Meet the Coordinators

AESOP is student-led with support from the Office of Campus Life. We are free to explore new trip ideas and keep the program fresh and student-focused! We love our school and we love what we do: a wonderful combination that allows us to infuse our own joy about AESOP, Bates, Maine, and Lewiston into the beginning of your four years here.

We are dedicated to making this the best AESOP possible! We work steadily throughout the school year to prepare for the upcoming AESOP program and will work continuously throughout the summer in preparation for your arrival on campus in August. We look forward to meeting each of you and hope you are all excited about coming to Bates. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at aesop@bates.edu. We’ll answer your questions as quickly as possible, but bear in mind that there are many of you and only a few of us, so please be patient!

Zain Ali ’27 – Head Coordinator

Hometown: Mason, OH

man posing in front of city scape

What trip did you participate in as a First–Year?

Community Engagement in Maine

Hey Bobcats! I’m thrilled to meet you as you make some of your first memories at Bates through AESOP! Speaking from my own journeys as an AESOPer and an AESOP leader, the experiences and friendships you make on your trip are beyond meaningful and truly connect you to Bates and the wider community here in Maine. AESOP is the perfect time to be yourself as you step into a new, fascinating adventure with your peers. 

I’ve grown up in the United Kingdom, Canada, and currently live in Mason, Ohio. The Midwest and Maine don’t have a lot in common, but through experiences like AESOP I was able to make Maine my home away from home. 

At Bates, you’ll see me taking a bunch of science classes for my Biochemistry major. When I’m not studying, you can find me working as the Secretary for the Bates College Student Government (BCSG) or competing with Club Soccer and Volleyball. When I’m feeling festive, I’ll be celebrating cultural events with the South Asian Student Association and Muslim Student Association. I also love being involved off-campus, and my favorite way to do so is by volunteering at the Central Maine Medical Center.

I looking forward to meeting you as you participate in AESOP and make your own Bates moments! I’d be happy to answer any questions – zali@bates.edu. See you so soon!

Alexander Voglmayr ’27 – Head Coordinator

Person smiling outdoors in front of purple flowering bushes, used for a Bates College AESOP profile.

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

What Trip did you participate in as a First–Year?

Surfing 2

Wow, Bates College, where do I begin? From the beautiful sunsets of our campus, where all you want to do is just lie on the quad, to the six-foot snow days making snow angels with my friends. I really just can’t get enough. I’m overjoyed at the thought of guiding you through your first days as a Bobcat! The places you’ll go on your AESOP and the people you will meet will be sure to kickstart your Bates College experience. When you start to look for your AESOP trip, I can guarantee that there will be a place for you to explore your interests. Whether it is something you’ve never done before or something you are incredible at, you’ll create memories that will stick with you!

I grew up in Washington, D.C., and Bates was a big change in scenery. But through my time at Bates, I have kept doing the things I love, such as skiing, hiking, playing soccer, and found people that I can call my best friends for life. Around campus, you’ll see me in the Bates EMS car, of which I am a Captain of the service, playing some kind of sport as a multisport amateur athlete, or studying. You’ll also see me around the city of Lewiston sometimes as an EMT for United Ambulance. I am also a Biochemistry Major and a bit of a nerd with a love for Organic Chemistry mechanisms and human biology.

I’m so excited to meet you all and be a part of your AESOP journey. And remember, it’s just a leap of faith. I believe in you! If you have any questions, please let us know. – Alexander

been thrilled to get to explore my outdoors-y side here at Bates, which started on my AESOP! As a trip leader for the Bates Outing Club I get to engage with nature more than ever and help people do the same. I am a Sociology and Hispanic Studies double major here at Bates. You can catch me spending my time in the Bates radio shack playing tunes with my friends, giving a guided campus tour, or in commons doing a 5-hour long debrief. 

I can’t wait to meet all of you and help you get started on one of the best adventures life has to offer – college!

Frances Hochleutner ‘28 – Assistant Coordinator

Hometown: Brookline, MA

What trip did you participate in as a First–Year?

Rangeley Basecamping

HI BOBCATS! I’m so excited for all of you to arrive at Bates as new AESOPers! AESOP is for each of you to connect to Maine in a way that is authentic to you. Regardless of whether you get to adventure on an exhilarating hike, relax and chat on a beach, or wander through Portland you will meet some amazing new people. 

Growing up in New England, being outdoors has always been my favorite way to experience a new place. Here at Bates is an amazing place to be outdoors with my favorite people. I love hiking Mount Blue in the Fall with my friends and going on runs by the Androscoggin. Even during our freezing winter semesters, we have Lost Valley skiing and the beautifully snowy quad.

I can’t wait to see you all around campus. I am a psychology major and am often hanging out in a comfy chair studying with a coffee. Otherwise, I’m talking and playing music at WRBC with my friend, watching one of my favorite shows, or making some kind of art. In the Lewiston community, I get to organize volunteer programming and through my work at the Harward Center as the arts community outreach fellow. 

I am so happy to get to be a part of your AESOP experiences! Reach out with any questions–Frances

Ryan Glaser ‘28 – Assistant Coordinator

Hometown: Rockport, ME

What trip did you participate in as a First–Year?

Flag Staff Canoeing

Hey everyone!! I am absolutely stoked to be able to help out with your welcome to Bates through AESOP. Whether you’re out in the woods, exploring the coast, or on campus enjoying what Bates has to offer, those first few days are such an incredible time that I want to help bring to you! AESOP is that perfect window where you can just be yourself, explore Maine, and turn a group of strangers quickly into some new friends. Even as someone who grew up in Rockport, Maine, my AESOP experience is something I couldn’t forget. I felt so good coming onto campus in the fall, and I hope everyone else feels that nice warm feeling when they arrive on campus after their trips.

The beauty of the Bates community is that it genuinely encourages you to explore every version of yourself. That welcoming atmosphere is exactly what allowed me to lean into whatever I wanted, whether I’m training with the Track and Field team, representing our class in Student Government (BCSG), or soon to be researching in the Neuroscience department. I’ve found that Bates is a place where you don’t have to choose between being an athlete, a leader, or a scientist; you can truly do it all. I am beyond excited to help you find your own rhythm here. Starting with AESOP, I want to make sure you kick off your journey on a positive note so you can arrive on campus feeling confident, supported, and ready to be your best self.

I hope your AESOP experiences and time at Bates help you to appreciate the state of Maine as much as I do. If you need help with anything, please feel free to contact me at rglaser@bates.edu.

DJ Mason ‘28 – Assistant Coordinator

Hometown: Naperville, IL

What trip did you participate in as a First–Year?

Camden Basecamping 1

Hey Bobcats! I’m so excited to connect with you as you create some of your earliest Bates memories through AESOP! From my own time as both an AESOPer and leader, I can tell you AESOP serves as a great introduction into the incoming class you are with and in making a connection with both the students and the state of Maine. AESOP is the ideal moment to just be you while diving into an awesome new adventure alongside your fellow students.

I was born in the city of Chicago and have lived in the suburbs my whole life. Coming out to Maine has been a super cool experience for me and AESOP definitely was a central part in making that introduction so positive. Since showing up on campus I’ve been involved in the STEM Scholars program as well as many stem & neuroscience courses. I’m also a member of the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Track & Field Team here on campus. I’m really looking forward to working with all of you and getting to know how I can make a difference in your introduction to Bates and Maine as a student here! Happy to answer any questions related to AESOP or other things I’m involved in — dmason@bates.edu