Bates College, widely regarded as one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the nation, is dedicated to the principle of active engagement. A 10-1 student-faculty ratio makes possible close collaborations in classroom and laboratory, and the Bates learning experience is honed through seminars, research, service-learning, and the capstone of senior thesis. Typically, two-thirds of Bates' 1,700 students study abroad. Co-curricular life is rich: most students participate in club and varsity sports; many participate in performing arts; and almost all students participate in one of more than 90 student-run clubs or organizations. Alumni frequently cite the capacities they developed at Bates for critical assessment, analysis, expression, aesthetic sensibility and independent thought. About 40 percent of students participate in career internships, and more than two-thirds of recent graduates enroll in graduate study within 10 years after graduation. Bates was founded in 1855 by Maine abolitionists, and Bates graduates have always included men and women from diverse racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.