2023 - It's a Great Day to be a Bobcat!

2,316
Donors
124% of 1,855 Donor goal
$839,061
Donated
This campaign ended on March 16, 2023, but you can still make a gift to Bates College by clicking here!
About


Join the party as we celebrate the college’s birthday — and this year’s Great Day giving celebration — on March 16, 2023.


The festivities start at noon EDT, with our GREAT DAY TO BE A BOBCAT LIVESTREAM. Tune in for this Great Day tradition featuring familiar campus faces and current students!


Help make this birthday the best ever. Your Great Day gift to Bates and your participation is the BEST birthday present of all!

Matches & Challenges
Trophy

Donation Challenge

$100,000 if 1,435 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

Offered by A Bates Family

Check
Trophy

Donation Challenge

$12,500 if 40 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Parents (2023)

Offered by A group of 2023 Families

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Trophy

Donation Challenge

$10,000 if 50 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Parents (2025)

Offered by A 2025 Bates Family

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Trophy

Donation Challenge

$1,000 if 20 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 2015

Offered by Haley Keegan and Graeme Welds

Check
Trophy

Donation Challenge

$1,000 if 30 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 2018

Offered by Quintin Pollart

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Trophy

Donation Challenge

$550 if 10 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 1968

Offered by Maureen E Bartlett

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Trophy

Donation Challenge

$500 if 50 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 1986

Offered by John P. Howard

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Gift

Donation Match

$375 per donor up to $15,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1996

Offered by An anonymous '96 classmate

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$250 per donor up to $5,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1972

Offered by John Sninsky

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$250 per donor up to $5,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2000

Offered by Jeff Snyder

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Trophy

Donation Challenge

$250 if 25 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 1997

Offered by Todd Zinn

Check
Trophy

Donation Challenge

$250 if 10 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 1990

Offered by Bob Deininger

Check
Trophy

Donation Challenge

$200 if 10 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 2006

Offered by Grace Liu

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Gift

Donation Match

$125 per donor up to $5,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1991

Offered by Scott Higgins '91, P'27

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$100 per donor up to $6,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1985

Offered by Heather Beebe, David Flash, Allison Webster Matlack, Atea Martin, Sean Ryan, and Mike Hogan

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$100 per donor up to $6,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2008

Offered by Two anonymous 2008 classmates

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$100 per donor up to $5,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1995

Offered by Anonymous

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$100 per donor up to $4,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2003

Offered by Anonymous

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$100 per donor up to $2,600

Match Complete!

For Class of 2002

Offered by Will Coghlan, Dan Driscoll, Al Haber, Liz Libre, Peter Ryan and Adam Stern

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$100 per donor up to $2,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1973

Offered by Tom Carey '73

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Trophy

Donation Challenge

$100 if 10 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 2007

Offered by Molly and George Carr

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Trophy

Donation Challenge

$100 if 10 donors give in the next over 1 year

Challenge Complete!

For Class of 1986

Offered by Tracy Zordan

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$89 per donor up to $3,649

Match Complete!

For Class of 1989

Offered by Win Brown, Sally Ehrenfried and Matt Schecter

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$83 per donor up to $1,328

Match Complete!

For Class of 1983

Offered by 40th Reunion Committee

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$80 per donor up to $2,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2001

Offered by Jen Crawford and Ryan Bouchard

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$50 per donor up to $1,855

Match Complete!

For Class of 2008

Offered by Leo Menard

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$50 per donor up to $1,250

Match Complete!

For Class of 1999

Offered by Jenn Lemkin Bouchard '99

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$50 per donor up to $250

Match Complete!

Offered by Angela Knox-Pyaesone

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$40 per donor up to $3,520

Match Complete!

Offered by Mary Capaldi Gonzales

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$40 per donor up to $2,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1994

Offered by Jennifer Lockhart Nespole '94, P'23

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$40 per donor up to $400

Match Complete!

For Alumni (1983)

Offered by Nancy Blackburn Sparks and Terry Welch

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$30 per donor up to $1,500

Match Complete!

For Class of 1993

Offered by Lauren Fine

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$30 per donor up to $1,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2010

Offered by Mike Nadler

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$30 per donor up to $1,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2011

Offered by Flora Rice-Chan, Meg Curran and Dan Naparstek

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $5,000

Match Complete!

For Classes between 2019 & 2022

Offered by Pam Batchelder Johnson '91

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $1,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2009

Offered by Anthony Timberman '09

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $1,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1988

Offered by Lisa Romeo

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $550

Match Complete!

For Class of 1976

Offered by Norm Wentworth

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $500

Match Complete!

For Class of 1990

Offered by Sarah Stone

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $500

Match Complete!

For Class of 1975

Offered by An Anonymous Classmate '75

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $250

Match Complete!

For Class of 2007

Offered by Katy Corrado

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$24 per donor up to $2,000

Match Complete!

For Parents (2024)

Offered by A Class of 2024 Family

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$21 per donor up to $21

Match Complete!

For Alumni (2021)

Offered by David Akinyemi

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$15 per donor up to $250

Match Complete!

For Alumni (2017)

Offered by Clarke Shipley

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$10 per donor up to $800

Match Complete!

For Class of 2013

Offered by Cat Djang

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$10 per donor up to $200

Match Complete!

For Class of 2005

Offered by Larry Handerhan

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$10 per donor up to $150

Match Complete!

For Financial Aid

Offered by Evan Bagley

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$10 per donor up to $100

Match Complete!

For Class of 2005

Offered by Melissa Geissler

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$10 per donor up to $100

Match Complete!

For Faculty/Staff

Offered by Erin Brown

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$2 per donor up to $200

Match Complete!

For Class of 1986

Offered by Erica Seifert Plunkett

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$1 per $1 donated up to $25,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 1978

Offered by Anonymous '78 Classmate

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$1 per donor up to $4,000

Match Complete!

For Class of 2004

Offered by Anonymous

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$25 per donor up to $250

Match Complete!

For Class of 2004

Offered by Anonymous

Check
Gift

Donation Match

$100 per donor up to $9,800

Match Complete!

For Class of 1998

Offered by An anonymous '98 couple

Check
Incentives
Earn a bar of Seattle Chocolate, co-owned by Jean Joyce Deloucas '82!
Generate 1 Gift
Earn a deck of Bates playing cards!
Generate 3 Gifts
Earn your choice of a Bates hat or t-shirt!
Generate 5 Gifts
Updates
We did it! Thank you for making Great Day to be a Bobcat a success!

Great Day to be a Bobcat has come to an incredible end. Thank you to our amazing community for driving past our goal of 1,855 donors and generating additional funds for the college. Your gifts honor the Bates of yesterday and today and ensure the college can look to a dynamic and transformative future. Thank YOU! 

597 days ago by Nina Emmi
1,855! Way to go, Bobcats!

We did it! With Andrew Seaton '15’s gift, we have surpassed our 1,855 donor goal - and received a matching gift of $100,000 from a generous Bates family!

With only a few hours left, why stop at 1,855 donors? There are still several class-based challenges for alumni and parents, so don’t miss out on these amazing opportunities to amplify your gift.

Let’s keep the momentum going!

598 days ago by Sarah Tiedemann
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BATES!

Join the party as we celebrate Bates’ birthday and this year’s Great Day to be a Bobcat celebration. Let’s come together as a community to celebrate the many reasons that Bates is special to all of us. Make sure to tune into the livestream starting at noon EDT. 

Help make this birthday the best ever. Your Great Day gift to Bates and your participation is the BEST birthday present of all!

598 days ago by Nina Emmi
BIG NEWS! It's GREAT!

When we reach our goal of 1,855 gifts from alumni, parents, and friends, an anonymous Bates family will add $100,000 to our Great Day giving total. What a fantastic way to celebrate the 168th birthday of Bates - and of the Bobcat!

605 days ago by Nina Emmi
Livestream Schedule

Join us at noon on March 16 for the Great Day livestream! 

12:00 pm EDT

Clayton Spencer, President

Eric Foushee P’22, P’26, Vice President for College Advancement

Erin Brown P’25, Assistant Vice President for College Advancement

12:50 pm 

Kirk Read, Professor of French and Francophone Studies

Christine Schwartz, Associate Vice President for Dining, Conferences and Campus Events

1:40 pm

Tonya Bailey-Curry LMSW-cc, Director for Special Projects

Darby Ray, Director of the Harward Center for Community Partnerships and Donald W. and Ann M. Harward Professor of Civic Engagement 

2:30 pm

Cary Gemmer Blake ‘07, Senior Leadership Gifts Officer 

Richard McNeil ‘10, Leadership Gifts Officer

Mike Rocque, Associate Professor of Sociology

3:20 pm

The Bobcast with Aaron Morse 

4:10 pm

Audrey Burns '17, Associate Dean of Admission

Jay Burns P'17, P'19, Editorial Director and Bates Magazine Editor

Johie Seltzer '03, Senior Associate Dean of Admission and Director of Communications and Outreach

5:00 pm

Purposeful Work Fireside Chat

Allen Delong, Senior Associate Dean Center for Purposeful Work 

Christopher Euston ‘23

Caitlin Chan ‘24

5:35 pm

Pam Batchelder Johnson ‘91, Chair, Bates Fund Executive Committee 

Elizah Laurenceau ‘19, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Identity, and Affinity Programs

6:25 pm

Bates Students!

Salma Ali ‘24

Madison Jandreau ‘23

Sardar Mohammad Ruhan ’26

7:00 pm

Clayton Spencer, President

Eric Foushee P’22, P’26, Vice President for College Advancement

7:55 pm

James Reese, Associate Dean for International Student Programs

Casey Andersen ‘12, Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Reunion

8:50 pm

Birthday Celebration for the Bobcat!

and so much more! 

606 days ago by Nina Emmi
Donor Map
Alumni Class Leaderboards
ClassDonorsRaised ($)
197537$16,556
200851$12,842
200748$3,927
199353$15,987
202217$697
200538$2,958
197324$8,028
199451$16,887
200435$9,885
200625$1,456
201722$1,195
197917$12,200
197423$14,649
199143$126,093
197226$12,845
201223$1,196
196510$3,300
197826$28,827
200133$5,073
196710$4,556
196611$2,845
197110$16,931
200335$8,533
198214$2,685
198731$4,957
19628$3,900
199536$14,808
19619$3,705
198338$18,518
199242$16,512
199835$14,343
198414$9,518
200945$4,217
201834$3,635
196413$3,955
201622$1,253
198863$19,484
197723$33,266
198531$15,698
198955$11,395
201332$7,582
196814$2,615
199756$15,285
198015$2,915
200036$12,215
19561$15
19595$535
19501$25
19605$1,300
196310$5,825
19698$6,085
19523$400
19536$2,378
201127$3,378
19708$1,715
201039$3,303
199638$23,700
201426$1,340
199026$10,555
200232$7,443
199925$6,427
198130$9,621
197629$10,152
202033$960
201923$855
201539$3,791
20217$126
19511$300
19543$450
19575$10,675
19556$12,850
19582$300
198686$17,871
Donor Affiliations
Gradhat icon84%Alumni
Book icon1%Students
Parent icon17%Parents
Suitcase icon3%Faculty/Staff
Friends icon1%Friends
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Advocates

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A Bates Family
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Anonymous '78 Classmate
Heart icon matched a total of $25,000
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An anonymous '96 classmate
Heart icon matched a total of $15,000
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A group of 2023 Families
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A 2025 Bates Family
Peter Jonathan Friedman photo
generated 7 clicks and 4 gifts, totaling $7,600
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Two anonymous 2008 classmates
Heart icon matched a total of $6,000
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Heather Beebe, David Flash, Allison Webster Matlack, Atea Martin, Sean Ryan, and Mike Hogan
Heart icon matched a total of $6,000
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Jeff Snyder
Heart icon matched a total of $5,000
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Scott Higgins '91, P'27
Heart icon matched a total of $5,000