“I refer to Bates as my passion project.” Ned Moreland ’19 exemplifies how a small liberal arts education can shape an impactful career and continue to foster relationships after graduation. 

During his time at Bates, Ned discovered that his passion for club hockey could forge connections not only with fellow students but also with members of the Lewiston community.

“Lewiston is such a hockey-centric town,” says Ned, who played hockey at Bates and was captain and president of the club during his senior year. Lewiston’s love of hockey began with French Canadian immigration to the area more than a century ago. “People we would meet in the community would come to our games. That was a pretty intimate, magical experience — just as impactful as our friends coming to support.” 

In 2019, that magic would transport the club hockey team to China when Ned’s classmate Bob Xu ’19 of Beijing worked to create the inaugural International Ice Hockey Tournament of World Universities. 

It was a communal effort to get the team overseas, and as team president and captain Ned was charged with overseeing the costs and visa process. “A lot of our parents and a lot of the Bates community and hockey alumni have been supporting us, kind of giving us things we need to prepare. It was a process and a great learning experience.”

Ned’s commitment to Bates extends far beyond his love of hockey. Since graduating, Ned has been a Class Agent, a sponsor for the Purposeful Work job shadow program, an Alumni in Admission volunteer, and a member of the Bates Fund Executive Committee. He sees his involvement as a way to add value to an institution that has significantly shaped his life. “There are active ways where alumni can add value,” he says. He believes in dedicating his time to organizations that align with his values. “I want to invest my time in organizations where I align to the mission and vision of that organization. So as long as I find that time and that alignment, I will continue investing my time into Bates.” 

Ned’s perspective on giving back is clear: “Understand where you align to Bates, and lean in.” He emphasizes that alumni contributions don’t always need to be monumental in size to be impactful. This is why Ned champions support for the Bates Fund, which makes a direct and immediate impact by providing essential resources for students, faculty, and the college community. “Magnitude matters in the long run, but we shouldn’t discount the power of small gains multiplied by a really large base.”

As he continues to build his professional path, Ned carries forward the lessons of community, authenticity, and empowerment that he learned at Bates. “I got a lot of benefit from embracing the unexpected. Lean into those experiences that are unique. Find ways to be different. In the moment being different can be really scary, but I actually had a blast and got a ton of value from leaning into that mindset.”