Asha Abdisamad’27 (she/her) is a rising junior she grew up in Lewiston, Maine, and is majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Education. On the pre-health track, she’s passionate about both healthcare and education reform and policy. On campus, Asha is a Bonner Leader and works as an Office Assistant with Purposeful Work. This fall, she will also serve as a Writing Center Assistant Tutor (WCAT).

In the summer of 2024, Asha conducted research in the Laurita Lab and worked with the Brighter Future Healthier You office, where she supported behavioral health initiatives, case management, and outpatient psychosocial services. This summer, she’s working with New Root Collaborative Farm and United Yes, continuing to explore the intersections of health and community.

Outside of academics and work, Asha enjoys reading, experimenting with new recipes, and taking river walks with friends. She’s excited for a summer of learning, connection, and discovering more of what Maine has to offer.

Ellen Cabin’28 (she/her) is a psychology major from Asheville, North Carolina. She has loved her time in Lewiston so far and enjoys volunteering in the local middle schools each week as a student tutor and mentor. At Bates, along with being a Peer Advisor for PW, Ellen is a Bates Votes Ambassador, the PR Director for the Bates Consulting Club, and a member of the Aspirations Club. Ellen has a passion for all things reading and writing and enjoys helping others find their voice. In her free time, she likes going on runs, trying cool restaurants, and exploring different small Maine towns with her friends! 

Ellen has spent the summer as a camp counselor in the mountains of western North Carolina, teaching canoeing and fostering strong positive relationships with children ages 7 to 14. She is looking forward to spending the fall of her junior year at Bates and then studying abroad for the spring semester!

Carmel Crunk ’28 is from Lancaster, California, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Educational Studies. Carmel is an outside linebacker on the Bates College football team, a member of Bates SAAC, and part of the first-generation-to-college student program, Kessler Scholars.

Over the summer, Carmel was a head counselor at Sierra Canyon Day Camp where he organized group activities for children. During the school year, he is a part of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program through which he visits his “Little” at their school and spend time together doing activities, helping with homework, and providing support. Carmel also plays basketball regularly with a local Special Olympics team, The Navigators. During his free time, Carmel enjoys going to the gym, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends. 

Carmel is extremely excited to join the Purposeful Work team as a Peer Advisor and can not wait to build meaningful connections across campus!

Leif Thesen’27 (she/her) is from Palo Alto, CA, and is majoring in Sociology, with a minor in Philosophy and a concentration in the Human Body. An avid outdoors enthusiast, Leif is a trip leader with the BOC, and has supported AESOP for two years as part of the Emergency Response & Transportation team. She also plays for the Androscoggin Fallen Angels, Lewiston’s local roller derby team.

Last fall Leif studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador, where she loved being completely immersed in the local culture and Spanish language. This summer Leif completed accelerated Anatomy and Physiology courses at Boston University while applying to Doctorate of Physical Therapy programs!

As someone who has changed her career path and dived into different learning experiences, Leif is excited to support students in following their career aspirations and taking advantage of the many opportunities Bates offers. She is looking forward to joining the Purposeful Work team as a Peer Advisor this fall.

Toby White’28 (he/him) is from Scarsdale, New York, and is majoring in History and Economics with a minor in Hispanic Studies. At Bates, he has served as an Emergency Medical Technician with Bates EMS, Vice President of the Bates Mock Trial team, staff editor for the Bates College Undergraduate Law review, Junior Advisor, and sings with the Deansmen a cappella group. In his spare time, Toby likes playing guitar, skiing, exploring Maine, and watching New York sports. 

This past summer, Toby worked as a Business Services Intern at Latham & Watkins in New York, supporting the Legal Professional and Paralegal Administration team. Through the internship, he gained experience working in a large professional services environment while exploring his interest in the legal field and various practice areas. Toby has also participated in the Purposeful Work Job Shadow Program, including a shadowing experience at the Fox Sports Studios in Manhattan for the show “First Things First.”

Toby is studying abroad through the Middlebury School in Spain, where he is completing a full Spanish-language immersion program in Madrid. He is excited to join the Center for Purposeful Work as a Peer Advisor in January and looks forward to helping fellow students strengthen their resumes, cover letters, and internship applications while supporting them throughout their career exploration.

Sherlin(she/her) is from Phoenix, Arizona, and is majoring in Biology with minor(s) in Education, Asian Studies, and Chemistry.

She is passionate about being in a role where she can help/advocate for others! At Bates, she is part of the Residence Life staff team and a teaching assistant at Geiger Elementary School. On campus, Sherlin is also part of Raices Unidas (a Latinx affinity club) and Tea Club which she enjoys as she is always able to talk to someone new!

This past summer, Sherlin interned at Intentional Magazine, a magazine focused on health and wellness geared towards health and wellness coaches and anyone interested in bettering their health. This was a Purposeful Work internship hosted by a Bates alumni. She learned how to utilzie tools like Hubspot to connect and build relationships with other companies focused on wellness. In this role, Sherlin was able to explore her interest in journalism by getting to interview Dr. Coulet, the sports psychiatrist of the AZ Cardinals and included advice about how to know when someone may be struggling with mental health.

Outside of academics and work, Sherlin enjoys dancing, journaling, and making mock campaigns of various products like hair dryers and paints. She’s very excited to be joining the PW team as an internship advisor and can’t wait to support you in your career exploration journey this summer.

I am Kimberly Bocardo (she/her) I’m a Psychology major with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies from Phoenix, AZ. On campus, I serve as the secretary for both the Raices Unidas and Outfront clubs, and I am an active member of several cultural and affinity groups. As a first-generation student, I faced unique challenges in navigating college, especially in seeking and developing career opportunities. However, Purposeful Work provided invaluable guidance and resources, making this process significantly easier. Driven by my passion for marketing and outreach, I aim to support other students by connecting them with the various opportunities offered by Purposeful Work, helping them achieve their career goals.

In my free time, I love to watch movies, paint, try new foods, and watch anime!.

My name is Angel Guitcha and I’m a sophomore studying biochemistry. I love reading African literature and exploring the stories it tells. In my free time, I enjoy working on cinematic videography, finding creative ways to capture moments on camera.

Brigid ’28 (she/her) is an Arts and Visual Culture:History and Criticism and Educational Studies Minor from North Andover, MA. On campus, she is a member of the varsity softball team, Co-Chair of the Performance and Wellness Committee on the Bates Student Athlete Advisory Committee(SAAC), and an Educational Programming Intern at the Bates Museum of Art.

Brigid assists in creating graphics and spreading information for Purposeful Work. She is very excited to help spread information about Purposeful Work as a Digital Marketing Assistant! In her free time, she enjoys painting, listening to music, reading, traveling, and trying new coffee shops! She can’t wait to meet you all!

Halla Halla, My name is Mekkawy. I am a first-year student planning to major in Economics and DCS as a double major. On campus I am involved with BCSG (Bates College Student Government) and I work with (PW) as a marketing assistant. In my free time I love to watch movies, I am a movie geek!! Also, I love traveling and learning about other cultures, histories, and philosophies. I am also interested in tech, coding, and building startups.

Cal Dagner ‘27 (they/them) is an Earth and Climate Science major from central Virginia. They are thrilled to be joining the purposeful work mission this year as an office assistant. At Bates Cal is a member of the rowing team and the circus club. They are also an outdoor enthusiast and love to spend time hiking, climbing, and looking for cool rocks or bugs.

This summer Cal was selected as a farming apprentice through the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund to work as an intern on Glidden Point Oyster Farm. They are passionate about sustainable agriculture and finding ways to fight food shortages and climate change at the same time. At the farm, Cal gained first hand experience working on the water learning about food safety regulations, sustainable harvesting, and oysters’ role in their ecosystems as filterers and carbon collectors. They also completed a storytelling project as part of their apprenticeship to share their adventures and encourage others to get involved with ASLF. The help Cal received from the peer advisors at Purposeful Work while applying for the farm inspired them to seek out the position of office assistant at PW this year.

Caroline is in the class of 2029 and is from Acton, Massachusetts. She is majoring in psychology and minoring in philosophy and education. At Bates, she is on the swim team. This past summer she was a nanny and loves working with kids! In the past, she has also volunteered her time to mentoring younger students, teaching kids how to swim, and working in the New England Swimming administration. This is her second year with Purposeful work and she loves it!

Kainda (She/Her) is a First-Year who plans to double major in Environmental Studies and Politics. She is the community liason of the Law Society. Kainda also enjoys being a part of the Outdoors Club, the Robinson Players, Snaggletooth! She is passionate about fighting climate change and the intersections of policy/science communication and conservation work. Outside of school she enjoys hiking, playing with her dog and cat, reading and making collages.

Kainda is also part of the Student Philanthropy Ambassador team which is new this year. She helps thank alumni for keeping in touch with Bates and works on events reminding students their connection to the college doesn’t have to end with graduation. This year she’ll be working as an Office Asistant and is excited to help fellow Batsies find new opprotunities.

Hi! My name is Nora Gilmer, and I am a sophomore Biology major. I am also pursuing a Chemistry minor and a concentration in Public Health. I am a member of the volleyball team at Bates, and I also love playing pickleball and tennis. I am also a member of the Bates Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the Bates Athletes of Color Coalition. I have been matched with several Job Shadows at Bates, including one at Industrious Labs, a non-profit founded by a Bates Alum. This past summer, I worked as a summer research assistant at the Algae Ecology Lab at George Mason University, which is work that I hope to continue into this upcoming summer.
I look forward to seeing you on Friday and getting started with my new role this semester!

Angelina ’27 (she/her) is from Brooklyn, New York and is majoring in Politics and Philosophy with a concentration in Law and Society. At Bates, she is a member of the Women’s Squash team. She loves staying active, spending time with friends, and playing guitar.

This past summer, Angelina was excited to be part of the first cohort of interns at Gorayeb & Associates, a personal injury law firm in New York City. She supported construction accident cases through research, filings, and case preparation, while also working closely with clients in both Spanish and English. This experience deepened her understanding of the legal field and affirmed her interest in continuing to learn about law. She is looking forward to returning to Gorayeb & Associates this summer!

This is Angelina’s first year with Purposeful Work, and she is enthusiastic about welcoming and supporting fellow students as they explore opportunities, ask questions, and take the next steps in their professional journeys!

Jiwon ’27 (she/her) is a Mathematics and Digital & Computational Studies double major from Seoul, South Korea. At Bates, she enjoys engaging in campus life and building connections with the local community, including through volunteer work at the Jubilee Trinity Center. She has a strong passion for mathematics, which she has pursued through middle school math tutoring and experiences as a teaching assistant, math grader, and research assistant.

This past summer, she worked as a PW Summer Internship Advisor, guiding students through their summer internship experiences and helping them make the most of their time. She enjoyed working with data and interacting with fellow PW staff and coworkers. Through this experience, she strengthened her skills in various areas while continuing to explore her own career paths.

She is excited to join the Purposeful Work team again this Fall and looks forward to continuing to support fellow students, helping them explore career pathways, and applying her quantitative background to guide peers in developing meaningful academic and professional goals.

Norland ’27 (he/him) is a mathematics and digital & computational studies double major from the Bronx, New York. He engages with the local community in Lewiston by tutoring elementary kids in math and English throughout all his years at Bates. With his passion for math, he hopes to lead the younger generation to a future where they can enjoy all levels of challenges and be able to logically think for themselves to upscale the aforementioned.

Last summer, he worked as a student research intern in the Bates Mathematics Department, working closely with an assistant professor of mathematics on data analysis and pattern predictions for different weather events using spatio-temporal data. This was done by using advanced statistical and machine learning techniques such as principal component analysis and canonical polyadic decomposition. The goal of this project was to develop a computational framework for the potential prediction of extreme weather events. Through this experience, he was able to enhance his skills in coding, data analysis, pattern recognition, research, mathematical modeling, and data visualization. He is interested in developing other projects that bridge the gap between real-world applications and machine learning.

In his free time, he enjoys reading, developing video games, and spending time with his friends. He is excited to join the Purposeful Work team and guide students throughout their internship this summer.

“Erica ’28 (she/her) is from Summit, New Jersey, and is a Politics and Sociology double major with a concentration in Philosophy. In addition to working with PW, she enjoys being a crew member for the Village Club Series, hosting her own radio show on WRBC, being president of the Club Tennis team, volunteering at Montello Heights Retirement Community, and being a mentor for a student at Auburn Middle School.

In her free time, Erica loves to travel both stateside and abroad. For her next travel, she is looking forward to her upcoming spring semester abroad. She also loves trying new foods and local coffee shops, watching movies, and playing games with friends.

This past summer, Erica completed a PW internship with the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and was a PW Summer Internship Peer Advisor. She is looking forward to continuing with PW as an Office Assistant.