William Bates Center for Public and Global Affairs

The William H. Bates Center for Public Affairs at Salem State, established in 1969 in memory of the late Congressman William H. Bates, is housed in the department of politics, policy and international relations.

The Bates Center mission includes:

• Fostering academic excellence in the fields of government and politics
• Sponsoring speakers, field trips, internships, and experiential learning activities
• Forging links between the Salem State community and leaders in the field of public service
• Enhancing social science research and scholarship among students and faculty
• Providing the Salem State and the larger North Shore community with access to resources and information related to politics and policy in Massachusetts

Bates Center opportunities

The Bates Center is the home to the civic engagement minor.

With a commitment to expanding experiential learning opportunities for undergraduates, the Bates Center sponsors the department’s Rich Levy Congressional Internship Program, which provides stipends for 1-2 political science majors or minors each year to support internships in Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. For more information on the Congressional Internship Program, contact Professor Jennifer Jackman.

The Bates Center houses the Human Dimensions of Wildlife Unit, which strives to promote coexistence with wildlife through education, research and communication and provides opportunities for students to work with faculty on research projects such as surveys of attitudes towards seals and sharks. For more information on the Human Dimensions of Wildlife Unit, contact Professor Jennifer Jackman at jjackman@salemstate.edu.

Bates Center programs offer real-world experience

Bates Center programs have included leading policy and law experts, including Federal District Court Judge Nancy Gertner (Ret.), Suffolk University Law Professor Sarah Boonin, and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who have delivered Constitution Day addresses.

The Bates Center also supports leadership programs such as the Salem State University’s delegation to the National Feminist Leadership Conference in collaboration with the Florence Luscomb Women’s Center.

Future plans for the Bates Center include faculty social science research seminars, development of an online gateway to resources on state and local government in Massachusetts, and a visiting scholars program.

Please contact Professor Kanishkan Sathasivam, the Bates Center director, if you are interested in the activities of the Bates Center.