located on more than 100 acres (40 hectares) in Lewiston, Me., 35 miles (55 kilometers) north of Portland. With its Georgian buildings and Victorian homes, the campus is quite a contrast to the rest of Lewiston, which has a relatively large industrial base. The school was founded in 1855 by active abolitionists and was the first coeducational college in New England. It was named for businessman Benjamin Bates, who made a generous grant to the institution. About 1,600 undergraduates attend this very selective liberal arts college. The school seeks students from every state in the Union; less than 20 percent of students come from Maine. The numbers of male and female students are roughly equal. Almost all students live on campus. Bates is on a 4-4-1 system: Students take two full semesters of classes of four months each plus a one-month term at the school year's end. Students must take at least two of these short terms in order to graduate. They can use this time to study abroad, seek hands-on experience in areas of interest, or take one of many unique courses. A special academic option enables interested students to complete their undergraduate degrees in three years. In addition to the traditional liberal arts curriculum, Bates offers majors in East Asian studies and medieval studies. A five-year engineering program is conducted in conjunction with some other institutions. More than 90 percent of the full-time faculty hold doctorates More than 60 different social organizations exist on campus. Athletic teams participate in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, with the ski teams competing in Division I. On St. Patrick's Day the annual Puddle Jump takes place. A hole is cut into the ice of Lake Andrews, and interested daredevils jump in. Another popular tradition is the Winter Carnival |