Bates College

Bates College, widely regarded as one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the nation, is dedicated to the principle of active engagement. Close collaborations are fostered in small classes and research, but these are only the beginning of the academic journey. Debate overflows onto the quad and into the dining Commons and residence halls. Learning finds expression in good works in our neighborhood and around the globe. Bates is a friendly and unpretentious community whose members care deeply about ideas and principles and value their exchange and examination. Our students are stimulated by good talk, great books and artistic expression, and they welcome the hard academic work that is the price of discovery. Our professors are committed to developing, encouraging and supporting them in their intellectual and personal growth.\r\n\r\nA college founded on egalitarian principles, Bates is recognized for its inclusive social character and progressive tradition. The College is rightly celebrated as one of the first U.S. institutions of higher learning to offer a truly equal-opportunity education. Since its founding in 1855 by Maine abolitionists, Bates has welcomed men and women from diverse racial, ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds. Bates continues to aspire to be a community in which students learn from their differences and celebrate those differences, and the College provides the support, resources and guidance for the hard and sometimes uncomfortable conversations across cultural boundaries.\r\n\r\nAll activities, resources and facilities have always been open to all members of the Bates community. Bates has never allowed organizations such as fraternities or sororities that exclude people. Friendships that flourish among very different types of people, both faculty and students, exemplify the brightest facets of a Bates education.\r\n\r\nBates strives to create a broadly diverse and deeply inclusive community that reflects and explores the world and prepares students for full and active participation in a global society.