Bates Person Name Style

The goal of including alumni and/or parent class years to a person’s name in Bates communications is to communicate this affiliation with the college — when it is necessary.

Alumni

In all Bates communications, include the class year for an alumnus or alumna, using smart (curly) quotes. The apostrophe should look like this: John Doe ’76.

Include an alumna’s college and married name in communications to help convey the person’s identity:

  • Marie Fairbanks Fernandez ’62 is coming to Reunion. (Rather than Marie Fernandez ’62.)

To avoid confusion between current class years and those of the early 20th century and late 19th century, use one of these constructions:

  • Joseph Smith, Class of 1912, was a chemist.
  • Joseph Smith was a chemist.

When referring to spouses who are both alumni:

  • Milton L. Lindholm ’35 and Jane Ault Lindholm ’37 (preferred)
  • Milton L. ’35 and Jane Ault Lindholm ’37 attended Reunion (OK).
  • Milton L. and Jane Ault Lindholm ’35, ’37 attended Reunion (OK).

When referring to both spouses and only one is an alumnus or alumna:

  • Jane Smiley Smith ’65 and Joe Smith enjoyed Reunion.
  • John Jones and Jane Jones ’65 enjoyed Reunion.
  • John and Jane Emerson Jones ’65 enjoyed Reunion.

Parents

A person’s P designation is included in lists, rosters, invitations, citations, awards and plaques. A person’s P designation is included in News or Bates Magazine stories when it is relevant to the story.

Parent designations carry the P’XX designation (no space between P and class year) or GP’XX (grandparent) designation.

When referring to both spouses who are Bates parents and when the woman has taken the husband’s name, use this construction:

  • Jane A. and Erik C. Smith P’03

When a parent has more than one Bates child, begin with the oldest child’s class year and add more recent class years, separated by comma and a space.

  • Jane S. Smith P’00, P’02 is loyal to Bates, and is friends with Steve Smith GP’01.

Alumni Who Are Parents

When a person is both an alumnus/a and a Bates parent, include the P designation only when it is important/relevant to show the person’s dual commitment/relationship to the college. (Often is the case with fundraising or volunteer news.) Add the parent designation after alumni class year, separated by a comma and a space, with no comma after the final P designation:

  • Chair of the Board of Trustees Mike Bonney ’80, P’09, P’12 announced the multi-donor Catalyst Fund pledge to a crowd in Chase Hall.

When both spouses are Bates parents, the man is an alumnus and the woman uses her husband’s name, use this construction, placing the alumnus first and P designations last:

  • Robert ’79 and Molly Curtis P’13, P’14 attended Reunion.

When both parents are alumni, use this construction, placing the man first:

  • Victor ’83 and Liz Smith Ortiz ’85, P’14 attended Reunion.

Students

Use class years for students, rather than sophomore, junior, etc.

  • Jane Fernandez ’14 is an All-America selection in field hockey.

Honorary

Place a space between the honorary degree abbreviation and the year:

  • Catharine R. Stimpson, LL.D. ’90

Honorary goes after undergraduate degree:

  • Philip M. Isaacson ’47,  L.H.D. ’97

Parent status goes after honorary:

  • E. Robert Kinney ’39, LL.D. ’85, P’70

In a sentence, no comma after degree:

  • Catharine Stimpson, LL.D. ’90 supported the committee.