Big Bates events and great college news (not to mention blazing maple trees in autumn glory) bring out the likes among followers of the college’s official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter channels.
Here are the top five social media posts for each Bates channel in 2018 as ranked by SproutSocial engagement metrics.
Bates College has 17,630 followers on Facebook.
1. Feb. 10 — NBC gives a big Bates shout-out as Olympian Dinos Lefkaritis ‘19 enters Olympic Stadium
Marching as a team of one — between Kyrgyzstan and Chinese Taipei — Bates Olympian Dinos Lefkaritis ’19 of Larnaca, Cyprus, drew an extended shout-out from NBC announcers Mike Tirico and Katie Couric during Winter Olympics opening ceremonies last Feb. 9.
Now back at Bates, Lefkaritis is completing his academic studies (he’s an economics major and pursuing the Combined Program for engineering) and skiing for the Bobcats.
https://www.facebook.com/6177010821/posts/10155970549010822
2. Aug. 9 — J.J. Cummings ’89 takes command of the world’s largest aircraft carrier
The U.S. has 11 nuclear-powered carriers, and a Bates grad, Navy Captain J.J. Cummings ’89, now commands one of them: the USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s newest and the world’s largest.
https://www.facebook.com/6177010821/posts/10156420037915822
3. Nov. 15 — Jared Golden ’11 wins Maine’s 2nd District congressional election
Nine days after the general election, Jared Golden ’11 was declared the winner in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.
Golden’s election took more than a week to decide because neither he nor incumbent Bruce Poliquin got a majority, so the election was decided by Maine’s new ranked-choice voting format.
He’s the second alumnus to win a House seat in 2018, joining Republican Ben Cline ’94, elected to represent Virginia’s 6th Congressional District.
https://www.facebook.com/6177010821/posts/10156646793930822
4. Feb. 19 — Bates ranks first nationally in Fulbright Student Awards
In February, Bates was announced as the No. 1 producer of Fulbright Student award recipients among U.S. liberal arts colleges for 2017–18.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program.
https://www.facebook.com/6177010821/posts/10155995766400822
5. May 17, 2018 — Bates announces state-of-the-art science building
In May, Bates announced that it will break ground in 2019 on a new science building.
To be located on Campus Avenue, the three-story structure of approximately 65,000 square feet will offer versatile teaching and research spaces, advanced instrumentation rooms, and areas designed to promote study and interaction.
https://www.facebook.com/6177010821/posts/10156223538670822
Bates College has approximately 10,800 followers on Instagram.
1. April 7, 2018 — Hedge Hall maple tree (Take 1)
Between the never-ending winter and the stress of finals, early April at Bates is not exactly a student’s favorite time of year.
Playing on that vibe, this juxtaposition of images, one taken from Hedge Hall in winter and the other from Hedge in gorgeous autumn, played on the meme “If you don’t love me at my…, then you don’t deserve me at my….” while reminding students just how beautiful Bates was six months prior.
The post originated on the college’s Twitter feed (see below) before taking on new life on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhSVuAbh_yn/
2. Oct. 17 — Hedge Hall maple (Take 2)
This year’s look at the blazing Hedge Hall maple tree was taken around 4:40 p.m. on Oct. 16.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpDCGk2nnZO/
3. Oct. 21 — Women’s Varsity Eight wins Head of the Charles race
The Bates women’s varsity eight defeated 27 boats to win the Women’s Collegiate Eights at the 54th Head of the Charles Regatta.
The defending NCAA champion Bobcats took first for the second straight year and for the third time in program history.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpNmmIwn2K3/
4. May 25 — The Class of 2018 Class Photo
Two days before Commencement, members of the Class of 2018 gathered at Garcelon Field for their traditional class photo.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjNjagZneae/
5. Jan. 27: Gail Dow ‘60 cheers on Puddle Jumpers
Decked out in Bates regalia, loyal alumna Gail Dow ’60 of Lewiston turned out for the 2018 Puddle Jump on Jan. 26.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BedJwnrhtxs/
Bates College has approximately 12,500 followers on Twitter.
1. Aug. 1 — Benjamin Mays’ birthday
Featuring a tweet by Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King, the college’s birthday tweet honored Benjamin Elijah Mays, a member of Bates Class of 1920, as “undeniable proof of the emancipating potential of education.”
Each and every day here at Bates, the inspiring life of Benjamin Elijah Mays, Bates Class of 1920, offers us undeniable proof of the emancipating power of education. https://t.co/Lx1MhJ8TRp
— Bates College (@BatesCollege) August 1, 2018
2. Feb. 23 —A dean’s statement to support civic action
After the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., high school students around the nation held walkouts to protest gun violence, risking disciplinary action by their schools.
Since disciplinary actions are reported as part of the college-application process, many high school students feared that their 17 minutes of protest would affect their acceptance status.
On Feb. 23, Bates Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Leigh Weisenburger announced that “Bates Admission will not penalize you for participating in peaceful protest,” and explained why.
Please read this important message from Dean of @BatesAdmission and Financial Aid, Leigh Weisenburger. https://t.co/Cu1Gen3fqN
— Bates College (@BatesCollege) February 23, 2018
3. Nov. 15 — Jared Golden ’11 wins historic election
Nine days after the general election, Jared Golden ’11 was declared the winner in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District as Maine became the first state in the U.S. to employ ranked-choice voting for a federal office.
Jared Golden ’11, D-Maine, wins the ranked-choice vote in #Maine’s 2nd Congressional District; he’ll join fellow alum Ben Cline ’94, R-Va., as newly elected members of Congress. #mepolitics #Election2018 https://t.co/HU2aEinuy6
— Bates College (@BatesCollege) November 15, 2018
4. April 7 — Hedge Hall maple tree, Take 3
This winter-fall juxtaposition of scenes outside Hedge Hall, using the viral meme “If you don’t love me at my…, then you don’t deserve me at my…,” gained lots of attention.
If you then you don't
don't love deserve
me at my me at my pic.twitter.com/6LyMljxYTG— Bates College (@BatesCollege) April 7, 2018
5. March 25 — “Voices of 2018” with Rakiya Mohamed
In an installment of the video feature “Voices of 2018,” double major in biological chemistry and African American studies Rakiya Mohamed ’18 of Auburn, Maine, explains how she balanced two very different subjects.
“What is the point of getting this education if you’re not going to go out there and do something with it — do something bigger than you with it?” asks Mohamed, who delivered the Senior Address during Commencement.
She's a scientist, but she's also a scholar in African American Studies. See how Rakiya Mohamed '18 of Auburn, Maine found the answer to the question, "Who Am I?" in the latest "Voices from the Class of 2018." pic.twitter.com/M0li1aXPhh
— Bates College (@BatesCollege) March 25, 2018
