The 乐播传媒 Alumni Council proudly announces the recipients of the 2025 Alumni Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions and remarkable achievements that embody the very best of the 乐播传媒 community.

ICYMI: Joanne Roberts to join 乐播传媒

Joanne Roberts, Ph.D., will join 乐播传媒 College as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, effective July 1, 2025.聽DISCOVER MORE ABOUT JOANNE AND HER NEW ROLE AT BATES!

乐播传媒 alumni are making headlines!

From Sarah Sherman-Stokes 鈥�05 shaping the immigration debate to Elizabeth Strout 鈥�77’s latest novel earning major literary recognition, these stories showcase the incredible impact of a 乐播传媒 education.聽READ ABOUT THESE ALUMNI AND MORE!

Below, you will find highlights from the Alumni Council’s work during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Through our annual awards, we recognized six alumni for their commitment to the college, service to their communities, and distinction in their careers. This year, we had the opportunity to celebrate their achievements at Reunion. Please consider nominating outstanding alumni in 2026 for awards.

Six members of the Alumni Council completed their term in June 2025. As we say goodbye to this devoted group of volunteers, we welcome six new members to the Alumni Council. If you are interested in serving on the Council in the future or know of any Alumni who may be interested, please consider submitting a nomination.

It is truly a privilege to serve the 乐播传媒 alumni community. Thank you for making our work representing 乐播传媒 alumni so rewarding. Please do not hesitate to reach out to alumni@bates.edu if you are looking for ways to be more connected or have feedback 鈥� we are here for you.

It鈥檚 a great day to be a Bobcat.

Leah Elsmore 鈥�12, Alumni Council President
John Howard 鈥�86, Alumni Council Vice President

The 乐播传媒 College Alumni Council is the governing body of the Alumni Association and serves as the primary liaison between the Association and the 乐播传媒 administration, faculty, and student body. The purposes of the Alumni Council are to:

• Support the mission, vision, values, and strategic directions of the college and the office of advancement and alumni engagement
• Be a positive, energetic ambassadors for 乐播传媒
• Demonstrate the highest levels of commitment of personal capital to the college and alumni engagement

If you have questions or suggestions about alumni engagement, the Alumni Council can be one of your most effective means of communicating your ideas and concerns. Please send your feedback to us at alumni@bates.edu and check out our website site at . 

Impact Work 鈥� ’24-’25 Accomplishments

Alumni Council members served in an advisory role, providing 乐播传媒 Alumni Office and Advancement staff with alumni perspectives on the value of a 乐播传媒 education and the role 乐播传媒 can play at this moment of major national and global change. The Alumni Council has prioritized networking with current students to encourage them to leverage the power of the 乐播传媒 network and become engaged alumni upon graduation. In partnership with the Center for Purposeful Work, the Alumni Council has hosted several in-person networking sessions with current students to help them hone their skills and begin to make the connections that are critical for success as they start their careers.

Regional Engagement Taskforce

Council Champion: Heather Beebe 鈥�85

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The Regional Engagement Taskforce, a year-long ad hoc committee of the Alumni Council, focused on laying the groundwork for 鈥溊植ゴ� and Beyond鈥�, an initiative to support alumni-initiated and alumni-directed events. The long-term goal is for alumni to be able to host regional programs with remote administrative support and oversight from Alumni Engagement staff. 

✔ Conducted a scan of peer institutions鈥� practices to inform approach.

✔ Developed the strategy, processes, and tools to expand alumni-driven events in key secondary markets.

✔ Testing alumni-interface webpage with detailed 鈥渉ow to host a 乐播传媒 event鈥� guidelines and checklist. Anticipated soft launch in July.

Professional Development

Council Champion: Natalie Adler 鈥�92

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For FY25, the Professional Development subcommittee planned and hosted a four-part webinar series, bringing together over 425+ participants. The webinars leveraged the alumni community’s remarkable breadth and depth of professional experience. With so many 乐播传媒 alumni in attendance, the series received very positive feedback. Participants praised the panels for being insightful, inspiring, and highly relevant. The Alumni Council will continue this program in FY26.

✔ August 07: 鈥淧ursuing a Career in International Affairs鈥�
Hosted by Alumni Council member Patrick Quirk 鈥�03, this session featured panelists Paul Grove 鈥�88, Clerk on the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, Catherine Nzuki 鈥�21, Associate Fellow in the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Eric Adamson 鈥�15, NATO Coordinator at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency based in Stockholm. The conversation centered on the career paths of these alumni and the advice they would give a current 乐播传媒 student or recent grad interested in pursuing a career in foreign affairs. They also shared what they wished they had known beginning their job searches and what they would have done differently. The event wrapped up with questions from the audience and the news of a new 乐播传媒 Foreign Affairs group on LinkedIn.

✔ January 13: 鈥�鈥�
Hosted by Alumni Council members Liza Pearce 鈥�14 and David Akinyemi 鈥�21, this session featured panelists Allie Freed 鈥�16, Non-Profit Coordinator for Higher Ed Gifts/Development and an MBA Candidate; Sarah Sachs, Principal at Sarah Sachs 鈥�18 Consulting; and Walter Washington 鈥�19, Paralegal in Banking/Investments and Associate Assistant Coach. The conversation centered on how these young alumni successfully transitioned from their first jobs to new opportunities, the role of mentorship, and how they leveraged the 乐播传媒 network to support their journeys.

✔ February 11:  鈥�Careers in Scientific Research and Biomedical Professions鈥�
Hosted by Alumni Council member Matt Bogyo 鈥�93, P鈥�27, this panel explored the diverse pathways into scientific research and biomedical careers. Speakers included Karin Borrelli, 鈥�94, MD, Medical Director, Saratoga Hospital, David Ferrone, MD 鈥�96 at Tufts University, Bruce Koch, Ph.D, Senior Director, Discover and Technology Services at Stanford University, Jennifer Shumilla-O鈥橫ahoney, Ph.D 鈥�94,Dartmouth-Senior Project Manager at Genentech, and Cara Starbach, 19, Ph.D student in Chemistry at Stanford. Panelists shared their academic and professional trajectories, and offered valuable insights into advancing careers in science, engineering, and medicine degrees.

✔ April 1: 鈥�Careers in Finance: Bobcat Alumni Insights鈥�
Hosted by Steve Brackett 鈥�85 P鈥�22, Managing Member, and Co-Head of Alternative Investments at Shepherd, Kaplan and Krochuk, Graeme Welds 鈥�15, Vice President, Stewardship and Sustainable Investing at Neuberger Berman, Terry Welch 鈥�83, Managing Director at MFS Investment Management, and Fadia Felfe 鈥�15, Vice President of High Grade and Emerging Markets, Credit Syndicate Desk, JP Morgan Chase. The panel of Alumni Council members offered strategic advice on entering the financial sector, navigating transitions, and building a successful career in business.

Communications and Engaging Past Alumni Council Members

Council Champion: Karen Finocchio 鈥�92

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The committee continued refining the Past Alumni Council Member newsletter. Learnings from the newsletter can be applied to a broader strategy for alumni affinity group engagement. Future work could include a possible pivot into more curated content such as personal Alumni Council stories and creating more dynamic and interactive content for multi-purpose use across social media. The group leveraged lessons learned from the pilot Newsletter to refine future newsletter content.

Statistics from the Fall/Winter Newsletter:

• Opens: 40.1% (65)
• Clicks: 24.7% (40)

Most popular topics: 

• Stories about new and outgoing Alumni Council members
• Subcommittee updates
• Specialty content (i.e. personal connections at 乐播传媒 events, Inauguration, Back to 乐播传媒: Alumni and Family Weekend, and Puddlejump)

Recognition of Alumni Excellence

Council Champion: Chuck James 鈥�78

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2025 Alumni Award Winners:

Alumni Community Service Award: Robin Waterman 鈥�85

Alumni Professional Recognition Award: Dana Bragonier 鈥�95

Bruce Stangle 鈥�70, P鈥�96, GP鈥�26 Award for Distinguished Service to the 乐播传媒 Community: Ann Clark Tucker 鈥�78

Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Nick Beati 鈥�20

Helen A. Papaioanou Distinguished Service Award: Geri Fitzgerald 鈥�75

Sesquicentennial Prize: Derek Anderson 鈥�85

Awards will be presented at the Presidential Address and Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association during Reunion Weekend.

Governance 鈥� FY25

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Membership:

• Leah Elsmore 鈥�12 began her term as President and John Howard 鈥�86 began his term as Vice President in July 2024.

• We received 23 nominations for new members of the Alumni Council.

• Six new members, representing the 鈥�70鈥檚, 鈥�90鈥檚, 鈥�00鈥檚, and 鈥�20鈥檚 were elected to join the Alumni Council in FY26.

• The following members have completed their second term on the Alumni Council and will be rolling off: Dan Barsky 鈥�03, Fadia Felfe 鈥�15, Kevin Moore 鈥�93 (Past President), Monica Rodriguez 鈥�12, and Steve Brackett 鈥�85, P鈥�22. Hank Geng 鈥�13, President of the College Key, will also conclude his time on the Alumni Council as his term of President concludes.

Alumni Council Membership FY25

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

“It is truly inspiring to witness the profound impact our alumni are making in diverse fields and communities around the globe,” said Leah Elsmore 鈥�12, President of the 乐播传媒 Alumni Council. “This year’s award recipients embody the core values instilled at 乐播传媒, and their dedication serves as a powerful reminder of the potential within our alumni network.”

The recipients will be honored at the Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association during Reunion on June 7, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at 乐播传媒 College.

For more information about 乐播传媒 College and the Alumni Awards, please visit /alumni/recognition/

Mark your calendars! FBA Challenge:
April 30 – May 2, 2025.

Save the date! The Friends of 乐播传媒 Athletics (FBA) Challenge returns April 30 through May 2, 2025. This is your chance to show your Bobcat pride and directly support student-athletes at 乐播传媒. During these three days, we encourage alumni to make gifts that champion their favorite varsity and club teams.

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)

No winter blues for these Bobcats! Our alumni have been busy gathering for events across the country in recent months. One highlight was MOSAIC at the Met, where alumni toured a special exhibit together. After the museum visit, they engaged in discussions about the art while enjoying delicious food and drinks. The venue provided an ideal setting for stimulating conversation and meaningful connections. VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

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Reunion Early Bird Rates Extended to April 8!

You鈥檙e in luck! The Early Bird deadline has been extended to Tuesday, April 8.

Sign up this week to save 10% (discount automatically applied during registration).

Tax Season & Your 乐播传媒
Legacy

The American Council on Gift Annuities announced that gift annuity rates will remain at their highest level in a decade! It is a good time to consider a as a part of your 乐播传媒 giving. Donors aged 70 陆 can also consider using .

Alumni Updates

Brian Staskawicz 鈥�74

Director of Sustainable Agriculture at Innovative Genomics Institute, Brian Staskawicz 鈥�74, has won the prestigious 2025 Wolf Prize in Agriculture! Often considered the Nobel Prize of agricultural science, this award recognizes Brian鈥檚 40+ years of pioneering research in plant immunity.

Lisa Genova 鈥�92

From neuroscience to bestselling fiction, Lisa Genova 鈥�92 continues to captivate readers with her deep storytelling and scientific insight. Her latest book, More or Less Maddy, is another powerful exploration of the brain and the human experience. Dive into this interview to learn more about Lisa鈥檚 journey and incredible work!

Mount David Summit

Held on April 4, 2025, the Summit is a campus-wide event showcasing student research, presentations, and artistic work. Join students from all disciplines to celebrate their academic achievements and engage with their scholarly endeavors. LEARN MORE

WE DID IT!

Wow 鈥� what an incredible Great Day to be a Bobcat! Thanks to the generosity of more than 2,499 alumni, families, and friends, we raised over $1,247,332 in immediate-use gifts for today鈥檚 students and faculty.

THANK YOU!

Great Day is Almost Here鈥擩oin the Celebration!

Mark your calendar for March 13 and help us reach our goal of 1,855 donors! Show your 乐播传媒 pride and make a difference for students by making your best gift.

Starting at noon EDT, we will be bringing 乐播传媒 to you with our “Great Day to be a Bobcat” livestream. Let鈥檚 come together to celebrate what makes 乐播传媒 special!

乐播传媒 Alumni in
the News

乐播传媒 alumni are making waves! From uncovering border tragedies (Jack Sapoch 鈥�18) to exploring Black girl joy (Alexandria Onuoha 鈥�20), and tackling bipolar disorder in literature (Lisa Genova 鈥�92), our Bobcats are impacting the world in powerful ways.

CATCH UP ON ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

National Girls & Women in Sports Day

Smiles and swings! 乐播传媒 student-athletes inspired local children on National Girls & Women in Sports Day, sharing their love of the game and building confidence.

Read about the joyful day of clinics and community!

Time Management for New Professionals & New Managers

Conquer time management! Learn practical tips for new professionals and managers in our upcoming webinar. Registration is free! LEARN MORE. LEARN MORE

MOSAIC News & Stories

There have been many exciting developments for 乐播传媒 Alumni MOSAIC on and off campus, so we wanted to share them all with you! LEARN MORE

In this issue, please enjoy the following topics:

We want to encourage you to continue to engage with us and the events and offerings of 乐播传媒 and our alumni community. We look forward to seeing you in your communities and/or on campus. Please look at the calendar of events to find one in your community.  As always, we want to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to alumni@bates.edu with content ideas, discussion topics, or questions.

At your service,

The 2024-25 Alumni Council

Fall Meeting Summary

by Terry Welch 鈥�83

Our September in-person meeting was scheduled over Back to 乐播传媒 weekend, September 27^th – 28^th.  This allowed us to take advantage of all the programming available over the weekend, including various seminars, gatherings, and sporting events. Due to heavy demand for hotel rooms around 乐播传媒, we stayed at the Hilton Double Tree on Airport Road in Portland 鈥� the two imposing round buildings you see from the Maine Turnpike on the right as you head North.  

It was a blustery and rainy night when we arrived at our lodgings.  The Alumni Council joined the 乐播传媒 Fund Executive Committee (BFEC) for a welcome dinner at RiRa Irish Pub on the Portland waterfront Friday night, which gave us a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.  

In our first meeting in their roles as new President, Leah Elsmore 鈥�12 and Vice President John Howard 鈥�86 welcomed new members to the Committee: Liza Danello Pearce 鈥�14, Porsha Winters 鈥�12, Tim Jones 鈥�84, and Wendy Harris Garber 鈥�89.  The day鈥檚 agenda was a combination of general plenary discussions and sessions dedicated to updates and next-step plannings for our 4 working groups: Professional Development Committee, Regional Engagement Task Force, Communications and Engaging Past AC Committee (providers of this newsletter!), and the Governance Committee. Except for Governance, the other working group/committee updates were open to any members of the Council interested in hearing more about what the groups are working on and contributing ideas for future consideration.  

Center for Purposeful Work organized a 鈥淪tudent Networking Lunch鈥� designed to provide those students participating with tips and practical experience on how to network effectively. Twenty-four students registered for the event.  Two or three 乐播传媒 Alumni Council (BAC) members sat at various tables in a private dining room off of Commons and were joined by a few students to help hone their skills to gracefully enter and exit conversations, tactfully share information about themselves, and ask engaging questions of others. After 15 minutes, the students rotated to new tables and engaged with other committee members.  

Other meetings included joint sessions with BFEC volunteers for an Advancement Update with Eric Foushee, Vice President for College Advancement, and a brainstorming session describing 乐播传媒鈥� value proposition. Ideas raised included both the benefits of developing a liberal arts foundation, learning how to learn, softer skills around creative thinking, oral and written expression, skills around debate, and balancing those with practical skills centered on finding enjoyable and adequately lucrative employment 鈥� especially earlier in one鈥檚 career when challenges of finding those first jobs can be most daunting.  

Some of the events scheduled around Back to 乐播传媒 that we were able to leverage and enjoy included:

• Senior Leadership Panel: 乐播传媒 and the Future of Liberal Arts Education with President Gary Jenkins, Leana E. Am谩ez, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, Erin Foster Zsiga, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Malcolm S. Hill, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, Brittany Longsdorf, Multifaith Chaplain & Moderator
• Summer Research Poster Session in the Perry Atrium of Pettengill, which was full of fascinating displays students had created to illustrate research projects they were happy to help further explain to Alumni Council members, along with all of the parents and other alumni in attendance.  
• Shabbat Evening Services and Dinner 
• Women鈥檚 volleyball in a close match vs. Tufts
• Acapella concert in the Cage
• MOSAIC Families, Student and Alumni Networking Event in the Bonney Science Center and a chance to meet the new Director of Alumni and Parent Equity and Inclusion Programs, Danny Chin.
• 2024 Summer Internship Panel with Purposeful Work
• Various athletic competitions: Men鈥檚 Soccer vs. Amherst; 乐播传媒 Rugby vs. UNE: 
• Historic Campus Tour with Muskie Archives
• And a Community BBQ Lunch in Commons

Overall, the BAC was very happy to have the opportunity to once again gather in person, especially following the sad events in Lewiston in the fall of 2023, which shut down the entire Lewiston-Auburn community and prevented our meeting originally scheduled for that tragic weekend. Over our meeting this September, we were glad to see the healing occurring within Lewiston and Auburn, and on campus at 乐播传媒. In many ways, dealing with the aftermath of those events has brought 乐播传媒 and the broader community closer, and we reviewed ways to continue contributing to those positive developments, such as the annual Trick or Treat campus event, and plan to continue offering into the future. 

We also discussed the pros and cons of having our Fall on-campus BAC meeting coincide with Back to 乐播传媒 weekend. While we enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the broader program events and positive energy surrounding Back to 乐播传媒, overlapping did present certain challenges, mostly around putting a bit more stress on staff supporting dual programming, needing to stay further from campus, and less time to spend time together and with BFEC outside of the scheduled meetings. We鈥檒l do more follow-up and surveying of members to plan going forward if meeting over Back to 乐播传媒 or another weekend would be preferred.

Get to Know New Council Members

by Monica Rodriguez 鈥�12

The 乐播传媒 College Alumni Council is thrilled to welcome Tim Jones 鈥�84, a Chemistry major turned Vice President of Business Development at a polymers and plastics company. Passionate about mentoring 乐播传媒 students and supporting 乐播传媒 Athletics, especially Men鈥檚 Basketball, Tim brings a dedication to sharing knowledge and strengthening connections within the 乐播传媒 community. Living in South Florida with his wife, Maxine 鈥�88, Tim enjoys playing basketball, cycling, and exploring his love of food. He鈥檚 excited to contribute fresh ideas and inspire engagement among alumni and students alike. Read on to learn more about Tim!

Council 鈥機ats in the Wild!

Check out these Bobcats in Action: Alumni Council Photo & Video Gallery

Thank you to our donors and volunteers.

Thank you for making 2023-2024 a remarkable year! Over 8,600 alumni, families, and friends contributed $31.2 million in gifts and commitments, including a record-breaking $7.83 million to the 乐播传媒 Fund. Your generosity strengthens the 乐播传媒 community, ensuring a bright future for students and faculty.

Discover how your contributions to 乐播传媒 significantly impact students like Peace Ekechukwu 鈥�26, who secured a transformative internship with Rachel Ferrante 鈥�10 at the Maine MILL, as highlighted in the 2024 Report of Giving.

Portland Presidential Welcome Reception

Join us for an exciting evening at Grace in Portland, ME, as we welcome 乐播传媒 College鈥檚 ninth president, Garry W. Jenkins! Connect with fellow alumni, parents, and friends while celebrating 乐播传媒 and its future. Don’t miss out鈥�RSVP today and see who’s attending!

Time is running short to add your business!

Calling all alumni entrepreneurs! Share your business in our special Alumni Gift Guide and connect your products and services with fellow Bobcats who are eager to support alumni-owned businesses.

Whether you’re an artisan, author, retailer, or service provider, this is your opportunity to showcase your business to our Bobcat community during peak holiday shopping season. Submit your business by November 6.

Celebrate a fellow Bobcat!

Now accepting nominations for鈥�

Alumni Awards

Know an alum who has made a meaningful impact on 乐播传媒 or the wider world? Whether it’s in their community or on behalf of 乐播传媒, we want to celebrate Bobcats who give back. Help us recognize their achievements, dedication, and contributions to the 乐播传媒 community and beyond by nominating them for an award. Submit your nomination today!

Award Nominations

Alumni Council

Members of the Alumni Council return to campus twice a year to collaborate with fellow alumni across generations, advise on key alumni engagement initiatives, and play an active role in advancing 乐播传媒鈥� mission. If you or a fellow Bobcat is passionate about staying connected to 乐播传媒 and helping build a vibrant alumni community, consider submitting a nomination today!

Member Nominations

Veterans Day

Join us for a Veterans Day centering moment on November 11 at 9 a.m. at 乐播传媒 Veterans Plaza. Together we will hear reflective readings and interfaith prayers, observe silence, and share in the ritual of laying flowers of remembrance on the memorial.聽LEARN MORE

Regional Volunteers Wanted!

Sign up to become a Regional Network Volunteer and help connect the Bobcat community by welcoming alumni, hosting events, and expanding your 乐播传媒 network in your city.

LEARN MORE

Sue Edna Houchins Memorial Fund

乐播传媒 College is establishing the聽in honor of the late Associate Professor Sue E. Houchins, who passed away on August 18 at the age of 80. This fund will provide an annual award to a senior whose thesis or capstone reflects Professor Houchins鈥� diverse academic interests, including Africana studies, gender, race, and聽Black identity.