Each summer, the Bates campus breathes in moments of stillness and exhales bursts of energy: budding flowers, workers tending to grounds and gardens, and early risers catching light on Lake Andrews.

The summer of 2023 was wet. It was also wonderful. Bates’ ninth president Garry W. Jenkins joined us on July 1, and off we went. Our summer campus was relatively quiet but the Bates Dance Festival, ...