Bates Elected Chair-Elect

The National Association for Campus Activities is pleased to announce Alicia Bates, Ed.D. from the University of Notre Dame (IN) has been elected to serve as the 2024-25 Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors beginning May 1, 2024. Bates, who was elected by the Board during its recent December meeting, will transition to Chair of the Board of Directors in May 2025.

"Alicia has dedicated more than a decade of volunteer service to the Association in a variety of roles," says current Board of Directors Chair Shelly Mumma, Ph.D. "Those roles in conjunction with her varied professional experiences will help her further the Association's vision to create college communities where everyone belongs."

"This recognition is a testament to Alicia’s unwavering commitment to fostering a vibrant and engaging campus culture. Alicia’s engagement with NACA not only reflects her exceptional leadership within our University community but also underscores the invaluable contributions she makes to the broader landscape nationwide," states K. Matthew Dames, Edward H. Arnold Dean of Hesburgh Libraries and University of Notre Dame Press. "I am confident that her visionary leadership will further elevate the standard of excellence within the realm of campus activities."

"Dr. Bates cares deeply about the experiences of those around her and works to ensure a sense of belonging among students, faculty, and staff," reflects Rev. Gerard J. Olinger, C.S.C., Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. "Her contributions and dedication within and beyond student activities and campus life continue to make a lasting impact on campus, and we are proud that she will continue to expand her impact nationwide in this new capacity."

"I am truly honored and thrilled to have been elected to this position and continue to serve the Association," says Bates. "This opportunity to lead and collaborate with passionate individuals in shaping the landscape of Campus Activities is both a privilege and a responsibility that I eagerly embrace. I look forward to working with my fellow board members, NACA members, and the staff to bring forth innovative ideas and initiatives that will shape the future of Campus Activities and continue our work toward creating college communities where everyone belongs."

Alicia Bates, Ed.D., serves as the Advisor to the Edward H. Arnold Dean, Hesburgh Libraries and University of Notre Dame Press. In this role since September 2022, Dr. Bates advises and supports the Dean in all aspects of the administrative and executive operations of the Hesburgh Libraries and University of Notre Dame Press. Her responsibilities include advising the Dean about and managing relationships and activities within the Hesburgh Libraries and for myriad stakeholders; serving as a conduit between the Office of the Dean and external University stakeholders; managing special organizational- and University-level projects on the Dean’s behalf; and collaborating to lead, manage, and assess the Hesburgh Libraries’ strategic framework process.

Prior to this role, Bates spent more than twelve years in various campus activities roles in the United States and Qatar with increasing responsibility in the areas of student and campus wide programming, student organizations, leadership development, new student orientation, first year experience, international service learning, and more.

Alicia was elected to the Board of Directors as a general board member in 2021, having previously volunteered as a member of the Leadership Fellows program and Education Advisory Group, along with additional roles at the regional and national level.