Reunion

The 50th Reunion is a milestone occasion at Bates, and many people celebrate by giving their largest gift to Bates. Your class will have a transformative impact on Bates’ future. We encourage you to consider what gift feels especially meaningful to you. 

Commemorate your Bates experience with a stretch, milestone gift and make a difference for Bates. You are as important to Bates’ future as you are to its past. 

Bates staff and class volunteers are ready to work with you to find personalized and creative ways to structure your gift, helping you meet your family, financial, and charitable goals.

Why should I give a special 50th Reunion gift?

The remarkable generosity of your class’s 50th Reunion gift plays a crucial role in Bates’ success, supporting its mission to educate the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship within a collaborative residential community. Your 50th Reunion presents a unique opportunity to create a lasting legacy and give back to the next generation of Bobcats.

The 50th Gift Committee will reach out to invite you to join this effort, ensuring that together, the class can continue to make a positive impact on Bates and its future.

What counts towards the 50th Reunion gift?

The 50th Reunion class gift includes credit for all gifts and pledges made between July 1 of your 46th year and the end of your 50th year. For the class of 1975, this includes gifts and pledges made between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2025. 50th gifts include:

• All gifts made to the Bates Fund.

• All gifts made to capital and endowment funds.

• Multi-year pledges (will be credited at the full pledge value, even if payments extend beyond the 50th Reunion cycle).

• Bequest intentions, gift annuities, charitable trusts, gifts of property, gifts-in-kind, and other irrevocable planned gifts (will be credited at face value).

How can I make my gift special?

Most people choose to increase their annual Bates Fund gift, and many combine their increased Bates Fund gift with a deferred gift through their will. Others choose to add a special endowment initiative to their 50th Reunion gift. 

Ways to give:

• Cash or credit card gifts
• Appreciated Securities
• IRA distributions
• Bequest intentions
• Life insurance
• Real estate, partial or future interests in real estate
• Tangible personal property
• Closely held stock or business interests

Contact Information
Please contact Casey Andersen ’12, Gift Planning Officer & Manager of 50th Reunion Giving, at randerse@bates.edu or 207-755-5976 if you’d like to talk more about the impact you want to have at Bates in your 50th Reunion year. 

50th Reunion Planning

Bates invites the class of 1975 on campus, June 5-8, 2025, for what will be a memorable 50th Reunion celebration. Meet classmates old and new as you participate in a variety of activities.

The 50th Reunion Social Committee plans fun and inclusive activities specifically for the 50th class. The class also arrives a day earlier than all other classes as a way to honor this milestone occasion and provide more time to reconnect. June is also a beautiful time to visit campus. 

Special 50th programming includes a welcome dinner and reception on Thursday evening, before other classes arrive, unique programming planned by classmates, and breakfast with the president. Campus-wide programs such as the alumni parade and gala are always attendee favorites as well. Come with an open heart and an open mind and let yourself enjoy the experience of your 50th Reunion.

In the year leading up to the 50th Reunion, you’ll be invited to submit memories and updates about your life since Bates to be included in the 50th Reunion Yearbook. The yearbook provides a unique opportunity for classmates to connect ahead of Reunion Weekend. It also features special memories and sections curated by the 50th Reunion Yearbook Committee. The yearbook is mailed free of charge to the entire class in the early spring of Reunion year.

The 50th Reunion would not be possible without volunteers. Alumni take the lead in building attendance, generating enthusiasm and connections, and fundraising during this milestone year.

There are multiple ways to volunteer:

• Gift Committee: Help your class leave a memorable legacy for Bates in celebration of this Reunion milestone. For more information, contact Casey Andersen ’12 at randerse@bates.edu.
• Social Committee: Plan 50th events, parade attire, and encourage classmates to attend. For more information, contact Carly Hopkins at chopkins@bates.edu.
• Yearbook Committee: Encourage classmates to submit bios and memories for the 50th Reunion Yearbook and curate photos and memories to include in special sections. For more information, contact Carly Hopkins at chopkins@bates.edu.