This schedule is subject to change. Please check back frequently for updates.
New on Campus
The past five years have brought many exciting changes and additions to the campus!
More/LessDon’t miss the renovated Garcelon Field and the recently transformed Roger Williams and Hedge halls. You are invited to explore and tour campus throughout the weekend.
Faculty Lectures
This Reunion, experience the feeling of discovery in the classroom all over again. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear current Bates faculty – preeminent scholars in their fields – lecture on topics across the disciplines.
Fitness and Wellness
When you pack for Reunion, don’t forget your golf clubs, bike, running shoes, tennis racquet, swimsuit and yoga mat! You and your guests are welcome to use campus athletic facilities during Reunion Weekend.
Thursday, June 6
(50th Reunion only)
Noon – 7 p.m.
Registration for the 50th Reunion Class
New Commons Building
11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch for the 50th Reunion Class
New Commons
3 – 4:30 p.m.
Campus tour for the 50th Reunion Class
6 p.m.
Welcome Reception and Dinner for the 50th Reunion Class
New Commons Building
Friday, June 7
7 – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
New Commons
8 a.m. – midnight
Registration
New Commons Building
8 – 9 a.m.
Breakfast with the President for the 50th Reunion Class
Pettengill Hall
9 – 11 a.m.
50th Reunion Seminars
Enjoy stimulating presentations, panel discussions and demonstrations by members of the 50th Reunion Class. (Open to all classes)
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Bates Outing Club Program: Hike through Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, Phippsburg
More/LessJoin Conservation Area Director Laura Sewall on a four-mile hike through
this wonderful Bates resource! The trail provides access to mile-long Seawall Beach, passing through interesting natural communities and varied terrains, with spectacular views from the summit of Morse Mountain. Comprised of some 600 acres, the Conservation Area is private property owned by the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Corporation, a non-profit corporation with members from the St. John family (which originally conserved the area), Bates College, and the general public. Bates manages this resource for research and educational purposes, and is conducting environmental research throughout the area. Bring sturdy footwear, rain/wind gear, hat, daypack, bug repellent, swimsuit (for the hardy), camera, binoculars. Co-sponsored the Class of 2003 and co-led by Amanda Devine ’03.
Depart by carpool from Central Avenue behind Alumni Gym and New Commons Building
11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch
New Commons
11:30 a.m.
Reunion Golf Outing
Open to all classes and non-Reunion alumni!
More/LessBuffet lunch at 11:30 a.m., tee times starting at 12:30 p.m. Hosted by the Friends of Bates Athletics.
Martindale Country Club, Auburn
1:30 – 4 p.m.
50th Reunion Seminars
3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Reunion Tennis Festival: Doubles Mixer
James G. Wallach Tennis Center
5 – 6 p.m.
Annual Meeting of The College Key
Open to members of The College Key.
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Reunion Lobster Bake
New Commons
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Reunion Tennis Festival: Reunion Cup Tournament and Cocktail Reception
James G. Wallach Tennis Center
8:30 – 11 p.m.
Fireworks and Reception on the Shores of Lake Andrews
Enjoy spectacular fireworks while sharing a beverage with friends at the Florence Keigwin Amphitheater.
Olin Arts Center Terrace
Saturday, June 8
7 – 10:30 a.m.
Breakfast
New Commons
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Registration
New Commons Building
9 a.m.
5K Run/Walk
Muskie Garden
9 a.m.
Reunion Tennis Festival: Adult Clinic
James G. Wallach Tennis Center
9 – 9:45 a.m.
Campus Tour
9 – 9:45 a.m.
The Alphabet Soup of Health Care Reform: How Too Much Health Care is Dangerous to Your Health
More/LessHealth care expenditures have become a major portion of the economy of the United States. It is beginning to impact economic growth in this country and has the potential, along with the national debt, to interrupt the current economic recovery. In an attempt to control costs and offer health care to all citizens, President Obama recently signed into law the ACA (affordable care act). Along with the ACA some other alphabets of health care reform are Title VI of the ATRA, the SGR, the CLASS act, IPAB and numerous others acronyms. Dr. Louis Weinstein ’68, Past Bowers Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University, will help to clarify this health care alphabet soup. He will present suggestions for improving the health care system along with tools that can empower the individual to take control of her/his own health care destiny. Sponsored by the Class of 1968.
9 – 10 a.m.
Andy’s Animals: Exploring Andrew Wyeth’s Depictions of Animals
More/LessJoin Victoria Wyeth ’01, only grandchild of American artist Andrew Wyeth, for an interactive and family-friendly art activity. Victoria draws on her experience leading children’s programs at art museums across the country and offers a unique approach to the creative process.
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Open Court Basketball
More/LessOpen court pick-up basketball in the Gray Cage. All ages and abilities welcome!
Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building
9:45 – 10:30 a.m.
Bates Outing Club Program: New Facilities Tour
More/LessThe Outing Club has moved! The BOC Equipment Room was in the basement of Hathorn since it moved from Parker in 1968, and the meeting room has been in the basement of Alumni Gym since 1928. This winter and spring, the BOC moved into a new meeting room, equipment room, lounge, and office space in the newly renovated Chase Hall. Come tour the new consolidated space in Chase Hall.
Enter the door marked “Outing Club” in the back of Chase Hall, near the loading dock.
Chase Hall
9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
Turkey: From Empire to Nation
More/LessLocated at the crossroads of the Middle East and Europe, Turkey is a country of diverse cultural heritage with deep social and political cleavages. In May 2013, Assistant Professor Senem Aslan led a group of Bates students on a short-term class trip to Turkey to explore the ethnic and religious diversity of the country and the current developments in Turkish politics. They visited four different cities of Turkey, (Istanbul, Mardin, Sanliurfa, and Gaziantep) and had the chance to observe wide socio-cultural and political variations in the country. Professor Aslan presents a brief overview of the trip, incorporating a discussion on the recent political developments and identity movements in the country.
9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
Examining College Life
More/LessWhat is the purpose of a college education? Jill N. Reich, Professor of Psychology, will explore this basic and timely question from the perspective of Developmental Psychology using the Bates mission statement as our foundation. Examining College Life will reference theories of development during the period of emerging adulthood and examine research on cognitive skills and intellectual growth, personality and self-concept, attitudes, values, beliefs and patterns of behavior during the college years.
11 a.m.
Alumni Parade
Show your class spirit in the Alumni Parade! March, ride or dance your way through a crowd of cheering Bates alumni and guests.
Historic Quad and Alumni Walk
11:30 a.m.
Annual Gathering of the Alumni Association with Welcoming Remarks by President Clayton Spencer
Tent alongside Garcelon Field
Noon – 2:30 p.m.
Barbeque Picnic Lunch
A relaxed barbeque picnic for all ages, complete with live entertainment by comic performer Brent McCoy ’03!
Ladd Library Quad
1 – 2 p.m.
Wiffleball Game
More/LessA fun, family-friendly game of wiffleball! All ages and classes welcome. Sponsored by the Class of 1993.
Leahey Field
1 – 2 p.m.
Update from Admission
More/LessAdmission staff will offer a briefing on Bates admission strategies that have yielded excellence and opportunity in keeping with the college mission.
1 – 2 p.m.
What Will Be Our Legacy? Hi-Tech and High Debt
More/LessWhile the overall economy has ebbed and flowed over the past 30 years, two trends have grown virtually uninterrupted: The pace of technology advancement and the growth in the national debt. Will technological advancements make workers obsolete? Will the national debt crush all other economic activity? What kind of future are we leaving to our children? Join James Hughes, Thomas Sowell Professor of Economics, as he answers these important questions. Sponsored by the Class of 1958.
1 – 2:30 p.m.
Lewiston-Auburn Downtown Walkabout
More/LessWonderful things are happening downtown! Join staff from the Harward Center for Community Partnerships for a moderately paced walk through the heart of L-A, with brief narrative stops at several points of interest. Please wear comfortable shoes.
1 – 3 p.m.
Bates Outing Club Program: Discover the L-A Androscoggin River, a guided paddle
More/LessJoin Judy Marden ’66, President of the Androscoggin Land Trust, for a paddle upstream from downtown Auburn to the base of the Great Falls and see the twin cities from an entirely different perspective. Ed Muskie ’36’s Clean Water Act and the Androscoggin Land Trust’s efforts to create a central Greenway are changing the way we view and use the river. You are encouraged to bring your own canoe or kayak, but we hope to have some extra boats available for the outing. (Information on on this will be available this spring.) Bring a life vest (required), water, hat, wind or rain gear, camera and binoculars. Co-sponsored by the Class of 1973 and co-led by Betsy Bracken Barrett ’73 and Karen Price Stewart ’73.
Depart by carpool from Central Avenue behind Alumni Gym and New Commons Building
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Reunion Tennis Festival: Reunion Cup Finals
James G. Wallach Tennis Center
2 – 2:45 p.m.
Campus Tour
2 – 2:45 p.m.
Bates Today: A Panel with Current Students
More/LessJoin current Bates students for a discussion of Bates life throughout the years. Listen as students describe aspects of student life and culture on campus today, including academics, athletics, clubs and organizations, and social life, and share your own Bates stories!
2 – 2:45 p.m.
College 101: A Panel with Current Bates Students for Teens
More/LessWant to know what it is like to be Bates student? Come listen to a panel of current students talk about college life, including academics, athletics, clubs and organizations, and social life. For teens only!
2 – 3 p.m.
A Personal Perspective on the Art of Andrew Wyeth
More/LessVictoria Wyeth ’01, Andrew Wyeth’s only grandchild, offers an illustrated talk with insights on his art, and personal anecdotes from years of conversations with her grandfather. Sponsored by the Class of 1953.
2 – 3 p.m.
Grey Nuns in the Local Community
More/LessWhen a million Franco-speaking Canadians immigrated to the United States from the 1860s to the 1930s, working class families did not have access to the social services we have today. In Lewiston and other industrial cities across New England, courageous and innovative women in religious orders like the Sisters of Charity or “Grey Nuns” filled this role. Through oral history interviews, Professor Mary Rice-DeFosse and her students have researched the integral connections between the Grey Nuns and the local community.
2 – 3:30 p.m.
Alumni Choir Rehearsal
More/LessAll alumni and guests are welcome to join the choir, which will provide music for the Memorial Service on Sunday. John Corrie, who has led the Bates College Choir since 1986, will direct the group.
Gomes Chapel
3 – 3:45 p.m.
Can Government Really Help: The Challenge of Legislating Effective Government Programs
More/LessMost government programs designed to cure social ills don’t work in sector after sector…and never could work. Based on his new book, “The Third Lie: Why Government Programs Don’t Work and a Blueprint for Change,” Richard J. Gelles ’68, Dean, University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, discusses how current federal programs create their own bureaucracy to monitor participation in the program and an entrenched administrative apparatus whose needs supersede those for whom the program was designed. Against this, he examines universal programs such as the GI Bill, Social Security, and Medicare, which are the most successful, sustained government programs ever established. Can government really work to help? He proposes a blueprint for one such effort. Sponsored by the Class of 1968.
3 – 4 p.m.
Seeking the Signal in the Noise: Observations of Climate Change in the Norwegian High Arctic
More/LessOne of the major problems for climate researchers and the public alike is interpreting the real trend in climate within the noise of yearly and seasonal fluctuations in weather and extreme events. Professor Mike Retelle has been working in the arctic regions for over 30 years conducting research on a variety of problems. Come hear him discuss how the steady recession of the glaciers of Svalbard, Norway, clearly show the response to 20th Century warming despite the ups and downs of seasonal changes.
3 – 4 p.m.
Peaceful Mind, Compassionate Heart: Meditation and Active Compassion for Personal and Social Transformation in the Twenty-first Century
More/LessCollaborative ground breaking research with Tibetan meditation practitioners in several U.S. institutions of higher education is producing evidence which supports the efficacy of meditation as a transformative practice for both the individual and society. Bates is honored to welcome back to campus as special guest, Ven. Kachen Khen Rinpoche Lobzang Tsetan, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist lama who taught at the college in 1989. He is head abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery by appointment of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama and is the founder of the Siddhartha High School in Ladakh, India. Please join him and Lisa V. Blake ’88, founder of the Maine Mindfulness Project, in a lively discussion about the benefits of meditation and to learn a few simple practices you can use anywhere. All ages welcome. Sponsored by the Class of 1988.
Gomes Chapel
3 – 4:30 p.m.
Documentary Film Showing: Neighbor by Neighbor: Mobilizing an Invisible Community in Lewiston, Maine by Craig Saddlemire ’05
More/LessIn the summer of 2004, the Mayor of Lewiston, Maine announced a plan to develop a four-lane boulevard across downtown’s low-income neighborhood. This project was called “The Heritage Initiative.” Contrary to its name, this plan was going to eliminate the downtown’s heritage by displacing 850 people from their homes as well as destroy playgrounds, vegetable gardens, and historic buildings. Moving residents out of the city and improving traffic flow was at the heart of this proposal. It was 1960′s Urban Renewal all over again. As tragic as the circumstances were, the threat of a road destroying the neighborhood required residents to rise to the challenge of becoming community organizers. Instead of allowing their neighborhood to be paved over, the residents of downtown organized themselves into a group call “The Visible Community.” They received support from non-residents alike. This movie documents 5 years of development and community organizing in Lewiston, Maine.
3 – 3:45 and 3:45 – 4:30 p.m.
The Real McCoy Show
More/LessJoin Brent McCoy ’03 for a wildly entertaining comic performance! The Real McCoy Show combines breathtaking circus stunts and lightning fast wit for a rollicking comic experience. Brent has performed all over the world since his time here at Bates, traveling to China, Scotland, Canada, New Zealand and even Paris… Maine. A fun and family-friendly event for all ages!
4 p.m.
President’s Reception
For Mount David Society members and Reunion volunteers
A special gathering with President Spencer to recognize alumni who have made significant contributions to the college in their Reunion year. By invitation.
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Bates Ski Team Alumni Reception
More/LessA gathering of former Alpine and Nordic Ski Team members, their families and friends of all ages! Come and enjoy good company and share great memories of your time with the Bates Ski program.
Penobscot Room, New Commons Building
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
LGBT Reception
More/LessAn opportunity for LGBT alumni, faculty, staff and allies to connect and network with each other. All are welcome! Sponsored by the Office of Alumni Engagement and Bates PRIDE.
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Class Dinners and Receptions
5:30 p.m.
50th Reunion Reception and Class Dinner
Pettengill Hall
6 p.m.
25th Reunion Reception with the President followed by Class Dinner and Afterparty
More/LessToast your fellow classmates and celebrate this milestone Reunion in the company of President Clayton Spencer! Followed by the 25th Reunion Class Dinner and late night fun.
8 p.m.
Teen Movie
8 – 10 p.m.
Reunion Concert
Dance the night away with The Bob Charest Band! From Motown and R&B, to 80s classics and current hits, they cover it all. Better yet, they are proud Bates parents!
Ladd Library Quadrangle
10 p.m.
Live Music by Guy Fox
More/LessContinue the celebration with live music by Guy Fox. This San Francisco-based, Bates-bred band featuring Greg Waters ’08, Nate Witherbee ’08 and Peter Granquist ’07 promises a high-energy show to close out the night!
Sunday, June 9
7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Brunch
New Commons
7:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Bates Outing Club Program: Bird and Botany Walk at Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary
More/LessJoin Tom Hayward (Bates Humanities Reference Librarian and President of Stanton Bird Club) and Susan Hayward (Stanton Bird Club Education Chair) on a hike through Thorncrag. The highest point in the city, the 357-acre bird sanctuary and wildlife preserve offers great views, spring wildflowers and excellent birding. Stanton Lodge, BOC’s Thorncrag cabin, was a popular destination for decades of Bates students. Easy to moderate difficulty. Wear sturdy shoes, bring warm clothes and a windbreaker/rain gear, camera and binoculars.
Depart by carpool from Central Avenue behind Alumni Gym and New Commons Building
8 – 10 a.m.
Bates Outing Club Program: Mountain Bike Ride at Riverlands State Park, Turner
More/LessExplore the trails of one of Maine’s newest additions to the State Park system, right in our own back yard. The new park has a network of shared-use and dedicated trails contained within its 2600 acres. Bring your own bike. Alumni trip leader is Halsey Platt ’88 (and sons). Sponsored by the Class of 1988.
Depart by carpool from Central Avenue behind Alumni Gym and New Commons Building
10 a.m.
Alumni Memorial Service
More/LessA time to celebrate the lives of those men and women of Bates who have died during the past year. The Alumni Choir will perform and alumni will be invited to officiate and to participate as ushers and readers.
Gomes Chapel
11:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. or optionally to 3:45 p.m.
Bates Outing Club Program: Hike Mt. Pisgah and Wilson Pond Woods (“Gott Pasture”), Winthrop/Wayne
More/LessClimb 400 feet along a one-mile trail to the summit of 807′ Mt. Pisgah. The 60′ fire tower offers outstanding views of surrounding forest and lakes, the Western Maine mountains and White Mountains. Return to campus at this point (first making a stop for Tubby’s extraordinary homemade ice cream!) or hike a 1 1/4 mile loop trail through majestic pine and oak woods and along the shore of Wilson Pond on land donated by the family of George and Helen Ladd. Easy to moderate difficulty. Bring water, sturdy shoes, wind or rain gear, bug repellent, day pack, camera and binoculars. Co-sponsored by the Class of 1957 and the Class of 1963, and co-led by Doug Smith ’63, Jo Trogler Reynolds ’58 and Grant Reynolds ’57.
Depart by carpool from Central Avenue behind Alumni Gym and New Commons Building
1 p.m.
Closing of Dormitories
Please leave your room key and electronic access card on your dresser in your room or with your BatesStar host. Safe travels!
