During the Annual Gathering of the Bates College Alumni Association, held on June 10 during Reunion, five alumni received association awards for their contributions to Bates and to the wider world.
Also during the gathering, Bates announced the retirement of football jersey No. 56, worn by the late Howard Vandersea ’63, one of Bates’ greatest athletes who made major contributions to collegiate football as a coach and advocate.
Award Nominations
Bates welcomes nominations for Bates Alumni Association awards and for other alumni and parent awards sponsored by the college.
Awards went to:
- Dr. Douglas Evans ’78 was awarded the Benjamin E. Mays Medal, the college’s highest alumni award, for his contributions to cancer research.
- Nate Walton ’08 received the Stangle Award for Distinguished Service to the Bates Community for offering mentorship and real-world experience to Bates student interns through the Bates Center for Purposeful Work.
- Jeffrey Roy ’83 was awarded the Alumni Professional Recognition Award for his public service as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
- Ainsley Jamieson ’18 was awarded the Distinguished Young Alumni Award for exceptional volunteer work for Bates, including service on the Class of 2018’s Reunion Gift and Social committees.
- Lisa Romeo ’88 was awarded the Helen A. Papaioanou Distinguished Alumni Service Award for her decades of service to Bates, including serving as president of the Alumni Association and the College Key.
Dr. Douglas Evans ’78: Benjamin E. Mays Medal
An excerpt from the citation for Evans’ award, which honors the alumna or alumnus who has performed distinguished service to the worldwide community and been deemed a Bates graduate of outstanding accomplishment:
Doug Evans has devoted his professional career to the research and treatment of pancreatic cancer and inherited endocrine syndromes, saving and extending the lives of many throughout his three decades in medicine. The nominations we received on Doug’s behalf honored both his service to medicine — specializing in one of the most difficult areas of practice — and his dedication as a surgeon, teacher, mentor and life-long friend.
Nate Walton ’08: Stangle Award for Distinguished Service to the Bates Community
An excerpt from the citation for Walton’s award, which honors Bates leaders who have helped Bates people become better professionals in their careers or in their volunteer work:
For the past seven years, Nate Walton has provided mentorship and real world experience to students through his government relations consulting firm, Sachem Strategies. During the pandemic, Nate stepped up as a core partner for the Center for Purposeful Work, strategizing with Bates staff on how to best support students in a virtual world. In 2020, he hosted four virtual internships for students and recent graduates to ensure that they could land on their feet with experiences that helped to support their next purposeful endeavor.
Jeff Roy ’83: Alumni Professional Recognition Award
An excerpt from the citation for Roy’s award, which honors outstanding professional success and achievement in any field or endeavor:
Since 2013, Jeff Roy has been part of a legislative team that has worked on innumerable issues, including health care financing, where he supported patient access to a wider array of medications, and higher education, where he drafted and passed legislation relative to sexual violence on higher education campuses and legislation increasing transparency and financial reporting requirements for higher education institutions.
Ainsley Jamieson ’18: Distinguished Young Alumni Award
An excerpt from the citation for Jamieson’s award, which honors exceptional volunteer service to Bates and career distinction within 15 years of graduation:
Connectivity and generosity are at the heart of Ainsley Jamieson’s commitment to Bates and to her class. She is a tireless promoter, making sure that fellow alumni are updated on all things Bates from athletics to academics and beyond. Ainsley’s work as the scheduler and operations director for Rep. Jared Golden, Class of 2011, deepens her connection to Maine, and exemplifies the value she puts on work that makes a difference for others.
Lisa Romeo ’88: Papaioanou Distinguished Alumni Service Award
The citation for Romeo’s award reads, in part:
In her steadfast commitment, Lisa Romeo has been a constant presence for Bates long past her time as a student. Even when she is not formally volunteering, she gently encourages Batesies of all backgrounds to come to events, to get involved at any level, to give when they can, and to foster connections with students and alumni. Her enthusiasm for Bates is palpable and makes others want to jump in.
Howard Vandersea ’63: Bates Football Jersey Retirement
Remarks, in part, by head football coach Matt Coyne about Vandersea, who died on Dec. 29, 2022, at age 81:
Howard Vandersea was an All-American in football, but considered being voted team captain by his peers as his greatest honor. Howie served our country in the military and had extended tryouts with both the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers before becoming a hugely impactful head coach and an ambassador for the game. The Maine chapter of the National Football Foundation bears his name. Howie was invaluable to me when I was hired to coach the Bobcats. He often participated in Zoom calls with the team and helped my transition immensely.
The June 6, 2023, Bates Bobcast featured remarks by Vandersea’s classmate and teammate at Bates Thom Freeman ’63.
