Sam’s thesis studied the structural geology of the southern half of the Mt. Crescent quadrangle in Randolph, New Hampshire.
Deepsing Syangtan wrote a thesis examining a rare form of post-translational modification, the disruptions of which have been associated with congenital muscular dystrophies, cancer, and viral infections. He is a Charles A. Dana Scholar and Mary Brushwein Excellence and Achievement in Service and Leadership in Chemistry Award recipient. Deepsing is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi honor societies and has been named to the Dean’s List throughout his Bates career. A Bonner Leader, he has engaged in a variety of community work in Lewiston, including supporting and tutoring new Mainers and introducing local middle school students to key concepts of chemistry and biology. Deepsing will pursue a PhD in chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall and aspires to become a chemical biologist.
Keenan Shields wrote a year-long, community-engaged anthropology thesis through his volunteerism with St. Mary’s Nutrition Center in Lewiston, which resulted in a set of tools to help the organization improve future after-school cooking programs for teens. Keenan is a recipient of the Phillips Student Fellowship for experiences in global learning, and a four-year Reunion BatesStar. He also served as president of reMasc, a club focused on issues of masculinity and sexual violence, was a member of the Campus Culture Working Group, a Multifaith Fellow, and Admission Summer Fellow. After graduation Keenan will be staying in Lewiston to work for St. Mary’s Nutrition Center supporting their summer youth programming.
Pratap Khadka is an economics major who wrote his capstone on the relationship between geographical placement and economic development. As a Senior Gift Co-Chair, Pratap led the Class of 2018’s fundraising efforts, acting as a ambassador for the Bates Fund through planning events and promoting a culture of philanthropy within the student body that has resulted in over 83% participation in giving from the class. He has worked as an alumni engagement intern for the Office of Advancement for his four years at Bates, and, served as a class representative for the Student Government Association. Pratap was a recipient of a Purposeful Work Internship grant to work at a public policy think tank in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2017.
Alisa Amador is an accomplished independent musician and regular performer at the Village Club Series. A women and gender studies major and dance minor, her thesis explored how stage performance can create space for nonbinary bodies. During her time at Bates, Alisa was an influential early adopter of the Green Dot violence prevention initiative, and volunteered for ArtVan, a Maine-based mobile arts therapy organization. She has been an advocate for meaningful peer-to-peer interactions on campus, and has created and performed numerous musical and dance pieces designed to inspire and motivate others. Alisa is also a Dean’s List student and three year member of the co-ed A cappella group The Crosstones. She graduates cum laude from Bates, and plans to continue playing music and acting.