Gwen Whidden of New York named a Dana Scholar at Bates College

2016 Sep 28

Gwen Whidden, the daughter of Mr. Perry G. Whidden and Mrs. Rae A. Grant of New York, N.Y., has been named a Dana Scholar, the highest honor bestowed upon first-year students at Bates College.

Whidden is a 2015 graduate of the Brearley School.

In all, Bates honored 10 men and 10 women from the Class of 2019 on the basis of leadership potential, academic excellence and promise, and service to the college community. These individuals earned an average GPA of 3.87, made a rich diversity of extracurricular contributions and submitted thoughtful essays in support of their candidacy.

Students were nominated at the conclusion of the 2015-16 academic year by faculty members, administrative staff, leaders of campus organizations and previous Dana Scholar honorees.

The Dana Scholar program was established through the Dana Foundation, begun by the late industrialist and philanthropist Charles A. Dana. Bates' Dana Chemistry Hall was built with the foundation's assistance, and seven Bates faculty members are Charles A. Dana professors, one of the most prestigious honors the college bestows.

Located in Lewiston, Maine, Bates is internationally recognized as a leading college of the liberal arts, attracting 2,000 students from across the U.S. and around the world. Since 1855, Bates has been dedicated to educating the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community.

With a commitment to affordability, Bates has always admitted students without regard to gender, race, religion or national origin. Cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action, Bates prepares leaders sustained by a love of learning and zeal for responsible stewardship of the wider world.