Bates College facts for kids
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| Latin: Academia Batesina | |
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Former name
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Maine State Seminary (1855–1863) |
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| Motto | Amore Ac Studio (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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With Ardor and Devotion by Charles Sumner |
| Type | Private liberal arts college |
| Established | March 16, 1855 |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
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Academic affiliations
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Space-grant, Annapolis Group |
| Endowment | $418 million (2022) |
| Budget | $119.8 million (2018–19) |
| Chairman | John Gillespie |
| President | Garry Jenkins |
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Academic staff
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190 (2017–18) |
| Undergraduates | 1,821 (2022) |
| Location |
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U.S.
44°6′20″N 70°12′15″W / 44.10556°N 70.20417°W |
| Campus | Main campus: 133 acres Bates Mountain: 600 acres Coastal Center: 80 acres Total holdings: 813 acres |
| Colors | Garnet |
| Nickname | Bobcats |
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Sporting affiliations
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Bates College is a private college in Lewiston, Maine. It focuses on a wide range of subjects, including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The college campus covers about 813 acres, including a large nature preserve called the "Bates-Morse Mountain".
Bates is known for its strong academic programs. All students complete a special project or thesis before they graduate. It's part of the "Maine Big Three" colleges. Bates also has 31 varsity sports teams and 13 club teams. They compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). The Bates athletic program has helped many students become Olympians and All-Americans.
Discovering Bates College
How Bates College Started
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Bates College was founded by Oren B. Cheney. He believed in fairness for everyone, no matter their race or gender. He also supported religious freedom. In 1855, the Maine State Seminary was created. It was one of the first colleges in New England to allow both boys and girls to study together.
Soon, generous people helped the school grow. Seth Hathorn donated money for the first library and academic building, which is now called Hathorn Hall. In 1863, the school was renamed Bates College to honor Benjamin Bates IV, a Boston businessman who gave a lot of money to the college. Two years later, in 1865, Mary Mitchell Birchall became the first woman in New England to earn a college degree from Bates.
Bates College was different from other colleges at the time. It welcomed students from all backgrounds. The college didn't allow fraternities and sororities because they could be too exclusive. Senator Charles Sumner gave Bates its motto: Amore Ac Studio, which means "With Ardor and Devotion."
Many important people attended Bates in its early years. Holman Melcher, a military officer, graduated before the American Civil War. Henry Wilkins Chandler became the college's first African American student in 1874. In 1884, Ella Knowles Haskell became the first woman to argue a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bates in the 1900s
In 1894, George C. Chase helped Bates become more well-known across the country. The Bates Outing Club was started in 1920. It's one of the oldest college outdoor clubs and was one of the first to include both men and women.
The Brooks Quimby Debate Council at Bates is the oldest coeducational debate team in the U.S. In 1921, they were the first college debate team in the United States to compete internationally against the Oxford Union from the University of Oxford.
During the 1940s, Robert F. Kennedy, who later became a U.S. Attorney General, studied at Bates as part of a Navy program. The college also worked to become more welcoming to students from all backgrounds.
In 1964, Bates joined with Colby College and Bowdoin College to form the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium. This group of colleges works together on academics and sports. In 1984, Bates was one of the first colleges to make SAT and ACT scores optional for admissions. This meant students could choose whether or not to send their test scores.
Bates in the 2000s
Elaine Tuttle Hansen became the first female president of Bates College. She helped raise a lot of money for the college. In 2012, Clayton Spencer became president. She focused on making the college more diverse and increasing financial aid for students.
Bates works hard to make college affordable for students who need financial help. In 2017, Michael Bonney and his wife donated $50 million to the college for a big fundraising campaign. In 2023, Garry Jenkins became the first Black president of Bates College.
Learning at Bates College
Bates is a private college that offers many different subjects. Students can choose from 36 majors and 25 smaller areas of study. They earn either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. About 1,792 students attend Bates, and many of them study abroad.
The school year has three parts: two main semesters and a "Short Term" in the spring. During Short Term, students take one class for five weeks. This allows them to study a topic in great detail. Students must complete two Short Terms to graduate.
Popular majors at Bates include:
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Economics
- Biology
- History
- Biochemistry
- Environmental Studies
Bates also has a special program where students can study for three years at Bates and then two years at an engineering school like Dartmouth College or Columbia University. This allows them to earn degrees from both colleges.
How Students Learn
When students first arrive at Bates, they take a special seminar. This class helps them learn how to research, write, and think critically. These skills are important for all their studies at Bates. Seminars cover many different topics, from science to history.
Before graduating, every student completes a senior thesis or capstone project. This big project shows what they've learned in their major. It involves a lot of research and new ideas.
Bates also has an Honors Program. It's like the special learning style at Oxford and Cambridge universities, where students work closely with a professor on their thesis.
Research and Professors
Bates College receives money for research from the National Science Foundation. Students can also get grants to do their own research projects. These grants can range from $300 to over $200,000 for longer research programs.
Bates has been important in scientific discoveries. For example, George S. Hammond, a Bates alumnus, helped create the field of inorganic photochemistry. Another alumnus, Steven Girvin, helped develop the fractional quantum Hall effect in physics.
On top of the Carnegie Science Hall is the Stephens Observatory. It has a powerful telescope used for research by the college and local groups.
Bates has about 190 professors for 1,780 students. This means there are about 10 students for every professor. Most classes have about 15 students. All full-time professors have the highest degree in their field.
Mount David Summit
Every year, Bates holds the Mount David Summit. This event allows students to show off their research, art, and other projects. It's named after Mount David, a hill on campus. Students give presentations, show films, and have discussions. The summit started in 2002.
Becoming a Bates Student
Bates College is a very selective school. For the class of 2023, only about 12.1% of students who applied were accepted. This was the lowest acceptance rate ever for the college.
Bates has a "Test Optional Policy." This means students can choose whether or not to send their SAT or ACT scores when they apply. Students who don't send scores do just as well in college as those who do.
Paying for Bates
For the 2016–17 school year, the total cost for tuition, room, and board was about $66,550. Bates uses a "need-blind admission" process for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. This means they don't look at how much money a student's family has when deciding whether to admit them. If a student is accepted, Bates promises to meet all of their demonstrated financial need. This means they provide enough financial aid so the student can afford to attend.
Bates does not offer scholarships based on sports or academic merit. However, they cover 100% of a student's financial need. The average financial aid package is about $42,217. In 2014, 44% of students received financial aid.
Student Backgrounds
For the class of 2019, about 49% of students were male and 51% were female. About 27% of U.S. students were students of color. About 13% were the first in their family to go to college. Students come from all 50 U.S. states and 73 different countries.
College Rankings
| USNWR Liberal Arts College | 24 |
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| Washington Monthly Liberal Arts | 49 |
| Forbes | 127 |
Bates is known as one of the "Little Ivies" and "Hidden Ivies". These are groups of excellent colleges. U.S. News & World Report ranked Bates 24th among all liberal arts colleges in the nation in 2024. Forbes ranked Bates 39th nationally among all U.S. colleges and universities in 2019.
Life on Campus
Bates College is located in Lewiston, Maine, a town with a rich history. The college buildings have a classic look, with styles like Neoclassical and Georgian. Many buildings on campus share designs with other famous universities like Dartmouth College and Yale University.
The main campus is 133 acres. Bates also has a 600-acre nature area called Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area and an 80-acre Coastal Center.
Bates has three libraries with over 1 million books, articles, and other items. The George and Helen Ladd Library is the largest. It holds important historical documents, like copies of the original Constitution of Maine and personal letters from famous people.
The campus has 33 Victorian Houses, 9 residential halls, and a residential village where students live. There are also 12 academic buildings. Lane Hall is the main administration building.
Olin Arts Center
The Olin Arts Center is where students study art and music. It has soundproof studios, classrooms, practice rooms with pianos, and a large concert hall with 300 seats. The center was given to Bates by the F. W. Olin Foundation in 1986. Many famous artists have visited and taught at the center.
Museum of Art
The Bates College Museum of Art was founded in 1955. It has about 5,000 pieces of modern and historical art from around the world. The museum also has over 100 original artworks by Marsden Hartley. The museum hosts talks, workshops, and student exhibits. About 20,000 people visit the museum each year.
Bates-Morse Mountain Area
This 600-acre nature area is used by Bates students for learning, outdoor activities, and research. It has salt marshes and coastal uplands. The college works to protect the plants and animals in this area. Other schools, like Bowdoin College, also use this area for activities like Nordic Skiing.
Student Life
Bates College is known for its great food! In 2015, its dining program was ranked 6th in the United States by The Princeton Review. The main dining area is called "The Commons." Bates Dining Services tries to buy food from local farms and producers in Maine. There's also an on-campus restaurant called The Den.
Students and staff on campus have access to medical services and security protection 24/7.
Bates holds an annual "Harvest Dinner" around Thanksgiving. It's a big meal with New England foods and live music. Martin Luther King Day is also a special day at Bates. Classes are canceled, and there are performances and talks about fairness and equality.
Bates offers students 110 clubs and organizations. The largest is the Outing Club, which organizes trips like canoeing, kayaking, camping, and hiking all over Maine. While Bates doesn't have fraternities or sororities, students form many other social groups.
Student News and Radio
The oldest newspaper at Bates College is The Bates Student, started in 1873. It's one of the oldest college newspapers that has been published continuously and the oldest co-ed college weekly in the country. Many alumni who worked on the newspaper have gone on to win awards like the Pulitzer Prize.
WRBC is the college radio station of Bates College. It started in 1958. In 2015, The Princeton Review ranked it as the 12th best college radio station in the U.S. and Canada.
A Cappella Groups
Bates has five auditioned a cappella singing groups. The Deansmen and Manic Optimists are all-male groups. The Merminaders are all-female. TakeNote and the Crosstones are co-ed groups.
Brooks Quimby Debate Council
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The debate team at Bates is even older than the college itself! It started at the Maine State Seminary, making it the oldest coeducational college debate society in the United States. It was led by Brooks Quimby, who also mentored Robert F. Kennedy.
The Quimby Debate Society is known as "America's most prestigious debating society." Bates has traditional debates with Oxford, Cambridge, and Dartmouth College. The team competes nationally and internationally. In 2013, it was ranked 5th nationally and 9th in the world.
Bates Traditions
Ivy Day
On Ivy Day, graduating students place a special granite plaque on one of the campus buildings. These plaques symbolize their class and their time at Bates. This tradition is shared with other famous universities. On this day, students who are part of the Phi Beta Kappa Society (a very old and respected honor society) are also announced.
Winter Carnival
This tradition is almost 100 years old! Every year, Bates holds a Winter Carnival, a four-day event with performances, dances, and games. Past carnivals have included snow sculptures and expeditions. This tradition is one of the oldest of its kind in the United States.
Puddle Jump
On the Friday of Winter Carnival, the Bates College Outing Club hosts the annual Puddle Jump. A hole is cut in Lake Andrews, and students jump into the cold water, sometimes in costumes! It's a fun way to celebrate the end of winter. Afterward, everyone enjoys donuts, cider, and a cappella performances.
Bates Sports
Bates College's mascot is the bobcat, and its official color is garnet. Bates competes in the NCAA Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). This conference includes other colleges like Amherst, Middlebury, and its rivals Bowdoin and Colby. The football rivalry between Bates, Colby, and Bowdoin is one of the oldest in the U.S.
Bates has won the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium championship 11 times, including in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
The Women's Rowing Team at Bates is ranked 1st in the NESCAC and 1st overall in NCAA Division III Rowing. In 2015, they won every major rowing competition in their conference. The Men's Rowing Team is also very strong.
As of 2018, 12 Bates alumni have become Olympians. One even won an Olympic Gold Medal in rowing for Canada at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The ice hockey team has won the NESCAC Club Ice Hockey Championships four times in a row. The Men's Squash Team won national championships in 2015 and 2016. The men's track and field team was the first in Maine history to win the state championship seven times in a row.
Bates has 31 varsity teams and 9 club teams, including sailing, cycling, ice hockey, rugby, and water polo.
Being Green at Bates
Bates College is very committed to being environmentally friendly. In 2005, Bates decided to buy all its electricity from renewable energy sources in Maine. In 2007, the college signed a pledge to reduce its impact on the climate.
In 2008, Bates opened its new dining complex, "The Commons." This building is designed to be very energy efficient. It has special sensors, natural ventilation, and uses less harmful refrigerants.
Bates has received awards for its sustainability efforts. In 2010, it was named one of the top 15 "Green Honor Roll" colleges by the Princeton Review. The college uses technology to save energy in its buildings and has installed systems that provide heating for most of the campus using sustainable methods.
The college also has many environmental clubs and programs. For example, Green Bike offers students free access to bicycles. The Bates College Museum of Art has programs that explore environmentalism through art.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Bates for using 96% renewable energy on campus. All new buildings at Bates are built to high environmental standards. Bates College achieved complete carbon neutrality in 2019, meaning it balances its carbon emissions with efforts to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
How Bates is Managed
Bates College is run by its central administration, located in "Lane Hall." The first president was the college's founder, Oren Burbank Cheney. The current president is Garry Jenkins. There have been eight presidents of Bates College. The president is also a member and leader of the board of trustees.
The board of trustees has 37 members. The current chairman is John Gillespie.
College Funds and Donations
Bates College is a nonprofit organization. Its endowment (money saved for the future) helps support the college. Bates has worked to increase its endowment and fundraising efforts.
In 2017, President Clayton Spencer announced the "Bates+You" fundraising campaign, which aimed to raise $300 million. This was the largest fundraising effort ever for the college.
Students have also asked the college to invest in more environmentally friendly companies. Bates has explained its investment strategy and its commitment to growing the endowment to support the college's future.
Famous Bates Alumni
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Bryant Gumbel, a well-known journalist.
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Holman Melcher, a military officer.
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Benjamin Mays, a leader in the civil rights movement.
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E. Robert Kinney, former CEO of General Mills.
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Jared Golden, a U.S. Congressman.
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Edmund Muskie, former U.S. Secretary of State.
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George S. Hammond, a famous scientist.
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Robert F. Kennedy, a U.S. politician.
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Many Bates alumni have become leaders in various fields like science, politics, medicine, and business. As of 2015, there are 24,000 Bates College alumni.
Bates alumni and faculty have made important contributions, including:
- Helping to create braille typography (Frank Haven Hall)
- Leading the American civil rights movement (Benjamin Mays)
- Developing basketball's fast break (Frank Keaney)
- Founding members of the Boston Red Sox (Harry Lord)
- Key discoveries in physics (Steven Girvin) and chemistry (George S. Hammond)
In government, Bates alumni include:
- Edmund Muskie (1936), former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator.
- Robert F. Kennedy (1944), former U.S. Attorney General.
- Many members of the U.S. Congress, such as Jared Golden (2011).
Bates alumni have also achieved success in business, finance, and economics, including CEOs of major companies like General Mills (E. Robert Kinney).
In arts and media, Bates alumni include:
- Actors John Shea and Maria Bamford.
- Journalist Bryant Gumbel.
- Writers like Elizabeth Strout and Lisa Genova.
Bates also has 12 Olympian alumni, who have competed in the Olympic Games.
See also
- New England Small College Athletic Conference
- List of colleges and universities in Maine
- Hidden Ivies: Thirty Colleges of Excellence
- Liberal arts colleges in the United States
- List of colleges and universities in Maine
