Bates sophomore rowing athlete considers study abroad options

Pat Cohen, a sophomore at Bates College, is currently deciding whether to participate in a study abroad program this fall. Cohen, who hails from Haverford, Pennsylvania, is a double major in Economics and Digital and Computational Studies. He serves on the men’s rowing team and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Cohen plans to attend upcoming study abroad meetings to evaluate his options before making a final decision on the 2027-2028 academic year.

Cohen’s hesitation stems from a desire to balance a unique global experience with the strong sense of community he has found in Portland. He noted that he does not want to lose one of his eight semesters at Bates, as being in the city means a great deal to him. However, he also does not want to miss what he described as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to live abroad. He intends to use the information gathered in the coming weeks to finalize his plan.

The student’s commitment to the rowing program dates back to his official visit to the college. Cohen recalled that a prospective student who was supposed to take him to class was running late for a meeting. A member of the women’s team, who later became a freshman captain, stepped in to host him for the class instead. That interaction showed Cohen a culture where the men’s and women’s teams operate as a single unit under head coach Steenstra. He observed that the rowers sit in class together and treat each other as teammates, a dynamic he had not seen on other official visits.

Before enrolling at Bates, Cohen was a dual-sport athlete in high school. He played hockey and rowed for three seasons each in Pennsylvania. He also served on a youth cabinet for a congressional district, where the group met with Congresswoman Scanlon once a month. During the summers, he interned with a landlord to learn more about finance, an interest that contributed to his current major in Economics.

Cohen has integrated into the Lewiston community since his first semester at the college. A component of his DCS 109 course required him to visit Lewiston Middle School to teach students about computer science. He valued the opportunity to learn about the interests of the middle school students and to observe the similarities and differences between the Bates and Lewiston communities. He described the exchange as a way to see how the two groups are important to one another.

For Cohen, the most valuable part of his daily routine occurs just before rowing practice begins. Once the team arrives at the boathouse, Coach Steenstra gives the athletes five to 10 minutes to relax before stretching starts. Cohen said this unstructured time allows the team to set aside schoolwork and stress. He believes these minutes help separate the student and athlete aspects of their lives, leading to better practices and stronger relationships among teammates.

As a sophomore, Cohen is also waiting to determine his specific subdivision within the rowing team. He expects to know his role in approximately one week. Beyond academics and athletics, he looks forward to meeting future teammates and maintaining connections with current team members who will become alumni. He is interested to see how the rowing program evolves over the next few years.