{"id":3152,"date":"2023-03-07T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/president\/?p=3152"},"modified":"2023-07-03T09:04:28","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T13:04:28","slug":"remarks-at-presidential-introduction-march-7-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/president\/2023\/03\/07\/remarks-at-presidential-introduction-march-7-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Remarks at Presidential Introduction: March 7, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Garry Jenkins delivered the following remarks to the campus community on March 7, 2023, in Alumni Gymnasium. The occasion marked his first official visit to campus as president-elect.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thank you, Andrea [Bueschel ’90] , thank you John [Gillespie ’80], for that lovely introduction. Thank you all for that warm introduction. I\u2019m so appreciative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a remarkable day \u2014 for me, for my family, for Bates! I have to say, sometimes dreams come true!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By way of formal introduction, I\u2019m Garry Jenkins and my pronouns are he\/him. And, I just want to say I am absolutely overjoyed and truly honored to be named the ninth president of Bates College.<\/p>\n\n\n

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If you\u2019ll indulge me, I want to start with some words of thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, I want to thank all of the staff behind the scenes who make an event like this possible and ensure that it runs smoothly. Thank you, you are so appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, I\u2019m so deeply grateful to the Board of Trustees and the presidential search committee \u2014 especially the co-chairs, Andrea and Greg [Ehret ’91], and our board chair, John \u2014 for the confidence they have placed in me and for the opportunity to work with this remarkable community to take Bates into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks too to everyone who engaged in this process (whether you attended a listening session, or you wrote a comment about what you want most out of the next president, or submitted a nomination). I just have to tell you how impressive I found the search committee\u2019s hard work, their enthusiasm, their devotion to the college, and their ability to reflect so many aspects of this community in such clear, and compelling, and ultimately inspiring ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, I want to thank President Clayton Spencer for her judgment, her wisdom, and her tireless leadership of the college. As you heard from Greg, I\u2019ve been on the board of my alma mater, another liberal arts college, for 14 years, and because of that I\u2019ve kept an eye on what was happening with the peer liberal arts colleges and I\u2019ve watched with admiration Bates\u2019 great strides under her leadership. It will be an honor and a privilege to follow her, to receive the baton, and to build upon the tremendous progress she \u2014 and all of you \u2014 have made. It\u2019s an amazing legacy. Let’s give another round of applause! She may be looking forward to a well-earned retirement, but she may regret giving me her phone number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And personally, I just want to say hello and thanks to my family, friends, mentors, and colleagues watching online. There are too many to name, but I want to give a special shoutout, however, to my parents, Garry and Leslie Jenkins, watching in New Jersey. And also to my brother, Chris, and his family in Buffalo, who will surely enjoy visiting Maine during the kids’ school breaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d also like to thank and introduce my husband, Professor Jon Lee. Jon, will you stand up? He is a remarkably talented and dedicated teacher-scholar. He teaches law with a focus on ethics and intellectual property. And to be honest, you all will soon come to realize that the best thing about my becoming president is that it means Jon will be part of the Bates community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon and I both look forward to getting to know you all on a personal level and making Lewiston our home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, by way of background, I was born and raised in northern New Jersey. My parents were both the first in their families to graduate from college. My mom became a high school teacher, and my dad was a computer programmer and part-time community college instructor. And from them I developed a strong belief in higher education and ultimately a passion for the ways that it ignites human potential. As Andrea mentioned, I studied at Haverford, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Law School. After working in law, business, and philanthropy, I have been on the faculty of two prominent law schools \u2014 Ohio State and the University of Minnesota \u2014 for nearly 20 years. And the last seven I\u2019ve been dean at Minnesota Law. I\u2019ve sat on boards in higher education, social justice, and the arts. As a result, I bring lessons from institutions large and small, public and private, from the liberal arts and professional schools, and from the corporate and nonprofit sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, it\u2019s my own residential, small liberal arts college education and experience that was transformative. That is still my touchstone. It shaped my life in ways that I\u2019m not sure anything else would have had the capacity to do. The rigor; the versatility and exposure to a range of disciplines and modes of thinking; the joy of learning and discovery; the personalized attention from an astounding faculty; the emphasis on social responsibility; the relationships with staff who mentored me and helped me believe that I belonged and that my presence, my story, my leadership could make a difference; the lifelong friendships with classmates. The sense that with such a life-changing education and experience that anything is within reach. What happened to me at Haverford and what I know happens at Bates is magical; it\u2019s special; it’s inspiring. So, to the students in this audience and online (and perhaps some prospective students who may be watching), this is the transformative experience that I wish for you. Thanks to what I learned, how I learned it, and the people I learned from and with, I\u2019ve been an ardent advocate and supporter of liberal arts institutions. And I believe that the liberal arts matter now more than ever. So, for those reasons, I found this opportunity really compelling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I knew Bates was one of the nation\u2019s leading liberal arts colleges, one of the brightest jewels in the crown that is undergraduate education in the U.S. I had childhood friends who became Batesies. (In fact, my friend, Rebecca, last week on LinkedIn or Facebook \u2014 I can\u2019t remember which one \u2014 declared me an honorary member of her class, the Class of \u201993!). But, I have also had the privilege to teach Bates graduates throughout my career. So from these experiences and encounters I see in the Bates people that I have known and taught, not just noted for their intelligence, but intelligence coupled with a capacity to think expansively, to creatively imagine new ways of solving old problems, to engage in the world with passion, humility, and empathy, and with a genuine commitment to leadership and service to better the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But throughout the process, I was drawn to Bates\u2019 distinctive history. Open from the beginning to all people, not just the white men who were the traditional college students at the time of Bates\u2019 founding in 1855. Accordingly, not a place just waking up to newly discover diversity, equity, and inclusion like some. Yet at the same time, of course, also not a perfect place \u2014 nor a place resting on its laurels. Rather, Bates seems to me a place that’s fully aware that there\u2019s still more work to be done. In fact, plenty of work. But without struggle, without work there is no progress. And I see that work happening. It’s happening here, and I want to be a part of pushing it forward \u2014 by all of us working together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of this is to say that I was lured in by the passion and creativity of the students, the faculty, the staff of today, and hooked by the college\u2019s articulation of and commitment to the emancipatory power of the liberal arts for a rapidly unfolding future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More specifically, I was captivated by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A community of dedicated faculty, staff, and students with a culture grounded that\u2019s in care for one another; in inclusion and belonging; in civic responsibility; in sustainability; and egalitarianism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the vibrancy of the education. Led by a distinguished faculty fully committed to an undergraduate education that embraces teaching, learning, research and scholarship, and service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was attracted to a spirit of innovation that I see reflected in signature work in community-engaged learning, in the development of pathbreaking inclusive pedagogies, notably in the sciences but also across the humanities and social sciences as well, the innovation in setting up students for lives of meaning and contribution through the Center for Purposeful Work, and in many other places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was compelled by the way the college\u2019s scale, its campus, and its location offer up unique opportunities to learn and reflect and also to develop and foster deep and powerful relationships: students with one another, students with faculty, coaches, staff, and local residents, and also among and between Bates\u2019 loyal and dedicated alumni forging important connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, finally I was captivated by the college\u2019s capacity to contribute to the greater good both for itself (meaning our internal community) and for the broader world; and that’s characterized by illuminating issues, by the way we create common ground, the way we use data to clarify and enlighten, and how we center human dignity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I studied law and I became a lawyer because I believe in justice, the possibility of making a difference to people, organizations, and communities, and I became an educator out of a passion for preparing students to think critically and holistically, to engage productively with diverse viewpoints, to problem solve, and to lead across sectors and professions. And those principles, they still animate my life and my work. And I think that they animate Bates, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the future\u2026. I\u2019m looking forward with great excitement to getting started this summer (and not just because it will be our first summer in Maine or that I love lobster and blueberries), but because it will be a new beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to: immersing myself in the community and attending all kinds of events. To be honest, after going down a Bates rabbit hole on Instagram for the past several months, Jon and I are ready for the lectures, the concerts, the performances, the art shows, the Mount David Summit, where we celebrate the academic accomplishments of our students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to: cheering on the Bobcats at games \u2014 including right here in historic Alumni Gym. Now I won’t play with you all, you wouldn\u2019t want that, but I do hope to play tennis, squash, or pickleball with some of you. I saw that on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to: speaking with students, faculty, staff, board members, alumni, friends, to develop a sense of your aspirations. And any vision for moving forward will be a shared vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to: discovering all sorts of extraordinary people and projects that are making a meaningful impact on the Bates community and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I\u2019m looking forward to: telling the Bates story \u2014 far and wide\u2014 to help us advance and to help us advance higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to the work that lies ahead \u2014 listening with intention and care, learning from others, and learning with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to: calling Lewiston home, and embracing the important engagement between the college and the city, with the potential to further strengthen our ties and relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 I\u2019m looking forward to: having fun, together, as we scale new heights, and I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun with all of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s what makes the prospect of leading Bates so exciting. But, leadership isn\u2019t about me, it\u2019s about all of us. And there\u2019s no challenge that we can\u2019t embrace together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you so much for giving me this extraordinary opportunity to join the Bates community. And thank you for welcoming Jon and me so warmly today. We cannot wait to join you all this summer. Onward and upward! It\u2019s a great day to be a Bobcat!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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