The program begins at 8 a.m. in Chase Hall Lounge with coffee and donuts. Participants will meet with the Bates admissions staff from 8:30 to 9 a.m. in Chase Hall Lounge. From 10 to 10:45 a.m., students not scheduled for admissions interviews will meet with Wylie Mitchell, dean of admissions at Bates. Tours of the campus, admissions interviews, classroom visits and departmental office visits will be available from 9 a.m. to noon.

Leigh Campbell, director of financial aid at Bates, will conduct an informational session on financing a college education from 1 to 1:45 p.m. in Chase Hall Lounge. A coaches’ reception for high school athletes interested in competing at the college level will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on the second floor of Merrill Gymnasium.

Participants, parents and guidance counselors are also invited to tour the Edmund S. Muskie Archives from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Bates College Museum of Art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the George and Helen Ladd Library, which opens at 7:30 a.m.

African American, Latino, Asian and Native American students from around the country will take part in the 19th annual October Weekend, designed to acquaint them with the academic and extracurricular offerings of the college. Outstanding students selected for the program are provided with housing and board as guests of Bates. The college also provides travel scholarships to those needing assistance with transportation costs.

“For many young students of color, a liberal arts education is an opportunity to develop talents through community, small class size and research opportunities and can become the stepping stone to a successful, rewarding career,” said Carmita McCoy, associate dean of admissions and director of multicultural recruitment at Bates.

The weekend includes a campus tour, an admissions interview, workshops on financial aid and applying to college, classroom visits, meetings with faculty, a talent show and a banquet.

Founded in 1855, Bates has a long history of egalitarianism. Since its inception, Bates has been open to students of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds and has the distinction of being one of the oldest coeducational institutions in the United States. October Weekend reflects Bates’ continuing interest in attracting a diverse student body.