By Gift Planning. Published on April 15, 2026

50 years and counting: Celebrating the Class of 1975’s Reunion success

As we look back on last year’s festivities, we are thrilled to celebrate the Class of 1975 for a historic 50th Reunion. Their collective legacy was cemented through shared memories and a commitment to Bates’ future. The Class of 1975 contributed a total of $4,339,162 to their 50th Reunion gift and leveraged the first-ever Phillips Society Legacy Challenge to help achieve these results. The Challenge inspired 10 new members from the class to join the Phillips Society! 

The class also honored the late John Hester ’75 with the 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award for his beneficiary designation that came to Bates in 2024, adding $3.2 million to Bates’ unrestricted endowment, a cornerstone of the college’s yearly operations budget.

If you have questions or would like to speak with a member of our staff, please contact the Bates Office of Gift Planning at 800-762-3145 or giftplanning@bates.edu.

President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
President Garry W. Jenkins addresses members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Breakfast in Pettengill Hall’s Perry Atrium on June 6, 2025. He presented to awards: one, Bates Best, to Susan Bourgault Akie ’75 P’08, and the other. The 2025 50th Reunion Philanthropic Leadership Award, posthumously, to John R. Hester ’75 whose brother Andy Hester (in green), nephew and Andy’s son Geoffrey Hester, John’s brother Mike Hester (in brown) with John’s wife Bronwen, accepted the honor.
Members of the Class of 1975 attend a session in Pettengill G52 about the Bates Outing Club on June 6, 2025, during their 50th Reunion.
Members of the Class of 1975 attend a session in Pettengill G52 about the Bates Outing Club on June 6, 2025, during their 50th Reunion.
Members of the Class of 1975 attend a session in Pettengill G52 about the Bates Outing Club on June 6, 2025, during their 50th Reunion.
Moments from event “The Wonders of Wandering” in Pettengill Hall, Keck Classroom (G52), during Reunion on June 6, 2025. (Theophil Syslo | Bates College)
Moments from this year’s Alumni Parade during Reunion on June 7, 2025. (Theophil Syslo | Bates College)
We’re not going to let it rain on our parade. No way. From the Class of 1960 to 2020, a whole bevy of Bates Bobcats got decked out in their best garnet garb — witty T-shirt phrases and all — to march around the Merrill Gymnasium track for the annual #BatesReunion parade. While the rain forced the parade indoors, classmates didn’t let the weather dampen their spirits, processing with plenty of good cheer, big smiles, and Bates pride.
On Saturday, June 7, 2025, members of the 50th Reunion Class of 1975 who lived together in Rand Hall get together in Chu Hall, their Reunion 2025 residence, to reminisce and pose for a few photos. “The girls of Rand,” they called themselves.

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