• President, Jen Crawford ’01
• Vice President, Tahsin I. Alam ’04
• Secretary, Pamela Batchelder Johnson ’91
• Treasurer, Susan Peillet Yule ’78
• Past President, Henry T. Geng ’13
• Staff Liaison, Justin Fortier, Associate Director of Alumni Engagement
• Advisor, Marianne Cowan ’92, Associate Dean for Academic Integration and Curricular Design / Visiting Lecturer in the Humanities, Bates Center for Purposeful Work

Welcome to our new College Key members.

We warmly welcome our 45 new members who joined in 2026. The College Key formed in 1992 through the merger of the College Club, founded in 1891, and the Bates Key, established in 1936. 

The purpose of the College Key is to recognize outstanding Bates alumni(ae); encourage and recognize student academic and extracurricular achievement; support academics, student life, and campus improvement; provide student aid, including scholarships and other kinds of financial assistance; and contribute to the general welfare of the College. The College Key is a 501(c)(3) organization. 

This year, we continued this tradition by inviting 20 new alumni(ae) and 25 members of the Class of 2026 into the college Key.

Current juniors and members of the graduating class can be nominated by Bates faculty and staff. The college welcomed inductees from the Class of 2026 as part of their Commencement Weekend celebrations on May 29, 2026.

Fellow alumni, staff, and faculty can nominate alumni through the College Key’s online nominations form. The College Key Executive Committee considers alumni nominees based on their continued service to the college, leadership in the community, success in a chosen field, and character. Alumni inductees were welcomed during the College Key Annual Meeting on June 12, 2026.

Evelyn K. Dillon Award 

Funds given by the College Key provide two annual awards, one to a woman in field hockey and one to a woman in basketball. These awards recognize superior athleticism, leadership and dedication, and overall contributions to each respective sport, to be administered by the Athletics Department.

The 2025 recipients are Haley D. ’27 (field hockey) and Alexandra L. ’25 (basketball). 

Alexandra L. ’25, from Newtown, Pa., graduated from Bates with a major in mathematics. In 2024-2025, she served as team captain and earned Second Team All-NESCAC honors. As a senior, Alexandra started all 27 games for the Bobcats and averaged 34 minutes per game, 9.9 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game, and 3.8 assists. 

Haley D. ’27 is from West Newbury, Mass., and is a junior majoring in sociology and minoring in mathematics. She is team captain and was named to the NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad and the NESCAC Fall All-Academic selection. In 2025, she started all 21 games as a defender. 

We are exceedingly proud of both Haley and Alexandra. Thank you for the opportunity to recognize their athleticism, leadership, dedication, and contributions to the college. 

College Key Leigh P. Campbell ‘64 Scholarship Fund

Provides financial aid for a student or students who demonstrate loyalty, campus leadership, and potential for future service to Bates College, with preference for a student member of the College Key or a child of a College Key member. This fund was renamed in honor of Leigh Campbell ’64, a late College Key member, former director of financial aid, and recipient of the 2016 Helen A. Papaioanou ’49 Distinguished Alumni Service Award, one of the college’s most prestigious honors.

We are pleased to recognize Marcus D. ‘27 for embracing the full breadth of the Bates experience with dedication, curiosity, and enthusiasm. Recruited by Coach Coyne to play football, Marcus has successfully balanced the demands of collegiate athletics with a strong commitment to academics. Beyond the field and classroom, Marcus has built meaningful relationships with peers and faculty and has become an engaged member of the Office of Intercultural Education community.

Marcus also exemplifies a deep commitment to inclusion, diversity, and social justice. They value the diversity of perspectives at Bates and approaches differences in background, ideology, and experience with openness and respect. Most importantly, he is inspired by those who advocate for others and demonstrate a commitment to ensuring every voice is heard. These qualities—leadership, empathy, intellectual curiosity, and dedication—make Marcus highly deserving of this recognition.

The College Key Music Award

Given by the College Key to provide one or more annual music awards to the man or woman in the senior class whose services to musical organizations at the college have been the most outstanding.

In 2025, the College Key Music Award was given to Ines K. ’25 of Larchmont, N.Y. Ines graduated from Bates with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. At Bates, she was a member of the Musicians Union and the Small Ensembles Club, where she played cello. At the 2025 Mount David Summit, Ines presented research on her project titled “Silent Struggles: Needs Assessment for Affected Others of Substance Use Disorders in Androscoggin County.” Susan Langdon, visiting assistant professor of psychology, supervised her. 

The Mabel Eaton Bates Key Scholarship Fund 

Given by members of the Bates Key in honor of Mabel Eaton ‘10, founder of the Bates Key, who was the college’s librarian from 1921 to 1957. For an undergraduate student who works in the George and Helen Ladd Library. Added to by the College Key.

Hear directly from Bibimaryam Safi ’28 from Lewiston, Maine, currently undeclared. “I am passionate about education, especially education for women. I believe that when a woman is educated, she educates her family, and that family becomes the foundation of a stronger society. My passion comes from knowing Afghan girls back home dream of having the chance I have to hold a book, write with a pen, and learn freely. I carry their hopes with me, and that motivates me to make the most of my opportunities and to advocate for education as a right for all, not a privilege for some. Thank you for all the effort you put into helping students. I truly appreciate the opportunities this support makes possible.” 

• Annual membership is on a calendar fiscal year (January 1st – December 31st).  

• State of Maine annual report and IRS 990-N are filed and up to date. 

• All financial information for Bates College Key, a 501 (c)(3) organization, is stored in Little Green Light, our CRM database. 

• Per the Treasurer’s 2025 Fiscal Year report submitted at the June 2026 Annual Meeting, total income for the fiscal year ending 12/31/25, as shown in the Treasurer’s Report, was confirmed at $19,561.95. While contributions vary from year to year, this achievement is significant; Alumni gifts enable the College Key to support Bates students/programs. In 2025, we distributed $12,2000.00 to the Purposeful Work/Internship Travel, College Key Scholarship, Music Award, Mabel Eaton Scholarship Award, and Music Award programs. Our operating expenses were $1,136.60. The net surplus for the year was $6,225.35.

As we head into the final weeks of 2026, we continue planning for the rest of this academic year and distributing meaningful funds from the College Key. As an active member of the College Key, you continue to help Bates students through your annual member dues of $30.00. You can now submit dues/gifts through our online link or by regular mail. On behalf of the Bates Community, a sincere “thank you” for making these responses to the immediate needs of Bates students possible. If you are unsure whether your College Key membership dues are current, feel free to contact me. Please help a Bates student and keep your membership active! 

Sincerely,

Susan Peillet Yule ’78
Treasurer, The College Key

The College Key disbursement policy aims to ensure the College Key has the stability to continue grantmaking even through a zero-income year. The College Key adopted the following policy regarding judicious use of and retention of financial reserves through two simultaneous actions:

• The College Key should endeavor to keep its total financial reserves at a minimum of $10,000 at all times.
• The College Key should endeavor to spend down to $10,000 in reserves by the end of each grantmaking cycle each year.
• Therefore, by spending down to $10,000 each year, the Key can maximize its impact on Bates College by channeling as much of its member dues and gifts to Bates as possible while also ensuring its financial stability on a year-to-year basis.
• As a general guideline, The College Key will ask for requests from the college and disperse funds twice a year – Fall/Spring.

At the 2026 Annual Meeting during Reunion Weekend, The College Key was delighted to honor Deborah “Debbie” Obptande with its Distinguished Service Award, celebrating her extraordinary 31 years of service to Bates College and the countless students, families, and colleagues whose lives she touched.

Over more than three decades, Debbie played an essential role in the evolution of Bates Admission. She began her career when applications arrived by mail, and much of the work was done on paper and over the phone. As technology transformed higher education, Debbie helped Bates embrace that change, leading efforts to develop the college’s website, create an electronic admission application, implement the Slate customer relationship management system, and build processes that made the admission experience better and more seamless for students, families, and colleagues.

But Debbie’s greatest legacy may be found not in the systems she built, but in the people she supported.

Colleagues consistently spoke of her expertise, determination, patience, and extraordinary attention to detail. They knew they could turn to Debbie when they needed to solve a problem, answer a question, or get a helping hand. She cared deeply about getting things right because she understood that behind every application was a student and family entrusting Bates with an important part of their future.

Just as often, however, colleagues spoke about Debbie’s warmth and kindness. She treated everyone with respect, regardless of position or tenure, and generously shared her time, knowledge, and encouragement. She also brought plenty of personality to the workplace—from her famously delicious homemade baked goods to morning conversations about family, travel, and life that became cherished parts of the workday.

Debbie’s impact is perhaps best captured by what colleagues say even now. When a difficult question arises, or a challenge needs solving, someone will inevitably ask, “How would Debbie do it?” or say, “Debbie would know.”

That enduring sentiment is a remarkable testament to the respect she earned and the difference she made.

The College Key is honored to celebrate Debbie’s 31 years of distinguished service and her lasting contributions to Bates. Her expertise helped strengthen the institution, her generosity helped countless colleagues grow, and her kindness made Bates a better place. Most of all, her work helped open the door to Bates for generations of students.

The College Key congratulates Debbie on this richly deserved honor and sincerely thanks her for an extraordinary career and all she has given to Bates.

From Bates Biology Major to Broadway and Hollywood: John Carrafa ’76 Shares His Journey

How does a biology degree from Bates connect to Broadway, Hollywood, and working alongside some of the biggest names in entertainment? As it turns out, quite a lot.

On April 9, the College Key welcomed John Carrafa ’76 as its 2026 Distinguished Alumnus in Residence for a virtual conversation about his extraordinary career and the Bates experiences that helped shape it.

A two-time Tony Award nominee and Emmy-nominated choreographer and director, John has spent decades bringing stories to life through movement. His work spans Broadway productions including Urinetown and Into the Woods, and film and television projects such as Only Murders in the Building, The Gilded Age, The Penguin, and A Complete Unknown. Along the way, he has worked with celebrated performers including Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, and Anne Hathaway.

But perhaps the most interesting part of John’s story isn’t the impressive list of credits. It’s how he got there.

John arrived at Bates to study biology, not to pursue a career in the performing arts. Through the college’s dance program and the mentorship of legendary faculty member Marcy Plavin, he discovered a passion that would ultimately change the course of his life. Equally important, he credits the intellectual curiosity, research skills, and breadth of perspective encouraged at Bates with influencing the way he approaches his creative work today.

His conversation offered a compelling reminder that the value of a liberal arts education isn’t necessarily in preparing students for one particular career. It’s in giving them the confidence, curiosity, and flexibility to pursue opportunities they may never have imagined when they first arrived on campus.

John’s story also captures what makes the College Key’s Distinguished Alumni in Residence Program so valuable. Established in 2003, the program connects accomplished Bates graduates with today’s students and faculty, creating opportunities for candid conversations about careers, professional challenges, and the unexpected paths that often lead to meaningful work.

The College Key is proud to support experiences like these, made possible through the generosity and commitment of its members. Bringing alumni back into the Bates community to share what they’ve learned is one of the many ways we can invest in the next generation.

We’re grateful to John for sharing his remarkable journey and reminding us that a Bates education can take you in directions you never expected—and sometimes that’s the best part.

Watch the conversation with John Carrafa ’76

Each year, the College Key is honored to highlight the achievements and contributions of Bates community members.  Programs such as the Distinguished Alumni in Residence (DAIR) are among our primary vehicles for alumni engagement and recognition. The College Key established DAIR in 2003 to bring an alum of note to campus to interact with students and faculty.  DAIR speakers usually give lectures, attend classes, and meet with students individually and in group sessions to share their career experiences. 

Additionally, the Distinguished Service Award is given in recognition of the dedication and excellence offered to the college by truly distinguished members of the faculty and staff. This award is typically given to a member of the faculty or staff who is concluding their remarkable service to the college through retirement. The College Key has presented the Distinguished Service Award annually during Reunion Weekend since 1993. 

We invite College Key members to nominate Bates alumni and faculty members whose work and service you feel should be highlighted to the larger Bates community.  Please contact the College Key Executive Committee if you have ideas for individuals deserving of these honors.

Finally, we are looking for a Key member to fill the role of Treasurer as Susan Yule rolls off at the end of this academic year. Please reach out to us at thecollegekey@gmail.com if you or someone you know is interested in serving as a member of the College Key Executive Committee!