Bates Men's Soccer Alumni Mentoring Night
March 28, 2025
Welcome to Alumni Mentoring Night
Dear Bobcats,
Thank you for joining us tonight! Your alumni mentors are thrilled to have the opportunity to share their stories and share their perspective with you. We are all so proud to support you on and off the field, and It is our shared hope that we can all affect your lives in a positive, constructive and helpful manner.
Not too long ago, these mentors strolled throughout this beautiful campus, competed on the same field, survived and even thrived in the classrooms. Each of them was in your shoes and had the opportunity to sit where you are sitting today, however they may not have had this terrific opportunity to hear advice from alumni mentors.
These alumni had many of the same hopes and dreams that you have today, and that they certainly had similar questions about next steps in life that you do. We all welcome this opportunity to share something with you about life, careers and the REAL world that we wish someone had shared with us while we were in college, in the hope that this advice and perspective makes a positive difference in your lives.
Each day when you step out onto the field to prepare for the next fitness test, the next training session, the next game or the next championship, all of this is a step towards success in life. The skills and character that you develop here at Bates will serve you well on your journey, and preparation is the key to life. Being prepared to face adversity head-on, being prepared to do what it takes succeed, and being prepared for change are just a few of the twists and turns life will throw your way.
You have the chance to actively participate and contribute to your growth as players and as people, and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and commit to making this a key moment in your preparation for life.
Here’s looking forward to an exciting, enjoyable and impactful event. Wishing you all (mentors, players and coaches alike) a brilliant future ahead!
Thank you for your attention and GO BOBCATS!!!
Ted Priestly
Alumni Biographies
Allen Kropp
Year of Graduation: 1987
Major: Mathematics
Additional Education: JD - George
Washington University
Current Title(s): Attorney
Current Employer: Drummond
Woodsum, Portland, ME
Current Industry: Civil Rights & Education
Jonathan Lobozzo Year of Graduation: 2010
Major: Spanish
Minor: Economics
Current Title: Co-Owner and Founder
Current Employer: Burnham & Lobozzo Builders, LLC and Joaquin Costa Development, LLC
Current Industry: Land Development and Construction
Greg Mulready Year of Graduation: 1991
Major: Political Science
Concentration: International Relations
Additional Education: MBA - Boston College
Current Title(s): Head of Sales and Marketing
Current Employer: Frontier Capital Management
Current Industry: Investment Management
Owen Keleher Year of Graduation: 2022
Major: Biology (Pre-med track)
Concentration: Psychology & Philosphy
Current Title: Associate, Tenant
Construction
Current Employer: WS Development
Current Industry: Real Estate Development
Meet our Alumni Mentors
Allen Kropp ‘87
Jonathan Lobozzo ‘10
Greg Mulready ‘91
Owen Keleher ‘22
Questions for the Alumni...
What do you wish you had known as a first-year student-athlete at Bates?
AK: There are wonderful resources and people across Bates who will work with you to get through! I found a writing workshop tutor just before junior year who, to this day, has had a profound impact on helping me to build skill and confidence Reach out early and often for assistance and you will be directed accordingly as the Bates community cares about your success.
OK: You do not have to stick with a career directly related to your major/minor. It's the beauty of the Liberal Arts education!
JL: I wish I had been more focused my first year at Bates, I came from a public school where I did not have to give my 100% to succeed and brought that mentality into my first year. Towards the end of my freshmen year I realized I was not fulfilling my "unique potential" at Bates so decided to take a year off from school and move to Spain to work/play soccer. My next 3 years at Bates were more fulfilling after my maturation from the " gap " year.
GM: How quickly 4 years passes. I would encourage every student to be involved in as many activities as possible as quickly as possible.
Questions for the Alumni...
What strategies helped you to succeed as a student-athlete?
OK: Utilizing the resources that Bates offers, especially academically: tutors, professor office hours, peer reviewers, teammates/friends taking similar classes
JL: Stick to a schedule. Leave your dorm room at 7:30 am and don't return until 9 pm. When you have time between classes, meals and practices go to the library.
AK: I had to structure my days as much as possible, hole up in the library for long stretches, and try to get as much classwork done ahead of a road trip or big game (that last one was far easier said than done!). And no drinking during soccer season.
GM: Being competitive - on the field, in the classroom. Identifying other teams and players that I wanted to beat.
Questions for the Alumni...
If you could go back and change anything,
what would you change?
GM: No changes - my four years were fun, challenging and the experiences (positive and negative) shaped my future and I am grateful for those years.
AK: I might have spent more time with those who were struggling, or could have used a friend or a kind word. That quiet classmate, or teammate on the bench, perhaps could have used more of my attention.
JL: Very little. I'd probably try and spend more time with my professors during after hours. In retrospect, those were pretty intelligent people who could have given me lots of life advice outside of the classroom!
OK: I feel fortunate to have very few regrets from Bates. If anything, I wish I had branched out more outside of the soccer team, especially being more involved in clubs/intramural activities.
Questions for the Alumni...
What advice would you give to our graduating seniors as they embark on the next steps of life?
GM: Professionally, take risks, particularly early in your life - be uncomfortable and challenge yourself. Personally, be sure to find balance, purpose, areas in your life where you can give back. Those things do not have to be exclusive.
JL: Stay lean and mean, life comes at you fast with lots of twists and turns. Give your personal relationships just as much attention as your work life. Bates has prepared you well, have confidence and trust your instincts.
OK: In many fields, the network of people and various work experiences you ' ve had during college will be the most impactful in finding the first job. The Bates network is strong and Bates alumni are eager to help current Bates students and recent graduates
AK: Set goals, but don’t be afraid to pivot and change course when you feel the need or find new interests. As a mathematics major, high school teacher and coach, civil rights and disability advocate, and now school lawyer, I can attest that the line in your career is not necessarily straight!
Notes
Notes
Thank You to our Mentors
We cannot thank you enough for your willingness to share your time, perspective and advice with us here tonight. We are humbled by your selflessness and inspired by your example, and we look forward to hopefully staying connected with you, and perhaps following your lead by participating in this event someday as mentors. For now, we thank you and look forward to honoring the legacy that you have all built.