16 167 pw report

Purposeful Work Initiative

Grounded in the liberal arts, Purposeful Work is a mission-based, holistic initiative designed to help Bates students position themselves for success after graduation and find meaning in their work.

Purposeful Work Internships Purposeful Work Internships are specifically designed to help students explore interests, build skills, develop networks, and complement their studies with real-world experience in a broad range of industries.

300+

students explored their interests through internships, research grants, and community engagement projects

240 received financial support from Bates

96

students composed the inaugural cohort of Purposeful Work interns in summer 2015

119

students compose the summer 2016 cohort of Purposeful Work interns

When students were asked...

81

%

55

%

agree or strongly agree that “This internship program is a critical component in my pursuit of postgraduate purposeful work.” responded yes to “Have your academic plans (for example, classes you intend to take, thesis topics, graduate school intentions) changed as a result of this internship?”

“How have your career interests changed as a result of this internship?”

40% noted ”I am now significantly more interested in pursuing this field” 39% noted “Solidified my interest in this field” 21% noted “I no longer intend to pursue this field”

When employers were asked...

95

%

reported that their Bates intern would be a competitive candidate for a full-time post-graduation job.

2015 Purposeful Work Internships Across Industries

Healthcare

Scientific R&D in Physical, Engineering, & Life Sciences

Education

Social/Human Services

International Affairs & Development

Nonprofit Organizations

Law

Environment/Natural Resources

Arts

Government

Finance/Banking

Retail/Merchandising

Agriculture

Real Estate

Marketing

Business Services

Technology

Religion

Recreation/Parks/Sports

Food and Beverage

Entrepreneurial/Start-ups

Energy

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 6 6 6 7 8 10 10 13 Consulting

Industry

Number of students

Bates, Harvard, and HBX CORe In 2015–16, Bates became a collaborating college with HBX Credential of Readiness (CORe), a digital learning initiative powered by Harvard Business School faculty.

Through participation in HBX CORe, Bates students can expand their knowledge of business analytics, economics for managers, and financial accounting through immersive case studies and a fully interactive online platform. Nine students have completed the program as of February 2016, gaining a broad range of business skills, including financial statement analysis, regression modeling, forecasting, and valuation.

“

Every day offered me a chance to learn something new and use my newly acquired skills. My internship made me realize how excited I am to pursue a career as a doctor.

— Religious Studies major Wendy Goldman ’16, of Dresden, Maine, was mentored by a vascular surgeon at Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute in Lewiston, Maine, during her Purposeful Work Internship.

Practitioner-Taught Courses Innovation and experimentation have always been

Through these courses students acquired a broad

the hallmarks of Short Term at Bates. In 2015, 79

range of skills, including how to:

students participated in Practitioner-Taught Courses (PTCs) which offered the opportunity for creative experimentation in a broad range of career fields:

• Develop a “tactical urbanism” demonstration project • Conduct market identification and analysis • Present a business proposal

• Entrepreneurship

• Develop and deliver a funding pitch

• Mediation and Restorative Justice

• Create a graphic brand

• Music Production, Recording, and Mixing

• Organize a grassroots volunteer campaign

• Social Change Organizing and Advocacy • Urban Planning

“

My Practitioner-Taught Short Term was one of the best classes I’ve taken at Bates. It is such a great learning experience and an opportunity for us to relate the general knowledge we receive during the academic year to the field, to help us better prepare for life after college.

— Jackson Moore ’16, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., took Urban Planning, a Practitioner-Taught Course taught by Mike Lydon ’04, principal at the Street Plans Collaborative.

Demonstrated Student Interest

2016 Practitioner-Taught Courses

Enrollment patterns and student feedback show a strong and growing enthusiasm for PTCs.

100 + %

growth in demand for PTC seats in the past two years

Consulting for Strategy Development

Journalism

Music Production, Recording and Mixing

98% of students agree PTCs are valuable and should be offered again

Brand Culture Building

Filmmaking, the Creative Process

Purposeful Work Infusion Courses Purposeful Work Infusion Courses help students identify their strengths and interests by, among other things, connecting their coursework to exploration of career outcomes. The 32 winter 2016 Purposeful Work Infusion courses included: • Biomedical Ethics

• Health Psychology

• Environmental Economics

• Music Theory

• Great Ideas in Mathematics

• Neurobiology

• Internships in Education Many infusion courses include alumni guest speakers discussing how Bates coursework shaped their career aspirations, while others offer students hands-on practice in fields of interest.

25

infusion courses were taught during fall 2015

32

infusion courses were taught during winter 2016

615 771 students took an infusion course in fall 2015​

students took an infusion course in winter 2016​

“

Purposeful Work Infusion has breathed new life into courses I’ve taught many times before by helping me think about the material in a way that has practical, real-life application.

— Lecturer in Psychology Susan Langdon taught the Infusion course Women, Culture, and Health.

“

Purposeful Work at Bates is about helping students align who they are and what they want to do. In addition to thinking deeply about life and work, Bates students develop the capacities to work hard, and to press forward when they meet setbacks. The more students are able to match their work with their authentic interests and talents, the less work feels like work, and the more it simply feels like a natural part of a satisfying and meaningful life.

— Bates President A. Clayton Spencer

Your investment in the Purposeful Work initiative transforms the lives of Bates students.