乐播传媒

The Alumni Council is pleased to share some updates from campus and highlight the ongoing activities of the Council. Our goal is to keep former council members informed and engaged. We hope these highlights will spark your curiosity, evoke fond memories, and inspire you to stay connected and contribute to the vibrant 乐播传媒 community.

In this issue, please enjoy the following topics:

We encourage you to stay engaged with us and participate in the events and offerings at 乐播传媒, especially those within our alumni community. We look forward to seeing you in your local areas and on campus. As always, we welcome your input! Feel free to reach out to alumni@bates.edu with any thoughts or questions you may have.

At your service,

The 2024-25 Alumni Council

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Spring Meeting Summary

by Terry Welch 鈥�83

Members of the 乐播传媒 Alumni Council convened in Lewiston for our Spring Council meetings May 1-3, 2025. Short term was in full swing, and it was great to see students enjoying the campus amongst the background of blooming dogwoods and azaleas. The gathering opened with a Graduating Seniors Dinner with the Board of Trustees and Alumni Council in Memorial Commons.  

We started Friday鈥檚 program with breakfast in Commons. For many of us who graduated before the 鈥渘ew鈥� Commons opened, we couldn鈥檛 help but reminisce about when Commons was in Chase Hall, and the memories many of us had working in Commons, either 鈥渙n the line鈥�, in the dish room, or replenishing the salad bar. Everyone agreed that having the new building has been a great addition, serving as a critical social hub, and we appreciated getting to join with students in enjoying this aspect of campus life.

Please enjoy the summary of our time together below.

Plenary I

Eric Foush茅e, vice president for college advancement, updated the Council on recent developments at 乐播传媒 College, including key staff appointments, and the challenging landscape facing higher education. While 乐播传媒 is fortunately not at the forefront of controversy like some larger institutions, it still faces many relevant issues. Eric praised President Garry Jenkins for his strategic leadership and prudent stewardship of 乐播传媒鈥� approach. 

乐播传媒 has been collaborating with other colleges in the NESCAC network and beyond, leveraging their collective influence and extensive alumni networks. He also noted the importance of effective media relations, highlighting the contributions of Kristen Lainsbury, the new vice president for communications and marketing.

The Council learned about other key hires, including Joanne Roberts, Ph.D., who will join 乐播传媒 College as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, and , the new director of athletics.  

Eric discussed 乐播传媒鈥� partnership with QuestBridge, a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education, and the launch of a new major in Digital and Computational Studies. On the fundraising front, he outlined 乐播传媒鈥� current priorities, emphasizing the need to enhance the endowment and maintain educational quality. He also provided an update on efforts to raise funds for a new fitness facility between Alumni Gym and the Grey Cage.  

Plenary II 

Highlights from the Trustee meetings were shared, with AC President Leah and VP John noting the Trustees鈥� satisfaction with AC鈥檚 committee work and its alignment with 乐播传媒’ priorities. 

We discussed ongoing efforts and task force initiatives related to professional development, awards, governance, and communications. New initiatives being considered for the coming year include supporting 乐播传媒鈥� volunteer experience and MOSAIC. An ongoing theme throughout the working group and plenary discussions was how the Alumni Council鈥檚 profile and mission could be better shared with the 乐播传媒 community.

We then moved into a general discussion about what motivates us to return to campus for Alumni Council meetings. Several key incentives were identified:

• Lodging: Members appreciated having lodging provided, including the option for early arrivals, especially for those wishing to spend more time with students.
  
• Zoom Updates: Members found value in receiving periodic virtual updates on topics such as college finances, admissions, and insights from senior leadership.
  
• Timing of Meetings: The timing of in-person meetings is important. Many members expressed a preference to be on campus when other alumni are present, such as during Back to 乐播传媒 Weekend or Reunion.
  
• Interaction with College Leadership: There was strong support for aligning Alumni Council meetings with those of the 乐播传媒 Fund Executive Committee and Trustee meetings to maximize and leverage opportunities for engagement with college leadership.
  
• Balancing Committee Work and Campus Engagement: We discussed strategies for striking a balance between conducting committee work and staying informed about campus and college updates.
  
• Representing Alumni Voices: A key question was how we, as AC members, can serve as a voice for alumni and support efforts to strengthen alumni engagement and the perceived value of being a 乐播传媒 alum.

Student Networking Lunch 

AC members enjoyed having lunch at the Benjamin Mays Center with a group of seniors to assist them with networking and discuss their plans for next steps and career moves after graduation. Many of them have already found their first jobs successfully. It was interesting to note how many of those opportunities originated from summer internships they secured through the 乐播传媒 Center for Purposeful Work. Even AC members remarked that this was often the case, highlighting the importance of those internships in helping graduates enter the workforce. 

Committee Meetings were held on each of this year鈥檚 AC task force initiatives:

• Professional Development Committee
• Regional Engagement Taskforce
• Governance Committee
• Awards Committee
• Communications Engaging Past Alumni Council Members

A full report of committee activities can be found in the FY25 Alumni Council Impact Report.

Dinner at DaVinci鈥檚

Gathering for an AC group dinner provided a great opportunity to socialize with one another and the 乐播传媒 staff, whose help in planning and hosting a productive and enjoyable weekend on campus is always sincerely appreciated.  It also provided us the opportunity to celebrate and thank retiring AC members, including Dan Barsky and Monica Rodriguez.  

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The next Alumni Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 25-27, 2025.

Alumni Council Membership FY25

25 alumni representing 7 decades, 17 classes, and 12 states/provinces

Get to Know New Council Members

by Monica Rodriguez 鈥�12

As we wrap up another incredible year, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to several members who are rolling off the Alumni Council. Their time, energy, and insights have made a lasting impact, and we鈥檙e so grateful for all they contributed.

A special shoutout to Steve Brackett 鈥�85 P鈥�22, Fadia Felfle 鈥�15, Hank Geng 鈥�13, Kevin Moore, Monica Rodriguez 鈥�12, and Dan Barsky 鈥�03鈥� thank you for your leadership and dedication.

As part of the farewell, two of our outgoing members 鈥� Monica and Dan 鈥� have shared a short video message. Take a moment to hear their reflections and well-wishes as they close out their time on the council.

Council 鈥機ats in the Wild!

Check out these Bobcats in Action. Plus, members dug through their personal archives to share their Puddle Jump moments with you!