Regional Networks
The Bates Regional Networks supports dynamic programming for Bates alumni and parents across the country. Networks offer a variety of events throughout the year to help participants meet, connect, and learn from one another on a personal and professional level.
Still have questions? Please contact us at alumni@bates.edu.
Find a Regional Network:
*Don’t see your region? Contact us about hosting an event in your region at alumni@bates.edu
City/ Region | Contact | Connect on Facebook |
---|---|---|
Bay Area | Stephanie Dumont | Bay Area Alumni Group |
Boston | Co-Chairs: Alexander Martin ’08 & Val Jarvis ’13 | Boston Bates Business Network |
Chicago | Tracy Peacock ’94, P’24, P’26 | |
DC | Liza Danello ’14 | DC Bates Alumni Group |
Denver | Leah Elsmore ’12 | Denver Area Bates Network |
Hartford | James Dowling-Healey ’12 | |
LA | Stephanie Dumont | Bates Alumni of Los Angeles Group NESCAC in Los Angeles Group |
NYC Area | Stephanie Dumont | New York Area Business Network |
Portland (Maine) | Shelly Davgun ’06, Katie Hawkins ’05 | Portland Bates Network Group |
Seattle | Meredith LaChapelle |
Upcoming Regional Events:
There are no upcoming events.
Past Regional Events
2023 Bates at the Washington Nationals
Gather with Bates Friends at the last 2023 home game of the Washington Nationals.
Bates at the New York Yankees
Annual Bates gathering at the New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox Game Contact Stephanie Dumont at 207-786-8370 with any questions.
Bates at the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue JaysPre-game reception- 21 years and over only 5-7 pm House of Blues15 Lansdowne StBoston First pitch: 7:15 pmRight Field…
2023 Bates Summer Intern and Alumni in NYC Gathering
Bates Alumni and NYC Bates Network Steering Committee members Michelle Pham ’15, Graeme Welds ’15, and Chialin Yu ’18 invite you to a gathering for…
Bates at the San Francisco Giants
Gather with local Bay area alumni, parents, and friends for an evening at Oracle Park.
Boston Bates Network : A Discussion About Climate, Sustainability and Social Impact
Gather in the Seaport with outher Boston area alumni, parents, and friends for a talk about Sustainability in the MA area.
Author Talk — John Jenkins: Mayor of Maine
Author Dr. Chuck Radis ’75 will discuss and sign his newly released biography John Jenkins: Mayor of Maine, at Print: A Bookstore in Portland, Maine,…
DC Bates Network | Sustainable Systems: “How does Environmental Sustainability Interact With Social Sustainability?”
In 2019, the Bates Sustainability Roadmap was introduced to guide Bates’ sustainability efforts from the present moment through 2030, with the goal of achieving a net positive…
2023 Bates at the Golden State Warriors
Attend a Golden State Warriors game with Bay Area Bobcats!
2023 Bates at the LA Clippers
Annual Pregame dinner at El Cholo Downtown, followed by the Clippers game.
Beer, Bread, & BBQ: NYC Bates Alumni on Entrepreneurship and the Food and Beverage Industry
NYC Bates Alumni and Parents! Join us at the New York Athletic Club for a panel discussion about entrepreneurship and food and beverage industry in the city!
2023 Bates at the Boston Bruins
Join Bates at our annual Boston Bruins game in Boston! Cheer the team on in their chase for the Stanley Cup!
Bates in Chicago
Connect with familiar and new Bates friends at Chicago’s Big Mini Putt Club. Enjoy a night out on the town with some pizza, drinks, and…
Bates in Bend
Connect with familiar and new Bates friends at Bend’s Worthy Brewing. Take a private tour of the Hopservatory, reserved just for our group, weather permitting.…
Bates in Portland, OR
Oregonian Bobcats! We are excited to be together at The Nines Hotel. Join us and connect with familiar and new Bates friends and families. Registration…
Bates at the Maine Mariners
Join fellow Bobcats to watch the Mariners take the ice against the Trois-Rivieres Lions. The Ice Level Lounge will open ahead of the game to pre-registered…
Bates in Denver
Connect with familiar and new Bates friends at Denver’s Punch Bowl Social. Enjoy some drinks, snacks, bowling, giant jenga, and bonzini in the Holiday Lodge,…
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival is the largest and most prestigious mountain festival in the world. Hot on the heels of the festival held…
Bates Gathering in Philadelphia
Please join fellow Bates Bobcats and community members in Philadelphia for a casual reception at Elbow Lane is Harp & Crown’s basement bar and bowling…
Bates in Charlotte
Please join fellow Bates alumni and community members for a casual reception in Charlotte to hear a campus update from Allen Delong, Senior Associate Dean…
Holiday Gathering in Boston
Though the holiday season can be busy, we hope you’ll pencil in our Boston-based gathering with alumni and parents at the House of Blues! We’ll…
Holiday Party and Trivia in DC
Take a break from work and the holiday rush to join fellow alumni and parents in DC for a holiday gathering and trivia night at…
Bates in Atlanta
Kick off your holiday celebrations with fellow Bates alumni and parents at the Hudson Grille Little Five Points. We haven’t had a gathering in Atlanta…
2022 Bates Alumni at the Washington Nationals
Come to the ballpark with other alumni and friends to see the Nationals play the Marlins for a late September late afternoon game. Saturday, Sept…
Regional Alumni Networks and Regional Volunteer Guide
* View the Guide in a downloadable PDF
PURPOSE
Bates Alumni should feel connected to Bates and to one another wherever they are. Regional Networks are planning committees of alumni volunteers who work together with the Bates Office of Alumni Engagement to foster the local Bates community in regions throughout the U.S.
Bates Alumni Regional Networks support dynamic programming for Bates alumni, parents, students, and friends across the country. Networks offer a variety of events throughout the year to help participants meet, connect, and learn from one another on a personal and professional level.
In providing enhanced personal and professional connections, as well as opportunities for lifelong learning, regional networks allow for increased alumni volunteerism and support of the college.
EXPECTATIONS OF REGIONAL NETWORKS & REGIONAL VOLUNTEERS
Membership
All members of the Bates community are welcome to join. Regional Network Committee members are self-selecting and take on different organizational roles. Members are expected to take on the responsibilities as outlined in the Regional Volunteer Responsibilities section of this guide.
Committee Leadership
Each Bates Regional Network will have a Committee Chair for a recommended term of 3 years. The Chair should be prepared to organize and schedule network meetings, prepare meeting agendas, and act as the main liaison with Bates Office of Alumni Engagement staff. It is highly recommended to appoint a co-chair to share responsibility.
Regional Volunteer Responsibilities
- Attend Regional Network meetings
- Volunteer as “Event Lead” for regional events, as your personal schedule allows
- Event Leads shape programming, liaise with the Bates staff to assist with logistical decisions such as venue selection, and act as a point of contact with speakers, venues, etc.
- Volunteer as “Event Promoter”: share events on social media, and via personal email and outreach
- Volunteer for “Day-of” event roles (e.g. greeting speakers/guests, handing out name tags, etc)
- Attend Regional Events throughout the year
- Encourage members of your personal and professional networks, particularly those who are fellow Bates alumni, to attend events
- Promote events on social media, and via personal email and outreach
- Recruit Bates contacts to join Regional Network
MEETING LOGISTICS & SCHEDULE
Pre-planning and idea generation are important responsibilities for the Regional Networks. Groups should aim to meet frequently in order to share ideas and to stay abreast of college-sponsored activities within the region.
Frequency: Recommend meeting 3-4 times per year, with additional conference calls and meetings as needed in order to plan events and programs.
Location: For in-person meetings, members will take turns hosting at member offices, or, a public location as determined by the committee. Conference calls will be conducted via Zoom meeting.
Agenda: An agenda will be circulated prior to the meeting. Meeting minutes will be taken by a member of the volunteer committee and circulated within one week of the meeting.
REGIONAL EVENT GUIDELINES
Bates Networks should take into consideration the following guiding principles when planning regional programming.
Event “Levels”
There are three “levels” of regional alumni events:
- Level 1 – Bates sponsors and organizes the event, provides staff, and Alumni Engagement staff will promote the event via email and social media channels.
- Level 2 – Bates provides some of the event budgets but may not be able to provide event staffing. Alumni Engagement staff will promote the event via email and social media channels.
- Level 3 – Bates does not provide a budget or staff attendance but will provide other resources such as contact lists for invitees, RSVP pages, and promotion of the event via email and social media channels.
Following Level 2 & Level 3 events, regional volunteers should send attendee lists and photos to their staff liaison. Bates staff will share photos on Bates alumni social media channels.
Event Planning
- 1-2 volunteers will act as “Event Leads” for each event. Event Leads will liaise with the Bates staff to shape programming, coordinate logistical decisions such as venue selection, and act as a point of contact with speakers, venues, etc.
- Larger events will have a “Host Committee” of selected alumni from a broad range of constituencies to help with outreach to potential attendees. The primary responsibility of Host Committee members is to contact Bates alumni and encourage them to attend the event.
Best Practices
- Start publicizing the event at least six weeks before; this will give you time to finalize logistics and enough time to promote the event.
- Charging For Events — It is no longer fiscally possible or responsible for the college to completely underwrite the costs for alumni events. As we consider charging alumni for events, here are some things to think about: Is there an alum or parent who is willing to underwrite some of the event costs as a donation to the college, allowing for reduced fees for guests?
- Data indicates that guests take their responsibility to follow through on attending an event more seriously if they have paid to attend. It is a good strategy to use to avoid attrition.
- The more value an activity offers for money, the less likely will the cost be seen as a deterrent.
- Do not pay out of pocket for anything or sign contracts on behalf of the college. Request an invoice and contract in writing and put Bates Alumni Staff in contact with service providers for payments
- Things to consider when choosing a date:
- Day of the week
- National, Regional, and Religious Holidays
- Bates College Calendar of Events
- Local school calendar (vacations and holidays)
- Things to consider when choosing a location:
- Is it easy to travel to (especially by public transportation)? Is there parking?
- Are the entrance & bathrooms wheelchair accessible?
- Is the location an inclusive space?
- Is there a dress code? Include this information via invitation and promotions.
- Does the menu accommodate vegetarian/vegan/ gluten-free, etc. diets?
- Once an event/program is completed, work with Bates College staff on options for post-event surveys so that you can get feedback from attendees.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO REGIONAL NETWORKS
The Office of Alumni Engagement is committed to serving regional groups and the volunteers who make regional activities possible. Staff liaisons are available to provide information, assistance, and guidance including:
- Coordinating Regional Network meetings.
- Providing confidential lists of Bates community members and contact information.
- Creating and managing online registrations for events.
- Designing digital content to promote events.
- Producing nametags and attendee lists for events.
- Designing, editing, and coordinating regional event emails and post-event surveys.
Regional Events: https://www.bates.edu/alumni/all-events/
GETTING STARTED
- Have an idea of what type of event/program you would like to host.
- Reach out to the Bates Staff contact assigned to your region (see below).
- Learn from the success of other regions!
Sample of Annual Regional Programming — D.C. Network
The D.C. Network is an established regional network and a great example of building community. There are typically 3-4 events in D.C. each year – the target audience knows what to expect.
- Fall: Welcome to the City (focus on young alums)
- Late Fall/early Spring: Panel discussion (with visitors from campus or local alumni)
- Spring: Trivia Night
- Summer: National Game
- Summer/Fall: Outdoor Hike
REGIONAL BATES STAFF CONTACTS
Stephanie Dumont, Associate Director of Alumni Engagement, sdumont@bates.edu
Bay Area Bates Network
Boston Business Network
D.C. Bates Network
Los Angeles Bates Network
NYC Bates Network
Meredith LaChapelle, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, mlachapelle@bates.edu
Chicago Bates Network
Denver Bates Network
Hartford Bates Network
Portland (Maine) Bates Network
Seattle Bates Network
If you would like to start an Alumni Network in your region, contact Stephanie Dumont at sdumont@bates.edu.