Stories from 2022
Leana E. Amáez to join Bates College as vice president for equity and inclusion 

Tuesday, December 20, 2022 8:58 am

Leana Amáez, who joins Bates on Feb. 27, 2023, is a seasoned equity and inclusion leader and longtime advocate for underrepresented populations. “I am thrilled to welcome Leana to Bates to lead our work in equity and inclusion — work that is central to our mission and to the success and well-being of every member of our community,” said Bates President Clayton Spencer.

‘Ba-ha-ha Mitzvah’: Thesis binding with Frances White ’23

Friday, December 16, 2022 8:53 am

Hugs were had, congratulations traded, and champagne and cola shaken and opened. Another edition of a sweet Bates ritual, melding academics, friendship, and community, neared its end.

The brand new Bates Food Truck arrives at the Commons lock midday on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. It will take about two weeks before it is up and running. Exterior design by Olivia Orr of the Bates Communications Office. Todd McCollough and John Lajoie left Wednesday from South Bend, Ind., where they picked up the truck and drove 11,160 miles to Lewiston, Maine. Lajoie drove and McCollough was the co-pilot and navigator. They were met at Commons by colleagues, including and Chrstine Schwartz, Cheryl Lacy. Other students and staff who passed by stepped into the truck’s interior at Schwartz’s invitation to check it out. Three students inside the truck, from left to right are sophomores Lucas Jordan, Adrian Allannic, and Ethan Rayburn. Allannic said: “It’s beautiful. I am very excited to see what’s coming out of here.” Student alone in truck is Owen Chang.
Bates’ top 10 Instagram and Facebook posts in 2022

Thursday, December 15, 2022 4:10 pm

The results are in. From millions of impressions, reactions, and engagements on Bates Facebook and Bates Instagram, here are the top 10 posts of each channel n 2022.

“Peace begins with us.”That was the theme of this year’s United World College Day that a group of Davis United World Scholars at Bates celebrated by gathering with staff from the Center for Global Education in front of Roger Williams Hall. UWC Day is the annual global celebration of the UWC mission and values, which takes place on Sept. 21 every year, to coincide with the UN International Day of Peace. Each year, UWC Day is celebrated by thousands of people worldwide, including students and staff at UWC schools and colleges, national committees, UWC alumni and friends. Associate Dean for International Student Programs James Reese likes to recognize the day at Bates with a photograph and gathering.The spirit of friendship was in the air as students broke up from their large group to exchange hugs and words with classmates. Newcomers Rosina Makwabe ’26 of Arusha, Tanzania, and Verina Chatata ’26 of Blantyre, Malawi, who met at Bates, laughed and hugged. “I’m happy to have a friend,” Makwabe said.A $5 million scholarship gift to Bates College has expanded access for talented international students who come to Bates from the highly respected secondary schools of the United World Colleges movement.The gift, from Jonathan Blair Frank ‘89 and Tena Fishman Frank ’89, provides need-based financial aid for UWC students at Bates under the Davis United World College Scholars Program.The world’s largest international undergraduate scholarship initiative, the Davis UWC Scholars Program is dedicated to bringing together “promising students from diverse cultures and supporting their undergraduate educations at selected American colleges and universities…to create greater international understanding among the world’s future decision makers.”Bates is among 99 U.S. colleges and universities that have partnered with the Davis UWC Scholars Program, which helps provide college access to 3,800 students from 165 nations.(Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)Yvonne Chu ’25 of Changzhou, China, with Alan Wang ’24 of Henan, China
Bates photographers’ favorite images of 2022

Thursday, December 15, 2022 9:16 am

This end-of-the-year list — a tradition now in its ninth year — gathers our photographer's favorite images, both stills and video, that capture their own magic moments of 2022.

Bates’ 148th Commencement ceremony itself takes place at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 25, on the Historic Quad, Campus Avenue and College Street (or Merrill Gym in case of rain). Some 448 students will receive bachelor’s degrees, and President A. Clayton Spencer will confer honorary degrees on four notable Americans: John Seely Brown, visionary thinker and computer scientist; Glenn Close, renowned actress; David Shaw P’00, leading entrepreneur; Isabel Wilkerson, Commencement speaker and author of the acclaimed social history The Warmth of Other Suns.
‘Moments from the fall’: Meet 13 new Bates College professors

Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:45 pm

View profiles of 13 new professors, tenure-track appointees or appointed as tenured faculty members, featuring photographic portraits, areas of scholarly expertise, an example of a Bates course they teach, and a telling moment from the nearly completed fall semester.

Campus Construction Update: Dec. 13, 2022

Tuesday, December 13, 2022 2:14 am

That gobsmacking gulf that demolition crews created behind the back wall of Chase Hall Lounge is void no longer, as steelworkers have erected the support structure for the new central stair.

From left, Wilder Geier ‘22, Lars Schuster ’20, and Julian Cook ’20 take a look at a pileated woodpecker in Lewiston’s Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary..Nick Lund of Maine Audubon @maineaudubon spotted the bird as he led Clark A. Griffith Professor of Environmental Studies Jane Costlow and students in her “Living With Animals” course on a midday birding excursion during their last class session.
Bates in the News: Dec. 9, 2022

Thursday, December 8, 2022 2:14 pm

An 80s-inspired Black queer horror flick, the 100th anniversary of Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary, and insights into Maine's rich — and often overlooked — history.

The 10 most-viewed BatesNews stories of 2022

Thursday, December 8, 2022 2:13 pm

As the year ticks to a close, here’s a top-10 countdown of the 2022 BatesNews stories with the most views, plus the average time readers spent on each story.

And now: The answer to how ancient plants could live on dry land

Thursday, December 8, 2022 1:28 pm

Researchers including Bates biologist Brett Huggett answer a long-unanswered question: how early plants made the big move to dry-land living 400 million years ago.

Bates College announces promotions of 13 professors

Thursday, December 8, 2022 9:43 am

Meet these newly promoted Bates professors, and hear each explain the meaning of being a Bates professor. Says one, "I get to help our students be fully themselves and see them thrive, alongside folks who care about it as much as I do.”

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