{"id":6940,"date":"2016-01-20T12:45:58","date_gmt":"2016-01-20T17:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/admission\/?page_id=6940"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:56:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T22:56:12","slug":"outcomes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/admission\/explore-bates\/outcomes\/","title":{"rendered":"Purposeful Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After four years of exploration, reflection, and collaboration, Bates graduates students know how to align who they are with what they do in order to engage in lives of meaningful work. Whether they pursue opportunities in the arts, business, education, government, healthcare, social services, or other industries, they know what it takes to translate their strengths, passions, and interests to improve the world around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Aydan
Aydan Gedeon-Hope \u201926 had a Purposeful Work internship at MLS Next Pro league offices in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Aasya
Aasya Patel \u201926 had a Purposeful Work internship with Wolfe Research in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hannah
Hannah Burdick \u201925 had a Bates-funded environmental internship on the West Coast with Ocean Rainforest. (Courtesy Ocean Rainforest)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Center for Purposeful Work<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Purposeful Work is a uniquely Bates approach to preparing students for life as conscientious global citizens. Through a four-year developmental arc, we support students as they explore what purposeful work looks like in the classroom, on their athletic teams, while they study abroad, or through their community engagement activities. We encourage individual exploration, support critical thinking, and foster community, thereby graduating students who are ready and prepared to engage with meaningful work in all its varied forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Purposeful Work at Bates<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Job Shadows & Internships<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With alumni who are committed to giving back and supporting fellow Bobcats, Purposeful Work leans into the power of the Bates network. Hundreds of alumni support Purposeful Work annually by participating in our job shadow program, offering paid employer partner internships, donating to our competitive internship funding pool, recruiting for internship and full-time roles, and sharing industry wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Job Shadow Program<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internship Program & Competitive Funding <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graduation Outcomes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With every major at Bates requiring the completion of a senior thesis or a senior capstone experience, students graduate with a strong academic foundation in their chosen disciplines as well as essential skills developed through exposure to the liberal arts curriculum \u2013 critical thinking, analysis and argumentation, collaboration and communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the last five years, 94% of Bates graduates are settled into their next opportunity<\/em> (from 2020 through 2024). Learn more about our most recent graduates<\/a> \u2013 what they are doing, where they are going, and how they are engaging in purposeful work post-Bates. From domestic to global opportunities, Bates graduates find success across a wide range of industries. And whether they choose to pursue advanced studies immediately after graduation or several years out, they boast high acceptance rates to top graduate programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research graduate school support<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n