Commencement 2027

The 157th Bates Commencement saw degrees conferred on 439 Bates seniors and an address by author and scholar J. Drew Lanham — a self-described “bird-loving Black kid” from South Carolina — who spoke about freedom and Benjamin Mays, and called on the graduates “to be better, to do better” and “to be an arc in the bigger circle” that gives power to our freedom.

The Class of 2023 ivy stone was designed by Abby Segal, who is a professional magician. But there’s no dazzling illusion in the design, just simple storytelling about a class navigating COVID.

This year’s Senior Address at Commencement will be offered by Rishi Madnani ‘23 of Langhorne, Pa., who came to Bates with two major expectations about his path forward. And both were upended.