We are proud to support students at Bates, but we can’t do it without you!
Please take a moment now to pay your 2019 dues online at College Key Dues. If you wish to mail a check, fill out this same form, print it, and mail with your check to:

Carol P. Spencer
The College Key
126 Brazos Drive
Cedar Creek, TX 78612

The Executive Committee thanks you for your continued support of the College Key.

College Key Leigh P. Campbell ‘64 Scholarship Fund: $273,710.18 “…a student or students who demonstrate loyalty, campus leadership, and potential for future service to Bates College, with a preference for a student member of the College Key or a child of a College Key member.”

The Mabel Eaton Bates Key Scholarship Fund: $121,122.79 “…an undergraduate student who works in the …Ladd Library.”

The College Key Music Award: $5,900.48 “…one or more annual music awards to the man or woman in the senior class whose services to musical organizations at the College has been the most Outstanding.”

Evelyn K. Dillon Award: $2,325.29“…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.”

• All state and federal required filings are up to date.
• State of ME annual report and IRS 990-N were filed on time for 2015-2019.
• Membership is on a calendar fiscal year.
• All financial information is in QuickBooks.
• Total income in 2018 was $22,441.77, a return to more normal income numbers after a 2016 drop.
• Total donations to our various projects in 2018 were $14,500. In early 2019, the Key donated an additional $6,500 to Purposeful Work and the Senior Gift Match. We basically donated all our 2018 dues income to Bates student programs over the college’s fiscal year 2018-2019.
• Dues and donations of $6,210 have come in so far in 2019.
• As of September 30, 2019, the College Key “cash on hand” was $26,634.90.

We are so grateful for your support. But, please, don’t put this call for dues aside. If you’re like me, once something is set aside, you often forget to go back to it. Distractible! We know the students that receive our support are exceptionally grateful. Thank you!

Carol A (Prochazka) Spencer ‘74
Treasurer, The College Key

The Executive Committee has adopted the following goals for its work during the 2019-2020 academic year:

• Continue to improve virtual channels of engagement and digital member experience.
• Increase dues submissions and improve dues submission processes.
• Improve communication with membership around College Key’s impact.
• Review and revise, if necessary, the scholarships and awards given annually by the College Key.

We welcome input from members as to how we can improve our organization and our service to the college. Please contact a member of the executive committee with your comments and ideas.

Survey Engagement Insights:

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• President, Karen Finocchio Lubeck ’92
• Vice President, Henry Geng ’13
• Secretary, Flora Chan ’11
• Treasurer, Carol Prochazka Spencer ’74
• Staff Liaison, Meredith LaChapelle, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement
• Advisor, Marianne Nolan Cowan ’92, Associate Director, Bates Center for Purposeful Work

Welcome Hank!

At our annual meeting in June 2018, the Key voted to approve the appointment of Hank Geng ‘13 as vice president. Hank hails from Queens, New York and, as a student, he majored in environmental studies with a focus in economics. Since Bates, Hank has pursued a career in nonprofit fundraising, holding positions at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston University. He currently resides in Boston and is pursuing a master’s in business administration at the Boston University Questrom School of Business.

Welcome Chris Burns, Auditor

We would like to welcome Chris Burns ‘83 as auditor to the College Key. Based in southern California, Chris is the CFO at E.B. Bradley Co. and active with the Bates College Alumni-in-Admissions program as well as the College Key. We are thrilled to have his experience and enthusiasm as part of our team. Excited to have you on board.

On June 7, 2019, Professor Emeritus of Psychology John E. Kelsey was presented the College Key Distinguished Service Award at the annual meeting of the College Key at Reunion.

John Kelsey arrived at Bates in 1979, where he joined a fledgling psychology department as the only biological psychologist. For over 30 years, he taught hundreds of students and built a research program that advanced knowledge in areas related to the neuroscience of psychopharmacology, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia. John’s legendary teaching skills and his exceptional scholarly work have impacted the world well beyond the boundaries of Bates. He has authored or co-authored dozens of research articles, many with Bates students, helping prepare them for careers in research and medicine. He has also masterfully mentored many colleagues over the years who, in turn, have made their own significant contributions to neuroscience. In addition to his role as chair of the neuroscience department, John has served the Bates community in multiple roles including Personnel committee member, an adjunct reader for the Office of Admission, and a volunteer for various search committees.

With a polite raise of the hand, John has shared his considerable wisdom on curriculum, hiring, research, and disciplinary issues over decades at the College. His genuineness and kindness continue to touch the Bates community to this day.

When reflecting upon John’s impact, one fellow Batesie, Class of ‘92er, and dear friend—Lisa Genova— topped the list. Shortly after my Bates graduation, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a battle she valiantly fought for 20 years. During my Alzheimer’s path, Lisa completed her PhD in neuroscience from Harvard and wrote the novel Still Alice. While I personally never had the pleasure of being John’s student, through his influence on Lisa and her remarkable novel, he has helped spread global awareness of a disease that has greatly impacted my life and is far too often hidden. When asked her thoughts about John, Lisa shared these words:

“There are people in everyone’s life who make a profound impact, who guide, inspire, shape, and even steer the direction a life takes. John Kelsey is one of a handful who have had this kind of influence in my life. I’ve often wondered whether I’d be a neuroscientist—and then a novelist, speaker, advocate, and all that evolved from that—if John hadn’t been my teacher and advisor. My crystal ball intuition tells me No. What if John had been a sales rep for Pepsi instead of a brilliant professor? I’d probably be a biochemist or a geneticist or a physician. I don’t think I’d be a lawyer or a Wall Street trader, but I’m convinced my life would look a lot different.
My love of neuroscience began with John. And it’s more than an introduction to the subject that drew me in. It was John. He’s the best teacher I had at Bates—and I had a lot of truly great teachers there. He was a phenomenal lecturer and demanded a lot of his students. He encouraged us to be critical and independent thinkers, to be curious, to take risks, to work hard, to care. My life as a neuroscientist began in the classroom and lab with John. He gave me the knowledge, the tools, the encouragement, and the freedom to go after and live my life’s passion. I’m forever grateful to you, John. Congratulations and so much love.” – Lisa Genova, Ph.D.

The College Key is honored to recognize John E. Kelsey with the 2019 Distinguished Service Award for over forty years of dedication and excellence to the College.

Each spring, our Undergraduate Committee calls on faculty and staff colleagues to nominate seniors and juniors for College Key membership. The Undergraduate Committee is comprised of Marianne Nolan Cowan ’92, Molly Newton ’11, James Reese, and Carly Hopkins. This year, we inducted 27 students into the Key, all from the Class of 2019. They contributed to Bates in countless ways, from athletics and volunteering in the community to being leaders in student life on campus. Bates is lucky to have such talented, engaged students, and the College Key is even more fortunate to have them in our midst. Congratulations and welcome to all new members!

The Bates College Key welcomed 20 new alumni members on Friday, June 7, 2019 at the Annual Meeting. The alumni nomination committee comprises four Key members: Jerry Donahoe ’82, Gretchen Shorter Davis ’61, Teddy Rube ’16, and Flora Chan ’11. In our selection process, we based the nomination on four areas of assessment: service to the college, leadership in the community, success in chosen field, and character. We received nominations from alumni, staff, and faculty through our online nominations form.

The 2019 alumni inductees are: 

Did you know? The College Key Coat Fund is generously and lovingly supplemented each year by handknit hats and scarves donated by several Key members and other Batesies! This great idea came from Sarah Daniels ’77.

Are you a knitter who’d like to contribute? You can send hats and scarves to Marianne Nolan Cowan ’92 at the Bates Center for Purposeful Work, 146 Wood Street, Lewiston, ME 04240.

Heartfelt thanks to recent knitters Sarah Daniels, Pam Baker ‘70, Sue Curtis ’63, and  Ronnie Harrold ’59!

Please share our social media pages with your Bates friends and encourage them to join the conversation. The more Key members, the merrier!