2024 Orientation Schedule

We are excited to welcome the Class of 2028 to campus at Arrival Day on Thursday, August 29, 2024. Students, faculty, and staff have been collaborating throughout academic year 2023-24 to put together an Orientation schedule that introduces you to Bates and provides you with opportunities to form meaningful connections in your initial days on campus.

Be sure to engage your Lyceum Summer Resources (which open to you in June 2024) and check your Bates email so you can access necessary information and resources prior to Arrival Day.

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8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Thursday, August 29

New Student Check-In and Move-In

Commons and Various Residence Halls

Be sure to start your check-in at Commons located at 136 Central Avenue, Lewiston Maine. Families will be advised to drop off their student so that they may check-in to get their ID, residence hall access, and other important information. Families will be directed to the residence hall and meet their student there. Various students and staff will assist in unpacking vehicles.

10:30 AM – 3:00 PM | Thursday, August 29

Arrival Day Barbecue for Families and Students

Green Outside of Commons

Stop by for some delicious food prepared by the Dining, Catering, and Campus Events Staff once you have finished moving in to your residence hall!

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Thursday, August 29

TD Bank – Open a Bank Account

Green Outside of Commons

For students who wish to have a bank account in the local area, swing on by to open an account.

12:00 PM – 12:50 PM | Thursday, August 29

Transfer Student and Family Welcome

Commons 226

All new transfer students and families are welcome.

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Thursday, August 29

Bates Parents Team: New Families Welcome Table

102 Chase Lounge – Chase Hall

Enjoy some coffee and learn about some of the resources available to students

1:00 PM – 1:50 PM | Thursday, August 29

International Student and Family Group Greeting

Fireplace Lounge – Commons

All new international students and families are welcome.

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM | Thursday, August 29

President’s Welcome Address

Historic Quad

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM | Thursday, August 29

Family Departure

3:00 PM – 3:25 PM | Thursday, August 29

Meeting Your JA

Library Arcade

3:40 PM – 4:30 PM | Thursday, August 29

Well-Being @ Bates: Charting Your Path

Student Group: Gillespie Hall, Rand, Transfer Students, Adams, Page

Bardwell Field Tent

As a student at Bates, you’ll make choices over the next four years that affect your well-being, from sleeping and eating, to setting boundaries in relationships, and to planning for your future. In this workshop, you’ll be introduced to many well-being resources at Bates and the ways students utilize these resources to support them during their time here. In turn, you’ll create your own well-being goals to support your success and belonging while at Bates.

Learning Goals

Understand how to access the health-related offices and resources on campus
Become familiar with the Well-Being at Bates framework and portal
Set well-being goals for the year

FYE Values

PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

3:40 PM – 4:30 PM | Thursday, August 29

Beyond Belonging: It’s Up to Us

Student Group: Chu, Kalperis, Clason Frye House, Milliken, Parker

Library Quad Tent

Join us for an interactive session in which you’ll meet a variety of staff and fellow first-years as we think about what it means for Bates to be an inclusive community, and how we all have a part in growing a sense of belonging for everyone. This session is part panel, part scenarios and brainstorming – come ready to engage!

Learning Goals

An understanding of your positionality.
Knowledge of your role in making Bates an inclusive community.
A call to action to impact your communities in ways that make them more inclusive.

FYE Values

FOSTERING EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESS, AND ANTI-RACISM

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CULTIVATING PURPOSE AND IDENTITY

PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

4:40 PM – 5:30 PM | Thursday, August 29

Well-Being @ Bates: Charting Your Path

Student Group: Chu, Kalperis, Clason Frye House, Milliken, Parker

Bardwell Field Tent

Learning Goals

Understand how to access the health-related offices and resources on campus
Become familiar with the Well-Being at Bates framework and portal
Set well-being goals for the year

FYE Values

PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

4:40 PM – 5:30 PM | Thursday, August 29

Beyond Belonging: It’s Up to Us

Student Group: Gillespie Hall, Rand, Transfer Students, Adams, Page

Library Quad Tent

Learning Goals

An understanding of your positionality.
Knowledge of your role in making Bates an inclusive community.
A call to action to impact your communities in ways that make them more inclusive.

FYE Values

FOSTERING EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESS, AND ANTI-RACISM

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CULTIVATING PURPOSE AND IDENTITY

PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

5:45 PM – 6:45 PM | Thursday, August 29

First-Year Center Dinner with Junior Advisor (JA)

Commons

5:45 PM – 6:45 PM | Thursday, August 29

Transfer Student Dinner

Commons 226

7:00 PM – 7:50 PM | Thursday, August 29

Meet Campus Safety and the Residence Life Coordinators

Student Group: Gillespie Hall, Rand, Transfer Students, Adams, Page

Library Quad

This program allows the incoming class to familiarize themselves with the individuals responsible for their safety and residential experience on campus. Students are introduced to Campus Safety Officers and Residence Life Coordinators in hopes of fostering a sense of trust and security as they begin their college journey. Through an interactive session, first-years gain valuable knowledge about safety procedures, resources, and support systems available to them throughout their time at Bates.

Learning Goals

Safety Awareness: Incoming college students will develop an awareness of Campus Safety policies and procedures, including emergency protocols and the importance of personal safety measures.
Role of Coordinators: Students will learn about the resources provided by Residence Life Coordinators, who are a support system available 24/7.

FYE Values

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

7:00 PM – 7:50 PM | Thursday, August 29

Welcome to Your New Hometown

Student Group: Chu, Kalperis, Clason Frye House, Milliken, Parker

Bardwell Tent

Learn about the one and only Lewiston, Maine — your new home away from home — and how you can learn from and work with the off-campus community during your four years at Bates, including volunteer, leadership, and academic opportunities, as well as paid positions.

Learning Goals

Recognize Lewiston as a diverse community with many assets/strengths
Recognize off-campus community engagement as a potential space of belonging, purpose, and growth while at Bates

FYE Values

FOSTERING EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESS, AND ANTI-RACISM

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

ENCOURAGING ACADEMIC INQUIRY AND EXPLORATION

CULTIVATING PURPOSE AND IDENTITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

8:00 PM – 8:50 PM | Thursday, August 29

Welcome to Your New Hometown

Student Group: Gillespie Hall, Rand, Transfer Students, Adams, Page

Bardwell Tent

Learning Goals

Recognize Lewiston as a diverse community with many assets/strengths
Recognize off-campus community engagement as a potential space of belonging, purpose, and growth while at Bates

FYE Values

FOSTERING EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESS, AND ANTI-RACISM

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

ENCOURAGING ACADEMIC INQUIRY AND EXPLORATION

CULTIVATING PURPOSE AND IDENTITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

8:00 PM – 8:50 PM | Thursday, August 29

Meet Campus Safety and the Residence Life Coordinators

Student Group: Chu, Kalperis, Clason Frye House, Milliken, Parker

Library Quad

Learning Goals

Safety Awareness: Incoming college students will develop an awareness of Campus Safety policies and procedures, including emergency protocols and the importance of personal safety measures.
Role of Coordinators: Students will learn about the resources provided by Residence Life Coordinators, who are a support system available 24/7.

FYE Values

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

9:05 pm – 9:50 pm | Thursday, August 29

First Floor meeting with JA (Junior Advisor)

First Year Centers

10:00 pm – 1:00 am | Thursday, August 29

Orientation Week Social Event led by Orientation Week Leaders (OWLs)

Various Locations

Stay tuned for more information!

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7:45 AM – 8:45 AM | Friday, August 30

Breakfast w/ JAs

Commons

9:00 am – 11:00 am | Friday, August 30

First-Year Seminar Meeting and Advising

Various classrooms. Visit this link for your classroom assignment.

This is the first gathering of your FYS classmates with your instructor and pre-major academic advisor. Time will be spent at this session meeting your FYS instructor (who is also your pre-major academic advisor), meeting your classmates, reviewing the seminar’s syllabus, and working through the first FYE Workshop, which provides an overview of various technology resources you have access to at Bates such as Google suite, Degree Audit, the Student Advising Portal, and Bates Reach. You will also have time to discuss your course schedule with your FYS instructor.

Learning Goals

Meet your FYS instructor/pre-major academic advisor and your FYS classmates
Review the syllabus of your FYS course
Complete the first FYE Workshop together with your classmates
Talk with your FYS instructor/pre-major academic advisor about your course schedule

FYE Values

ENCOURAGING ACADEMIC INQUIRY AND EXPLORATION

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

9:30 am – 11:00 am | Friday, August 30

Transfer Student Group Advising

Commons 226

10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Friday, August 30

Voter Registration Table

Outside of Commons

Stop by register to vote or just learn more about voter registration.

11:10 am – 12:25 pm | Friday, August 30

Academic & Resource Fair

Perry Atrium – Pettengill Hall

This is a great opportunity to meet faculty from all of the academic departments and programs at Bates as well as staff leaders of many of the resource offices at Bates. If you have questions about particular courses, exploring different major or minors, or learning about opportunities through the Center of Global Education, the Harward Center for Community Partnerships, the Student Writing and Language Center, the Student Academic Support Center, the Center for Purposeful Work and more, please be sure to stop by the Fair!

11:30 am – 12:30 pm | Friday, August 30

First-Year Gear Check Out for AESOP (Last Names A-M)

Gorayeb Plaza (Chase Hall across from Muskie Archive)

First time slot for First Year Students to check out necessary gear for their AESOP trips.

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | Friday, August 30

Lunch with JAs

Commons

1:45 pm – 3:00 pm | Friday, August 30

Green Dot Group 1

Student Group: Gillespie Hall, Page, Transfer Students

Library Quad Tent

Green Dot is our community approach to bystander intervention and preventing interpersonal violence on campus. We all have a collective responsibility to ensure that forms of violence like sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence are not tolerated at Bates, and Green Dot will give you tools to intervene in a potentially harmful situation.

Learning Goals

Learn strategies to intervene if you see something that could lead to an instance of power-based personal violence.
Consider your own part in helping to shape the Bates College student culture around preventing interpersonal violence.

FYE Values

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

1:45 pm – 3:00 pm | Friday, August 30

Green Dot Group 2

Student Group: Adams, Rand

Bardwell Tent

Learning Goals

Learn strategies to intervene if you see something that could lead to an instance of power-based personal violence.
Consider your own part in helping to shape the Bates College student culture around preventing interpersonal violence.

FYE Values

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

1:45 pm – 3:00 pm | Friday, August 30

Navigating Community, Relationships, & Consent + Dining and Sustainability

Student Group: Chu, Kalperis, Clason, Frye House, Milliken, Parker

Olin Arts Center, Concert Hall

In this session, you will be introduced to Bates community values around interpersonal relationships. We will discuss ways of keeping ourselves and each other safe, and how you can help create a supportive student culture. We will also discuss resources and responses for when individuals experience conflict or harm.

Learning Goals

Consider Bates’ values around interpersonal relationships and how you hope to interact with peers in social settings.
Learn who at Bates can provide support if you or a friend has experienced conflict or harm related to bias, harassment, or discrimination, including sexual violence.

FYE Values

FOSTERING EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESS, AND ANTI-RACISM

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CULTIVATING PURPOSE AND IDENTITY

PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

3:15 pm – 4:30 pm | Friday, August 30

Green Dot Group 3

Student Group: Chu, Clason, Frye House, Milliken

Library Quad Tent

Learning Goals

Learn strategies to intervene if you see something that could lead to an instance of power-based personal violence.
Consider your own part in helping to shape the Bates College student culture around preventing interpersonal violence.

FYE Values

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

3:15 pm – 4:30 pm | Friday, August 30

Green Dot Group 4

Student Group: Kalperis, Parker

Bardwell Tent

Learning Goals

Learn strategies to intervene if you see something that could lead to an instance of power-based personal violence.
Consider your own part in helping to shape the Bates College student culture around preventing interpersonal violence.

FYE Values

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm | Friday, August 30

Navigating Community, Relationships, & Consent + Dining and Sustainability

Student Group: Gillespie Hall, Rand, Transfer Students, Adams, Page

Olin Arts Center, Concert Hall

Learning Goals

Consider Bates’ values around interpersonal relationships and how you hope to interact with peers in social settings.
Learn who at Bates can provide support if you or a friend has experienced conflict or harm related to bias, harassment, or discrimination, including sexual violence.

FYE Values

FOSTERING EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESS, AND ANTI-RACISM

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

CULTIVATING PURPOSE AND IDENTITY

PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm | Friday, August 30

First-Year Gear Check Out for AESOP (Last Names N-Z)

Gorayeb Plaza (Chase Hall across from Muskie Archive)

Second time slot for First Year Students to pick up necessary gear for their AESOP trips.

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm | Friday, August 30

Voter Registration Table

Outside of Commons

Stop by register to vote or just learn more about voter registration.

4:45 pm – 6:00 pm | Friday, August 30

Go to AESOP Welcome

Keigwin Amphitheater

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm | Friday, August 30

Dinner with AESOP Leaders

BBQ Outside Commons

7:30 pm – 10:30 pm | Friday, August 30

AESOP Leader Event

Library Quad Tent

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All Day | Saturday, August 31

AESOP Trips

Follow the schedule set by your AESOP Leaders.

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All Day | Sunday, September 1

AESOP Trips

Follow the schedule set by your AESOP Leaders.

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Various Times | Monday, September 2

Return from AESOP Trips

5:45 pm – 6:45 pm | Monday, September 2

Letter to My Future Self Dinner with JAs

Commons

Take some time to write a letter to your future self! Our College Advancement Team will mail this letter to you after you graduate from Bates. All supplies will be provided by your JA.

7:00 pm – 12:00 am | Monday, September 2

Events led by Orientation Week Leaders (OWLs)

Various Locations

Stay tuned for more information!

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Tuesday, September 3

Add / Drop Period Opens

The schedule adjustment period known as add/drop opens today at 7 AM. Students can add courses that have available seats. Please speak with your academic advisor for more information or go to the Student Advising Portal for more information. Associate Dean of Faculty Steve Engel sent an email to all students with more information.