Meet the Coordinators
AESOP is student-led with support from the Office of Campus Life. We are free to explore new trip ideas and keep the program fresh and student-focused! We love our school and we love what we do: a wonderful combination that allows us to infuse our own joy about AESOP, Bates, Maine, and Lewiston into the beginning of your four years here.
We are dedicated to making this the best AESOP possible! We work steadily throughout the school year to prepare for the upcoming AESOP program and will work continuously throughout the summer in preparation for your arrival on campus in August. We look forward to meeting each of you and hope you are all excited about coming to Bates. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at aesop@bates.edu. We’ll answer your questions as quickly as possible, but bear in mind that there are many of you and only a few of us, so please be patient!
Sam Rice ’26 – Head Coordinator
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
What AESOP did you participate in as a First-Year?
Grafton Backpacking
What’s up Bobcats! I’m so so excited for y’all to kick off your Bates careers with AESOP! AESOP is such a great way to get to know smaller communities within Bates and take the pressure off of transitioning into college. It’s such a fun experience getting to explore Maine and create close bonds with new people and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
A bit about me: I grew up in North Carolina loving the outdoors and wanting it to be accessible to anyone. I chose Bates because of its closeness to the outdoors and beautiful cities and I have LOVED it so far. I am a history major and a DCS minor here at school. On campus you will most likely find me hanging out with friends in Commons or playing frisbee with the Bates Coldfront frisbee team. Off campus, I’m usually wandering about Freeport, ME (my favorite city here) or skiing at Sunday River.
Maine truly has SO much to offer, from it’s mountains to its cities and beaches, and I can’t wait for y’all to get the chance to see it and begin your journey here at Bates. Get pumped!!!
Sivani Arvapalli ’26 – Head Coordinator
Hometown: South Windsor, CT
What AESOP did you participate in as a First-Year?
Mt Blue Basecamping
Hey y’all, I am so excited to meet all of you and embark on the AESOP journey with you. I can’t wait for you all to explore the beauty of Maine and feel at home. I fell in love with the small close-knit community offered at Bates and loved the nature of Maine. I’m a biochemistry major with an anthropology minor and concentration in public health. I hope to become a dentist one day. On campus, I am involved in various clubs and activities.
As the manager of campus activities and traditions, I plan and organize the dances. I can be found in admissions as a tour guide or in Tarbell Pool as a member of the water polo team. I am also a board member for the Chem Society club and Public Health Initiative. In my free time I love to spend time with my family and friends, read new books, and try new restaurants (I even have a food review instagram account). I am so excited for everyone to come to Bates and be a apart of this amazing community.
Maine is unbelievably beautiful and a great place to call your new home. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions through gmail (sarvapalli@bates.edu). I can’t wait for y’all to come to Bates!!
Ty Stearns ’26 – Head Coordinator
Hometown: Walpole, MA
What AESOP did you participate in as a First-Year?
Acadia Adventure
Hey everyone and welcome incoming Bobcats! I’m so excited to be a part of your AESOP experience. AESOP is not only one of the best ways to kick off your college career, but also an opportunity to build amazing friendships and lasting memories.
I grew up in Walpole, Massachusetts, a small town not too far from Boston. When it came to college, I knew I wanted to experience something new and fresh. Bates offered this fresh start, along with an uncanny friendliness that you experience as soon as you step on campus, so I knew it was the perfect place for me.
I’m a Politics major and a History minor, so hopefully you’ll see me in class this fall! When I’m not studying, you can most likely find me performing with the Manic Optimists acapella group, going to Mass with the Bates Catholic Students Union, or hanging out in Commons chatting with friends!
I can’t wait for all of you to experience AESOP, there is truly no better way to experience Maine and the amazing Bates community for the first time.
Aliza Savin 27′ – Assistant Coordinator
Hometown: Denver, CO
What AESOP did you participate in as a First Year?
Mooselookmeguntic Canoeing
Hello incoming Batsies! AESOP is one of the most fun, exciting, and meaningful experiences and I could not be more thrilled to be a part of the magic! AESOP not only provides incoming first-years with lasting connections with fellow Bobkittens and full-grown Bobcats, but you also will get to explore the charming state of Maine, most importantly, while making smores.
Academically, I am passionate about sustainability and environmental issues. I am a prospective chemistry major with a minor in dance. I am also a part of the Bates Dance Company! Around campus, you can find me working in the Bates Greenhouse, or crushing it on the field with my intramural dodgeball, kickball, and flag football team (look up the Instagram @batestothewalls). I am also a board member of the Bates Tea Club and Environmental Coalition. I love hiking, skiing, baking, and I have recently gotten into yoga.
My favorite part about Bates is the community, and I can’t wait for you to be a part of it! Do not hesitate to reach out (asavin@bates.edu) with any questions!
Genevieve Unterseher 27′ – Assistant Coordinator
Hometown: Pasadena, CA
What AESOP did you participate in as a First Year?
Acadia Adventure
Meow meow baby bobkittens! Get STOKED for what is sure to be one of your most memorable Bates experiences. AESOP is like no other. Getting to know new people and new parts of yourself while exploring Maine is such a special prologue to your time in college. Whether this is your first time in the outdoors, you are a world-class backpacker, or you want to explore some of Maine’s uniquely quaint urban areas, we are excited to get you on a trip you are excited about!
Bates has encouraged parts of me that I didn’t even know existed. Being from Los Angeles I have been thrilled to get to explore my outdoors-y side here at Bates, which started on my AESOP! As a trip leader for the Bates Outing Club I get to engage with nature more than ever and help people do the same. I am a Sociology and Hispanic Studies double major here at Bates. You can catch me spending my time in the Bates radio shack playing tunes with my friends, giving a guided campus tour, or in commons doing a 5-hour long debrief.
I can’t wait to meet all of you and help you get started on one of the best adventures life has to offer – college!
Zain Ali 27′ – Assistant Coordinator
Hometown: Mason, OH
What trip did you participate in as a First Year?
Community Engagement in Maine
Hey Bobcats! I’m thrilled to meet you as you make some of your first memories at Bates through AESOP! Speaking from my own journeys as an AESOPer and an AESOP leader, the experiences and friendships you make on your trip are beyond meaningful and truly connect you to Bates and the wider community here in Maine. AESOP is the perfect time to be yourself as you step into a new, fascinating adventure with your peers.
I’ve grown up in the United Kingdom, Canada, and currently live in Mason, Ohio. The Midwest and Maine don’t have a lot in common, but through experiences like AESOP I was able to make Maine my home away from home.
At Bates, you’ll see me taking a bunch of science classes for my Biochemistry major. When I’m not studying, you can find me working as the Secretary for the Bates College Student Government (BCSG) or competing with Club Soccer and Volleyball. When I’m feeling festive, I’ll be celebrating cultural events with the South Asian Student Association and Muslim Student Association. I also love being involved off-campus, and my favorite way to do so is by volunteering at the Central Maine Medical Center.
I looking forward to meeting you as you participate in AESOP and make your own Bates moments! I’d be happy to answer any questions – zali@bates.edu. See you so soon!