Convocation marked the entry of the Class of 2029 and transfer students to campus with wise words on finding strength in our differences, fighting for what you believe in, and maintaining hope.
President Garry W. Jenkins has received the 2025 Maine Black Excellence Compass Career Award from The Third Place Maine, a network that connects Maine’s Black professionals, students, and entrepreneurs to opportunities across multiple areas, from social to professional.
Bates Commencement speaker Angela Duckworth, author of “Grit,” told the seniors to embrace “situation modification” — change your physical environment, especially your phone’s proximity, to protect your focus, relationships, and well-being.
Partnering with Investure “reflects a dynamic, ongoing commitment to the stewardship of our endowment — an essential resource that supports Bates’ ability to provide an outstanding educational experience,” said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins.
The vibe at this year’s MLK Day keynote was the “fierce urgency of now,” as keynote speaker Erica Chenoweth and Bates President Garry W. Jenkins each reflected on the challenges and imperatives of modern nonviolent movements in uncertain times.
Bates College today announced a new partnership with QuestBridge, a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education.
“Rosanna Ferro’s extensive background in student affairs, her commitment to fostering inclusive communities, and her passion for higher education will be incredible assets as we continue to strengthen the student experience at Bates,” said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins. Ferro’s appointment is effective Dec. 2, 2024.
Hill’s contributions are highlighted by equity-driven initiatives to support both students and faculty for greater success.
Lainsbury, whose appointment is effective Oct. 14, 2024, comes to Bates from Earlham College, where she has served as vice president for marketing and communications since 2021.
One of the nation’s foremost journalists, NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly, offered three pieces of life advice to the Class of 2024: Be wary of when success becomes a non-stop treadmill, remember much of life depends on what we choose to see, and hold tight to those lifelong friendships forged at Bates.
An immersive picture story capturing the ebullience, warmth, and resolute optimism that marked the inauguration Bates President Garry W. Jenkins, on May 4, 2024
President Garry W. Jenkins’ inaugural address took his audience through a range of shared emotions. Of the many moving moments in the speech, here are 10.
We gathered brief quotes from 30-plus attendees at the inauguration of Garry W. Jenkins, everyone from Bates student waiters and musicians to the new Bates president’s mom.
Installed as the ninth president in Bates College history on Saturday, Garry W. Jenkins used his inaugural address to offer four cornerstones to guide the work of the college. Keeping the college strong and vibrant benefits not only Bates students but U.S. democracy, he said. “They rise together.”
On May 4, 2024, Bates will install a new president for only the eighth time in its 168-year history.
At Bates, new approaches to teaching STEM subjects have yielded dramatic results for all students in improved retention outcomes, particularly within its population of Black and Hispanic students.
Jenkins, who was honored during the investiture ceremony for the law school’s new president, spoke about the need for effective leadership education in law schools. “Being an effective lawyer and being an effective leader must be thought of as complementary skills,” he said.
Here are facts, stories, and did-you-knows from all past Bates presidential inaugurations — plus world and Maine events.
From the Bobcat cheers coming from the women’s soccer team to President Garry W. Jenkins’ promise to the Class of 2027 that Bates is a place where “you get to be who you want to be,” the resounding message at Convocation on Sept. 5 was that Bates is a community centered on caring and kindness.
The newest Bates class, 509 students strong, is filled with examples of engagement and action. “They’re problem solvers,” says Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Leigh Weisenburger. Sometimes quite literally.
Garry W. Jenkins, who became Bates’ ninth president on July 1, used Wednesday as his get-to-know-Bates day. And he made an impression wherever he went.
Follow along as President-elect Garry W. Jenkins and his husband, Jon J. Lee, get to know Bates folks and the Bates campus during their first official visit, March 6–7, culminating in Jenkins’ first remarks to his new community.
Video, photographs, and text capture Garry W. Jenkins’ first remarks as Bates president-elect, on March 7 during an upbeat meet-and-greet event in historic Alumni Gymnasium.
A nationally respected legal scholar, proven higher education leader, and a longtime champion of the liberal arts, Garry W. Jenkins will be the college’s ninth president and its first Black president.