Berit Brecke

bbrecke@bates.edu | she/her
Admission Counselor

Berit grew up just outside Portland, Oregon, with the rugged Pacific Northwest wilderness as her playground. Keen for adventure, a move to the East Coast was inevitable; her journey began at St. Lawrence University, where her academic pursuits were as encompassing as the liberal arts could get: Environmental Science, Geology, African Studies, Outdoor Leadership, Community Resilience, and GIS.

Many hats were worn during her undergraduate years, including off-campus study in Kenya and the Adirondacks (living off-grid in yurts!), writing crossword puzzles for the student newspaper, and captaining the volleyball team for two years. Being a DIII athlete provided lasting friendships, a healthy dose of competition, and an enduring relationship with Google Calendar that she will carry with her for a lifetime.

As a product of the liberal arts, Berit is thrilled to join the Bates community, eager to share with others the limitless potential a diverse curriculum and student body provides. Having worked in her undergraduate admission office as an Admission Ambassador, Berit’s decision to pursue an Admission Counselor role became clear when reflecting on her core values: advancing educational equity, cultivating community, and staying in higher education for as long as possible.

Beyond her role at Bates, she balances her time by continuing her outdoor pursuits — skiing (resort & backcountry), kiteboarding, mountain biking, and basking in the sun with a good turkey sandwich. Her mantra, “No good weekend is complete without pancakes,” is fueling her exploration of the Maine landscape as her new backyard, where aspirational hobbies thrive. Be sure to check in with Berit and ask her how gravel biking, ultra-marathoning, kayaking in Acadia, blueberry jam-making, lino printing, sewing, oyster eating, sweater-knitting, and latte-art perfecting are coming along.