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Baccalaureate 2024

A festive, spiritual celebration for a Bates class that sought, and ultimately found, their common humanity

By Bates College

May 31^st, 2024

To Pause and Reflect

Held the day before Commencement, the annual Baccalaureate Service is distinctively Bates.

Through music, dance, spoken word, and interfaith prayers, the ceremony offers time for the seniors, families, and loved ones to pause and reflect, to embrace what is larger than themselves.

The event honors the journeys of the graduates and their families; it also offers spiritual nourishment to the graduates as they prepare to take their first steps as Bates alumni into the world with a sense of purpose and community.

As they enter the Baccalaureate Service, the seniors walk through archways adorned with prrayers, poems, and blessings offered by parents, guardians, and loved ones.

‘A Common Humanity’

As President Garry W. Jenkins observed in his introduction to this year’s service, held May 25 on the Coram Library stage, some baccalaureate ceremonies “can be formal, even somber. But at Bates this is a celebration that is particular to each graduating class.”

And what was particular and distinctive to the Class of 2024, he explained, was their unprecedented introduction to college life in the midst of a global pandemic and severe and isolating pandemic protocols.

“Yet you have modeled connection and community for the rest of us in profoundly astonishing ways,” he said. “You poured yourselves energetically and enthusiastically into forging friendships, establishing bonds, and giving of yourselves to something greater.”

‘The Absence of Loved Ones’

“It is often in these moments of great joy and wonder that we feel most deeply the absence of loved ones. There are folks who have nurtured us and supported our growth in invaluable ways that would’ve loved to be here today and are not. There are family members, faculty, and friends who would’ve whooped and hollered or quietly clapped with tears in their eyes as they watched us walk across the stage tomorrow, but cannot.”

— Alexa Bowerfind ’24 of Portland, Ore., a psychology major offering an acknowledgement of loved ones not in attendance and inviting a moment of silence in their honor

‘You Flourish’

“You understand the value of seeking and finding a common humanity with everyone you encounter, and you flourish when shared understanding, feeling, and common cause are achieved.”

— President Garry W. Jenkins in his welcome remarks

‘Seeing Stars’

“And all at once, there across the field, among the birch and 100-year-old oaks, stand all those I have loved, all those I love, baptized in moonshine, drunk in comfort. And I am left seeing stars.”

— Aidan Riano ’24 of New York City, an art and visual culture major, from his poem “Moonshine”

‘Unwavering Belief’

“As we step into the future, I hope we all carry with us the lessons we learned, the friendships that we forged, and the unwavering belief that our peers have in us, even amid the greatest challenges. Even if it may not seem like it at first, please remember that there is always goodness waiting to be discovered.”

— Mallika Jena ’24, a double major in economics and mathematics from Basking Ridge, N.J., who offered one of six student vignettes

‘The Magic that Awaits You’

“May you find people who truly see you and make you feel at home. May you discern the moments that call for bravery and the times that require rest. May you live with meandering purpose, letting your passions grow and change over time. May you always return to yourself and your people when loneliness strikes, and may you find gratitude and blessing every day, but especially in this next day as you await the magic that awaits you.”

— The Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, the college’s multifaith chaplain, in her invocation

‘Making the Most’

“The Class of ’24 story is one of making the most out of whatever situation we find ourselves in. When life gave us a blizzard, we sledded down Mount David on Commons trays. When the pandemic gave us a lockdown, we learned to be social at a distance. And when darkness enveloped our community after Oct. 25, 2023, we set up the best trick-or-treating event the town has ever seen.”

— Bryan Kirk ’24, an environmental studies major from Kingsport, Tenn., who offered one of six student vignettes

‘I Swore to Take Action’

“I often struggle to really speak my mind. Finding the right words is hard. It’s a weakness that I’ve needed to confront time and time again over the past four years. But if my time at Bates has taught me anything, it’s that the most difficult tasks can be the most rewarding. And after the tragedy of the Oct. 25 shootings, I swore to take action.”

— Jamie Hollander ’24, an earth and climate sciences major from Medfield, Mass., offering one of six student vignettes at the service. She joined fellow Bates students and many other citizens to testify to the Maine Legislature last winter to support gun-control measures that became law in April.

‘Meet a Stranger’s Eye’

“When we leave this pocket of Maine, we will see a lot less of our acquaintances. We may find we even have the option to be a bit more anonymous. But shortly after, we will find ourselves somewhere with the opportunity to greet a total stranger, to make a connection that, though not required, is both short and specific to a single moment. My suggestion is this: Make the connection, look up from your thoughts, and meet a stranger’s eye. Then smile and nod. Sit in the small important moment of mutual acknowledgement.”

— Lucia Pizarro ’24, an English major from Cranford, N.J., who offered one of six student vignettes

The Source of Joy and Love

“Through connections with peers and campus efforts for diversity, we find belonging and strength, endlessly contributing to positive change on campus. However, my motivation, joy, sense of belonging, and love not only came from friends or campus administrative efforts, it came from conversations with Commons workers such as Flo or Sonya when grabbing meals. It came from hugging Tammy, in Communications, who came to see any and all of my performances she could. It came from smiling every time someone mentions Dean Reese.”

— Cristina Luz Salazar Gutierrez ’24, a politics major from San Jose, Costa Rica, who offered one of six student vignettes

‘Your Career Is Not Your Life’

“Often our focus means convincing ourselves that if we can just make it to our end point, then we’ll be ready to cultivate the life that we want. The problem is, your career is not your life. Your life is what’s happening now. And in the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’”

— Colleen O’Loughlin, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, who offered the Baccalaureate Address

Measuring Joy

“Joy is not as celebrated a reason for making decisions as prestige or money or fame, but I would argue it is a better long-term metric to use.”

— O’Loughlin, in her Baccalaureate Address

‘Permission to Share’

“Sharing ourselves with others gives them permission to share their full selves with us. Over the next bit of celebration and excitement, I hope you pay attention to the moments that bring you joy. Keep track of the people and communities who have made your time at Bates meaningful.”

— O’Loughlin, in her Baccalaureate Address

‘You Are Heroes’

“You arrived as a student and you graduate as a person for all seasons. A leader always looking to better yourself. A calming influence in the face of uncertainty, a kind and generous soul, a thoughtful problem solver, and always a source of love and support.”

“You are all pioneers enduring something no one ever should. Your strength, resiliency, and passion must be not only acknowledged but celebrated. You are heroes and we are in awe. Thank you for showing us the way forward.”

— Kathryn Gonzalez and Livia Nicolescu, Bates parents who took turns reading a selection of reflections written by fellow parents, guardians, and loved ones

‘Rely on the Strength’

“We are about to go forth into a world where there is much work to be done, where the past year especially has highlighted how much work there is to be done. May we draw comfort from the knowledge that though we have a crucial role to play in Tikkun Olam — repairing the world — it is not our responsibility to do so alone. Indeed it would be impossible to do so alone. May we remember and rely on the strength that we have found in community with each other and carry it with us in this time of transition.”