In December, I joined the Harward Center team, stepping into the role of Associate Director of Center Operations. The position was most recently held by Kristen Cloutier, who worked at Bates for more than twenty-five years while also serving for over a decade in several elected and appointed roles in Lewiston and Maine, including Lewiston City Councilor, interim mayor of Lewiston, and highly effective member of the Maine House of Representatives. We bid a fond farewell to Kristen in October and remain grateful for her longstanding commitment to Bates, Lewiston, and the Pine Tree State.

This is my debut blog post, which I have written in the form of an interview by Tamanda Namangale ‘27. Tamanda is a Bonner Leader  at Bates and has joined the Harward Center as a student intern this semester. 

What’s a moment in your first weeks in this role that made you think: “Oh wow, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be”?

Ooh–great question! I’ll be honest; there have been quite a few of those moments lately! For example, there are evenings when the Bonner Leaders are having dinner and conversation in one room of the Harward Center and the Community Engaged Research Fellows are having dinner and program in another, or when Shabbat is happening in the Multifaith Chaplaincy. The whole house (Wood Street) is warmly lit and just completely alive with people engaged in conversation, deep connection, and yummy food! These have quickly become some of my favorite times to be in the Harward Center.

When people hear “Center Operations,” they might picture spreadsheets and logistics. What’s the most surprisingly human part of your job?

Yeah, so spreadsheets and logistics *are* a big part of my job, which is okay; I can really geek out on that stuff, and I enjoy it. The surprisingly human part is when we’re planning logistics for a meeting, and if it’s a meeting where we’ll be having refreshments, the rest of the team knows exactly what the community partners, students, and faculty/staff guests would like to eat. I think it really shows how much my colleagues genuinely take time to know people and how much they care about others.

What’s one thing you wish more students knew about you?

My first job at Bates was in Dining Services. I worked in on-call catering and eventually had a regular position in the Den. I was twenty-five at the time (only a few years older than the Bates seniors!), and my daughter was in preschool. We came to campus often, and students and staff doted on my daughter. By the time she started kindergarten, I had become so inspired by the students (and faculty and staff) at Bates–and so fired up about academia–that I enrolled in a degree program and went to school part time at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston campus. I would work in the Den until one or two in the morning and then go to Coram (which had a 24/7 computer lab at that time), where I would work on homework for hours before going home early in the morning. When my daughter started first grade, I left Bates to go to school full-time. Returning to Bates in 2010 and joining the [Office of College] Advancement was like coming home. When my daughter and I would go to Commons, the staff there would tell her how they remembered her from when she was little. It was very moving and made us both feel like we belonged. I wish more students knew how important that feeling was to me and how important I think it is for everyone who comes here (as a student, an employee, or a guest) to feel that way. I really value being part of a team that prioritizes the kind of partnerships and relationships that create a sense of belonging, both on campus and out in the community. Each of the jobs I have held at Bates has taught me something about this place and something about myself, and learning those things has prepared me for this role. I am excited to join the Harward Center and grateful for the journey that led me here.

Thank you for coming up with these questions, Tamanda. I am grateful to you for the work you’re doing in the Harward Center and for taking the time to help me write my first blog post!