Hello, Class of 2026 families –

This summer, we will offer a mix of in-person and virtual welcome gatherings to help you feel at home in the wider Bates community and help you start to connect with other families.

We include an overview below and on our Parents & Families site. Please watch for follow-up email invitations for your region, or get a jump on registering for our virtual events using the links below.

Our Summer Welcome Receptions provide an in-person opportunity for incoming families and students to get to know other local Bobcats. We will send area families an email invitation when registration opens for each gathering.

• Maine – Wednesday, July 6
• Washington DC metro area – Wednesday, July 20
• New York City area – Wednesday, August 17
• Boston – date coming soon!
• San Francisco – date coming soon!

Our Virtual Welcome Series provides a parent-to-parent perspective on the Bates experience. We included live links in our direct email to all families, and we will continue to push registration emails directly to your inbox. International families are welcome at any session that works for their timezone. 

• Midwest/Texas – Thursday, July 14 at 6:30pm Central
• Mid-Atlantic/south – Tuesday, July 26 at 7pm Eastern
• New England – Tuesday, August 2 at 7pm Eastern
• New York metro area – Tuesday, August 9 at 7pm Eastern
• Western US/California – Tuesday, August 16 at 6pm Pacific

Please encourage your students to check their Bates email for a reminder from the First-Year Experience team about some student-only virtual welcome events. Registration closes June 20, and offerings include sessions for students feeling a little nervous about college, plus affinity sessions for students who identify as first-generation-to-college, LGBTQ+, or BIPOC.

We look forward to meeting you!

Best regards,

The Bates Parent Team