As the year ticks to a close, here’s a countdown of the 15 most-viewed BatesNews stories of 2024.
The stories are ranked by page views, with the average time that readers spent viewing the stories included as well.
15. Bates College installs Garry W. Jenkins as ninth president
At his installation ceremony on May 4, Jenkins received the figurative and literal keys to Bates’ future as its new leader, and did so with gratitude, compassion, and determination.
Before the roughly 1,200 guests in Merrill Gymnasium, Jenkins promised he would lead Bates “with humility and transparency, with tenacity and enthusiasm, and, of course, with ardor and devotion.”
Page Views: 2,429
Average Time on Page: 2:01 minutes
14. What to know and expect at the inauguration of Bates College President Garry W. Jenkins
Leading up to the Jenkins installation ceremony, this wide-ranking guide included historical facts and background — such as how a Bates presidential inauguration is more rare than a solar eclipse.
Page Views: 2,438
Average Time on Page: 2:24 minutes
13. Record-breaking Bates Class of 2028 arrives to open arms on Aug. 29
The 491-member Bates Class of 2028 brought their youthful hopes and aspirations — along with two new records for Bates admission. Chosen from the largest applicant pool in the college’s history, the class is also the most racially diverse ever.
Page Views: 2,534
Average Time on Page: 2:06 minutes
12. Bates announces nine faculty appointments to endowed professorships
This story profiled the nine senior members of the faculty who have been appointed to endowed professorships.
“Endowed professorships at Bates are a testament to the high aspirations of Bates donors and a powerful recognition of the sustained excellence of our faculty,” said Malcolm Hill, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.
Page Views: 2,645
Average Time on Page: 2:24 minutes
11. Bates College Board of Trustees elects three new members, effective July 1, 2024
This story introduced new members of the Bates College Board of Trustees: Robert Alan “Hob” Brooks Jr. ’02, David M. Marchick P’26, and Natalie Sanchez Rodriguez ’92, P’26.
Page Views: 2,652
Average Time on Page: 1:26 minutes
10. Welcome Home!
Bates photographers followed new Bates students through their first week on campus and into their first year.
“People matter here,” said President Garry W. Jenkins in his welcome to new students and families on Opening Day. “We are individuals, each with something unique to offer, but we are together a powerfully strong community that cares deeply about each other and about the world around us.”
Page Views: 2,671
Average Time on Page: 3:05 minutes
9. Slideshow: Remembering Gene Clough, a teacher with boundless passion and curiosity
This story paid tribute to a beloved Bates teacher known for his dedication to learning and exploration.
“Gene Clough taught me how to be curious,” said a former student, Noah Petro ’01, who is now a NASA scientist. “I can’t look at an image of data from the moon, especially the far side that he loved so much, without channeling his passion and curiosity.”
Clough, a teacher whose passion and curiosity inspired Petro and many other Bates students during a 38-year Bates career, died Oct. 23 at age 77 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
Page Views: 2,788
Average Time on Page: 3:05 minutes
8. Bates in the News: Feb. 15, 2024
This edition of Bates in the News attracted top-15 attention due in part to news articles written by Amy Bass ’92, an academic expert in the fascinating intersection of sport and society, on how Super Bowl 58, with Taylor Swift in prominent attendance, entrenched the NFL “as a bona fide entertainment industry.”
Page Views: 2,791
Average Time on Page: 1:42 minutes
7. From Lake Andrews to 17th-century Japan, two student-built boats now part of TV series Shōgun
Traditional Japanese boats built by Bates students several years ago starred in the FX adaptation of Shōgun.
The wooden boats were built during a practitioner-taught Short Term course in 2019 arranged by the Center for Purposeful Work and taught by Douglas Brooks, an author and expert in Japanese boatbuilding.
The boats were purchased from Bates by FX, a subsidiary of Disney, to help recreate the seascape and riverscape of feudal Japan.
Page Views: 2,850
Average Time on Page: 1:34 minutes
6. Bates announces faculty promotions, including tenure awards, for 2024
Eight professors received promotions, including tenure awards, this year.
“The professors who have received promotions this year are stellar examples of what the Bates faculty as a whole brings to this community,” said Malcolm Hill, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.
Page Views: 2,975
Average Time on Page: 1:28 minutes
5. Puddle Jump 2024
One of two Picture Stories in this year’s list, this one featured immersive (but not submersive!) photography of one of Bates’ favorite traditions as students leap into icy Lake Andrews, peppered with historical quotes and insights about the enduring human enchantment with jumping into icy cold water.
Page Views: 3,137
Average Time on Page: 2:31 minutes
4. Announcing the 28th annual Bates College summer book list
The annual, curated summer book list, aka Good Reads: The Bates College Non-Required Reading List for Leisure Moments, was begun and named in 1997 by now-retired Bates College Store director Sarah Emerson Potter ’77. The list features titles suggested by Bates faculty and staff for readers of all tastes.
Page Views: 3,495
Average Time on Page: 2:26 minutes
3. Campus Construction Update: Feb. 28, 2024
Campus Construction Update is one of the most-read BatesNews items, and this edition, announcing that Bates was transforming a former nuns’ convent into a modern residence hall, captured the attention Bobcat Nation.
Page Views: 3,774
Average Time on Page: 1:59 minutes
2. ‘Friend, dad, brother, mentor,’ retired head coach Al Fereshetian dies at age 66
The Bates community remembers retired head coach Al Fereshetian for his profound impact as a mentor and friend. As one of his athletes, All-American thrower Adedire Fakorede ’18, once said, “Coach Fresh is a friend, a dad, a brother, and a mentor. He just does it all.”
Fereshetian died on June 22, 2024, at the age of 66.
Page Views: 4,211
Average Time on Page: 1:28 minutes
1. Bates receives record number of applications for the Class of 2028
The year’s most-read story was a celebration of unprecedented interest in Bates among prospective students: a new record of 10,029 applications, marking the third straight year of record-high applications at Bates.
“Bates continues to recruit successfully and broadly both in the U.S. and internationally, and the Bates message continues to resonate everywhere we go,” said Leigh Weisenburger, vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid.
Page Views: 7,115
Average Time on Page: 2:07 minutes
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