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Takeoff

Orientation Week for the Class of 2022 launches the academic year

By Bates College

September 7^th, 2018

For some, the 2018-19 academic year started with pre-season practices, or Bobcat First! pre-Orientation activities. The Bates community came together to welcome first-year students as they moved into their dorms on Aug. 27 and continued to guide them through their first-ever college class session and AESOP trips. By Convocation on Sept. 4, new and returning students alike were on campus and geared up for the year to come.

Photographers Phyllis Graber Jensen and Theophil Syslo were there to document it all.

It started on Move-in day

Opening Day for the Class of 2022 was Monday, Aug. 27, and the Bates community turned out in friendly force to welcome and guide Bates’ newest students.

The Bibro family of Cornish, Maine, makes good strides on unpacking, and all three — Camden ’22, mom Sandy, and dad Ed — helped make his new bed. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

As family cars bearing new first-years pulled up at Chu and Kalperis halls, they're met with high energy from Opening Day student helpers. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

As Move-In Day winds down, Emily Dewey ’22 of Sudbury, Mass., hugs her father, Will Dewey ’88, and her mother, Susan Luther Dewey ’88. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

VIDEO: FOLLOWING THE CLASS OF 2022 FROM MOVE-IN TO FIRST CLASS

Watch a video by Theophil Syslo.

First Meeting of First-Year SEminars

The first 24 hours after Move-In is an intensive introduction to life at Bates, including academics. Early on Aug. 28, new students met with professors for the first session of their First-Year Seminars.

In “Race, Gender, and Identity in STEM,” Assistant Professor of Physics Aleks Diamond-Stanic had pairs of students categorize some of their experiences so far into three categories. A “rose” was something that went well or felt good. A “thorn” was something that didn't go well or was a source of frustration. A “bud” was something they were looking forward to. Diamond-Stanic, who is also his students’ first-year adviser, says he uses the exercise throughout the year as a way for students to check in with each other about the good, the challenging, and the aspirational.

With Aleks Diamond-Stanic looking on, Harkirat Lally ’22 of Yuba City, Calif., and Michael Ratsimbazafy ’22 of Elizabeth, N.J., discuss their roses, thorns, and buds. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

Charles Nero, Benjamin May Distinguished Professor of American Studies introduced students to himself, each other, and the authors they would be reading in “FYS 494 - Lorraine Hansberry and James Baldwin: Young, Gifted, Black, and Queer.”

Dana Swartz '22 of North Andover, Mass., and Bennett Wattles '22 of Pound Ridge, N.Y., head down Alumni Walk with classmates — and smiles — after attending the first session of “Contemporary Comedy,” a first-year seminar taught by Lecturer Tiffany Salter.

Assistant Professor of History Patrick Otim teaches the first-year seminar “FYS 468 - Beyond Nelson Mandela: Themes and Personalities in South African History.”

Otim’s goal, he tells his students, is “to help you make the transition you need. Please ask me questions.”

AESOP kickS off with sunshower and wild welcome

AESOP, the fabled three-day, student-led Orientation trips, kicked off on Aug. 31 with an official welcome at Lake Andrews’ Keigwin Amphitheater.

And what a welcome: As AESOP coordinators Chandler Ryan ’19, Zach Guion ’19, and Josie Gillett ’19, introduced themselves to the unsuspecting first-years, trip leaders bedecked in costumes emerged running and shouting from behind the amphitheater, pelting the coordinators with all manner of goop.

The following morning, small groups of students would depart for three days of camping, kayaking, or community service across Maine and New Hampshire.

PRE-Season Practices with two new coaches

On the hot Labor Day holiday, Bates Head Football Coach Malik Hall led his team in an early morning practice on Garcelon Field in preparation for the season opener at home against Amherst on Sept. 15. Hall was named the 20th head coach in Bates College football history on June 18. Football plays its season opener at home against Amherst on Sept. 15.

The men's soccer team, meanwhile, geared up for the season with its own new head coach, Tyler Sheikh, most recently head coach at Knox College in Illinois. The team won its season opener 2-0 against Maine Farmington on Sept. 5.

The team poses with its new uniforms on "Media Day," Sunday, Sept. 2, a day before the practice pictures.

Beaufils Kimpolo-Pene '20 of the Bronx in his “sun hat.”

The majesty of rangeley State

Over Labor Day weekend, the aptly named “Rangeley Chillin” AESOP trip explored the beautiful Rangeley Lake State Park and surrounding area. First-years and their trip leaders took day hikes, hung out by the lake, and explored the area by canoe.

Abdul Mohamed ’22 of Lewiston, Maine, reads “Real American: A Memoir,” the 2018 Common Read, along the shore of Rangeley Lake. “It's a really good book that I feel connected to,” Mohamed said.

A farm breakfast

On Sept. 1, eight members of the Class of 2022, all participants in the Nezinscot Farm trip, opened their tent flaps onto a beautiful farm field in Turner, Maine, to begin their day.

Trip leaders Grace Ellrodt ’20 of Lenox, Mass., and Max Gardner ’20 of New York City prepared a typical AESOP breakfast: scrambled eggs with a smear of peanut butter and jelly on a toasted bagel.

Connor Hurley ’22 of Andover, Mass., chills with Nezinscot's Calico cat, Zeva.

On this trip, students learned about farm life by feeding animals and working in the vegetable fields.

While picking tomatoes, students were asked to collect tomato horn worms.

The trip's participants pose for a group picture with lovable farm dog, Max. From left: Helen Pandey, Connor Hurley, Oliver Barrera, Lauren Berube, Rachel Hazin, Jack Golden, Ellie Garnett, Jenna Beagle, and trip leaders Gardner and Ellrodt.

welcome to lewiston-auburn

No Orientation week is complete without the Lewiston Walkabout, an introduction to the history and landscape of Bates’ hometown. In addition to the tour, led by older students with deep experience in the city, first-years were able to pick up their Class of 2022 T-shirts and register to vote.

Walkabout leader Sam Findlen-Golden ’20 of Amherst, Mass., leads first-year residents of Milliken House on Lisbon Street, as they pass the historic Bates Mill.

Samantha Alexander ’20 of Menlo, Iowa, leads a group down Lisbon Street.

Students pass Forage Market, a popular student hangout spot on Lisbon Street.

Mary Turnage ’19 of Denver, Colo., leads a tour with a stop in front of a law firm and the Lewiston Public Library on Lisbon Street.

A COMMON READ BINDS THE CLASS OF 2022

Just before Convocation on Sept. 4, students gathered in and around Commons with their First-Year Seminars to discuss this year’s Common Read, Real American: A Memoir, by Julie Lythcott-Haims.

In the Commons dining room, Associate Professor of Anthropology Elizabeth Eames discusses the book with her seminar, “Disney Demystified: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Magic Kingdom.”

On the second floor of Commons, Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics Jacob Longakre talks with his FYS, “The Death of Democracy?”.

Outside Roger Williams Hall, Associate Professor of Sociology Heidi Taylor and her FYS, “Choices and Constraints,” talk about Real American.

Convocation poses three important questions

Convocation, held on the Historic Quad, provided Bates with “an opportunity to welcome the Class of 2022, to celebrate the opening of the college, and to consider, as a community, our shared goals and hopes for the academic year,” said President Clayton Spencer in her invitation.

Students process onto the Historic Quad for Convocation.

Walter Washington ’19 of Fleetwood, N.Y, the student government president, fist-bumps Colony Family Associate Professor of Digital and Computational Studies Matthew Jadud before Convocation begins.

Bates President Clayton Spencer explored a maxim made famous by Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” “Do your part while you’re here to bend the arc,” she urged the first-years.

Walter Washington ’19, the student government president, told the story of his summer internship at a law firm serving disadvantaged people. “We’ve got to spend more time getting closer to those forgotten within our society,” he said.

In his Convocation address, Associate Professor of History Joe Hall explores Bates’ early history, and its connection to slavery, urging students to ask the questions that intrigue them. “Your quest, your development, depends on your questions,” he said.

Following Convocation, a tree-planting ceremony was held to honor those in the Bates community who died in the past year. Associate Professor of Biology Lee Abrahamsen waters the tree.

A brunch was held on the Library Quad following Convocation.

'The wurst day of the Semester'

Associate Professor of Russian Dennis Browne and Associate Professors of German Jakub Kazecki, and Raluca Cernahoschi hosted an open house for the departments of German and Russian, featuring sausages courtesy of Bates dining and Browne's homemade “Curry,” a sauce packaged in bottles labeled with a picture of basketball phenom Stephen Curry.

A winning opener

At 7:17 on Tuesday evening, as the sun dipped behind Hathorn Hall, the only noise around Garcelon Field was the hum of metal-halide lights.

Then came the roar from fans and players as the women’s soccer team took to the turf for Bates' first varsity contest of the fall season.

“We don't get to do this often,” said head coach Kelsy Ross, referring to the fact that the soccer teams usually play on the grass Russell Street Field. “Coming to the middle of campus and kicking off the season for the whole community tonight is really exciting.”

First-year Emma Lombardo ’22 of Warren, N.J. celebrates with teammates after finding the back of the net to help lead the Bates women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Maine Maritime.

The Bates Women’s Soccer team walks on to Garcelon Field to the sound of applause before hosting Maine Maritime on September 4, 2018.

First-year Emma Lombardo celebrates with teammates after finding the back of the net to help lead the Bates women’s soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Maine Maritime.

Caroline Bogue ’21 of Glastonbury, Conn., found the back of the net to help lead the Bates women’s soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Maine Maritime.

Spectators watch from the bleachers of Garcelon Field.

Goalkeeper Katherine Nuckols ’21 of Los Angeles celebrates with teammate Caroline Bogue after defeating Maine Maritime.

First day of classes

Pedestrians, scooters, and hammocks filled Alumni Walk as the first day of the fall semester began. Teaching organic chemistry, Professor of Chemistry Jennifer Koviach-Cote had a full house in Pettengill Hall's Keck Classroom, where she wrote on the board: "Lab starts this week!" She brought a 3-D model of cortisol to class.