1. Class of 2010 at a glance
Bates is welcoming 494 new first-year students and 17 transfer students as fall semester starts Sept. 6. The College received 4,482 applications, second only to last year for the highest number. According to the Office of Admissions, 87 percent graduated in the top fifth of their high school class. More than 10 percent are U.S. students from underrepresented minority groups, 5 percent are international students and 4 percent have citizenship in the United States and another country. First-generation-to-college students make up 8 percent of the entering class. New students have residences in 33 states and 32 foreign countries, from Bangladesh to Vietnam. Almost 80 percent of the new enrolling students had an admissions interview either on campus or through the Alumni-In-Admissions network. Some 1,717 students are expected on campus this fall, with another 155 in Bates-sponsored programs off-campus, including 22 in the Bates Fall Semester Abroad Program in Austria, 17 in the Bates Fall Semester Abroad Program in China, 129 on junior semester abroad programs, and 23 in junior year abroad programs.

2. Poet Farnsworth to address Bates Convocation Sept. 6
Bates College begins its 152nd academic year with a convocation address by Robert Farnsworth, a member of the English faculty and a nationally known poet, at 4:10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, on the college's Historic Quadrangle. Farnsworth spent summer 2006 as the poet-in-residence at The Frost Place, a museum and arts center housed in poet Robert Frost's former homestead in New Hampshire. Farnsworth's Convocation address is titled "Three Lower-Case Virtues." www.bates.edu/x144831.xml

3. Bates continues to receive high marks in college guides
August is peak season for college guides, and Bates continues to get high marks in them. In the U.S. News & World Report 2007 edition of America's Best Colleges, Bates is ranked 23rd among 215 national liberal arts colleges. Bates is included in the latest edition of Princeton Review's college guide, The Best 361 Colleges. www.bates.edu/x144529.xml

4. Three alumni elected to Bates Board of Trustees
President Elaine Tuttle Hansen has announced three appointments to the Bates College Board of Trustees: Susan S. Kozik of Matthews, N.C., Christopher J. Gorayeb of New York, N.Y., and James F. O'Brien Jr. of New York, N.Y. www.bates.edu/x143864.xml

5. New York Business Network to feature nonprofits Sept. 18
In New York City, on Monday, Sept.18, President Emeritus Don Harward and Harward Center for Community Partnerships Director David Scobey will speak on "Making a Difference through Community Engagement". The special New York Bates Business Network event will be followed by a volunteer fair, featuring a wide variety of local and national nonprofits. Alumni will be able to explore options for volunteering while making new Bates connections. For more details and to register: www.bates-business.net

6. Parents and Family Weekend Oct. 6-8
Weekend highlights include classes open to visitors, a student research poster session, Modern Dance Company and Bates a cappella concerts, a leadership presentation by Mike Weber, athletic contests against Williams College, the Bates Parents & Family Association Information Session, a faculty symposium, open houses, the Museum of Art's Cryptozoology: Out of Time Place Scale exhibit and much more. www.bates.edu/parents-weekend.xml

7. Grant, new Muskie papers 'a wonderful confluence' for Bates archives
Thanks to a recent grant and a key donation of personal papers, one of the nation's most comprehensive collections of political documents outside the presidential library system has grown even larger. www.bates.edu/x144005.xml

8. Final list for Sept. 20 'Welcome to the City' events
Alumni will gather together to welcome new arrivals to their community on the same night all across the world. The cities are: Ann Arbor, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Palo Alto, Philadelphia, Portland (Maine), Portsmouth, Providence, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo, Vail and Washington. Every city except Boston, New York and Washington will be a joint event with Colby and Bowdoin. For locations and times, go to: www.bates.edu/wtc-2006.xml

9. Volleyball, women's lacrosse win national academic awards
The Bates volleyball and women's lacrosse teams each earned team academic awards, joining men's soccer, women's cross country, women's track and field and men's and women's swimming and diving as Bates teams that have earned team academic honors in the past year. Last season's volleyball team was recognized by the American Volleyball coaches Association as one of 155 college programs with a 3.30 grade point average or better on a 4.0 scale. With a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, women's lacrosse was one of 35 teams in Division III named a 2006 Honor or Merit Squad by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). Meanwhile, three Bobcats were included among 115 student-athletes on the IWLCA Division III Academic Honor Roll -- Katherine Farmer '07, Shannon Tully '06 and Katie Unger '06. www.bates.edu/sports.xml

10. Bates People in the News
Sometimes you choose your battles, and sometimes they choose you. Threats to Saudi Arabia's dominance in the Middle East was the topic as Eric Hooglund, Bates' new expert in Muslim politics, spoke with Fox News this week. Meanwhile, Bay State newspapers covered Marine Capt. Jason P. Schauble '97, who received the Silver Star for bravery in Iraq. He was shot 10 times while rescuing one of his men. And the Maine Sunday Telegram spoke with President Elaine Tuttle Hansen about Bates' recent victory on the fundraising front. www.bates.edu/bates-in-the-news.xml