Two Bates Seniors Among Six Statewide Recognized for Community Service

Two of the many Bates College students who routinely put into practice the college’s ideals of service through direct engagement, seniors Erik Barth and Jake Kaplove have been recognized statewide for their contributions to the Lewiston-Auburn community.

Maine Campus Compact, a statewide consortium of higher educational institutions, honored Barth, Kaplove and four other Maine students with the Heart and Soul Award in an April 20 ceremony at Bates.

Now in its 11th year, the award celebrates students who have achieved significant results, shown leadership and made innovative use of campus-based resources to address local needs.

Barth of Hanover, N.H., is the founding president of Bates Builds, the Bates chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Kaplove of Novato, Calif., has been deeply involved with the Somali immigrant population both as the director of Refugee Volunteers, a student group that promotes cross-cultural exchange at the family level, and as a participant in a local branch of Project SHIFA (Supporting the Health of Immigrant Families and Adolescents), a national initiative promoting the mental health of immigrant students.