Many Bates students are aware that apart from a great education, time at Bates can come with an unexpected lifelong bonus — a high likelihood of meeting your spouse. 

Rumors have long swirled that numbers as high as a third of bobcats meeting their spouse at Bates, although A 2015 Bates News Story suggests that that number is closer to 12.5%. However, if you haven’t found “the one” yet — time’s not up! Bates also has more than 21 married couples working in a variety of roles at Bates 

Assistant Professor Sarah Lynch and Assitant Professor Mark Tizzoni met while studying in the same department in 2007 at the University of Leeds, and now both work in the Classical and Medieval Studies department at Bates as well as the history department. Originally, Tizzoni was hired by Bates for a position in the history department in 2020. However, in 2022, he was joined by Lynch via a split position offer, where one job is divided between two people. The pair live in faculty housing in Lewiston along with their 11-year-old cat, Hemingway.

Although they enjoy the quick commute to work and the ability to eat lunch together (either at home, or at The Bobcat Den with colleagues), they acknowledge that it does sometimes create the feeling of being in the “Bates bubble.” 

“The world is this place,” said Tizzoni of Bates.

Lynch and Tizzoni estimate that they may be the last remaining “split position” couple at Bates. They each shared the sentiment that their similar schedules have upsides and downsides 

“Things pick up at the same time. You have the same deadlines. The same stress points, but the same downswings as well” said Lynch. 

In the summers, they spend time with Tizzoni’s family in Pennsylvania, enjoying gardening and spending time outside. 

Although Tizzoni and Lynch’s schedules align closely, some couples at Bates are able to stagger their schedules more widely. Caroline Shaw, Associate Professor of History, and Benjamin Moodie, an adjunct professor in a variety of departments, choose to teach on alternate days. Moodie praised the flexibility that Bates allows them, as this schedule allows Moodie or Shaw to be able to stay home in Portland each day and take care of their children. They also met in graduate school at The University of California, Berkeley, through mutual friends. After being introduced, Moodie sent an email introducing himself. The pair got married in 2009 and Shaw accepted a job at Bates the next year. Although living in Portland allows the couple to have a greater work/life divide, Bates remains an inherent part of their family’s life. Their children greatly enjoy eating in commons, a fact that Moodie attributes heavily to the soft serve ice cream machine. 

So, for bobcats who worry that they may not be part of the 12.5% who find their spouse at Bates, they may want to take a page out of many Bates professor’s books and search for love in grad school.