August and September at Bates were, as always, vibrant and engaging, with students returning and campus once again teeming with events, sports games, musical performances, and more. Revisit the final moments of summer, and the earliest glimpses of fall, in the first installment of This Month at Bates for the 2026–2027 year.

Welcome, new Batesies

On move-in day for the Class of 2030 and transfer students, President Garry W. Jenkins greets students arriving to Bates, welcoming them to their home for the next four years. Jenkins is part of a greeting committee that each year assembles outside of Commons to ensure that everyone’s Bates experience begins with a personal “Hello.”

The first practice

Bates women’s soccer players gather on Garcelon Field on a warm August morning for their first practice of the season.

AESOP kickoff

The air is abuzz with excitement at the Florence Keigwin Amphitheater as the 2026 Annual Entering Students Orientation Program (AESOP) kicks off. New students fill the amphitheater’s rows, while AESOP leaders — returning students — line up along Lake Andrews, eager to greet the students they will spend the weekend with exploring Maine, whether on-campus or deep in nature.

Open house festivities

From left, Frances Hochleutner ’28 of Brookline, Mass.; Marisela Flores Pineda ’24, graphic designer and communications coordinator for the Center for Purposeful Work; Kayla Bridgeman, assistant director of first-generation programs for the Student Center for Belonging and Community (SCBC); and Josiah Lee Johnson ’29 of New York City gather in the SCBC during the center’s lively fall open house.

Alumni (re)run

Bates cross country alumni join current Bobcat runners for the Bates XC Alumni Race, a 5K around campus. At center, with his arms stretched upward, is Ross Tejeda ’26. On the right is Alex Rodgers ’29 of Lowell, Mass.

Pure jubilance

Jumping into each other’s arms, Bates field hockey players celebrate their 3-2 overtime win against Bowdoin.

Remembering 9/11

The Bates Deansmen perform an a cappella rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” during Lewiston’s 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the Lewiston Central Fire Station, marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Bateschella

Student DJ Alex Lee ’29 of Fulton, Md., performs during Bateschella, an on-campus, outdoor music event featuring inflatables, local food from Pinky D’s Poutine and North East Ice Cream, dancing, and community.

Touring the liberal arts

A group of visitors tours campus during the Colby, Bates, Bowdoin Tour, which invites counselors from secondary schools and community-based organizations to Maine to learn more about the three liberal arts institutions in order to better advise their students.

Musical pause

Sitting along Alumni Walk, Amelia Dougherty ’30 (left) of Ellicott City, Md., and Maria Tilley ’30 of Gilford, N.H., spend a sunny September afternoon strumming away on a guitar.

Soccer and a sunset

Bates men’s soccer players huddle beneath a setting sun during a game against Husson University, which ended in a 5-2 win for the Bobcats.

Bring it in

During their 3-0 winning match against Nichols College, Bates volleyball players cheer and embrace on the court.

2026 Dempsey Challenge

Hints of garnet and white distinguish Bates athletes among the runners participating in the 2026 Dempsey Challenge, the annual flagship fundraiser for the Dempsey Center. Founded by actor and Lewiston native Patrick Dempsey, the center provides free, comprehensive care for cancer patients.

Dual-ing

Briana Bartels ’30 of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, delivers a powerful serve during the first day of the Bates Hidden Duals. Bates collected 22 victories over the six sessions of matches against visiting teams from Colby, Trinity, and Vassar colleges.

Diamond chats

At left, Dale Plummer, coordinator of athletic equipment and operations and pitching coach for the baseball team, discusses strategy with player Luke Yoon ’27 of Honolulu during a fall practice on Leahey Field.

Amador returns to Bates

Singer-songwriter Alisa Amador ’18 performs during the student-run Village Club Series, which brings free musical performances to campus, in Benjamin Mays Center. Amador’s genre-bending music, sung in English and Spanish, incorporates elements of jazz, funk, and alternative music.

Open-air rehearsal

Eli Eib ’30 of Baltimore plays the guitar, practicing a Chinese song he’s learning for a course.“I’m doing it for fun,” says Eid, who has played the instrument since his sophomore year of high school.

Home opener

Quarterback Jack Gilmore ’29 of North Arlington, N.J., passes to his left against Trinity in the football team’s home opener at Garcelon Field.

The new cat in town

Meet the all-new Bates Bobcat mascot, a reimagined version of the signature cat we all know and love. Sporting a Bates T-shirt and matching garnet sneakers, the Bobcat made its debut at the first home football game of the season against Trinity.