About Leigh

Leigh Weisenburger is the Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, and Interim Vice President for Communications and Marketing, at Bates College. She began her journey at Bates in 2004 as an Assistant Dean of Admission, rose to Dean of Admission and Financial Aid in 2012, and was promoted to her current role in 2021. Leigh’s primary role is to lead a team of nearly 30 colleagues, ensuring that Bates attracts and supports a diverse and talented student body through strategic recruitment, enrollment, and need-based financial aid.

Leigh’s academic path took her from a small town in Connecticut to the bustling city of New York, where she initially attended Fordham University where she was a newscaster at WFUV 90.7 and spent many nights and weekends volunteering with LIFEbeat – The Music Industry Fights Aids. However, her passion for liberal arts and a smaller community led her to transfer to Smith College, where she majored in American Studies, played field hockey, captained the lacrosse team, and studied abroad in France and Peru. These experiences ignited her curiosity about the college admission process and fostered her dedication to helping prospective students explore their educational possibilities.

Beyond her work at Bates, Leigh is actively involved in her many communities. She serves as Treasurer on the YWCA of Central Maine’s Board of Directors, Vice President and Finance Chair for the Maine Charter School Commission, is a member of the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute Corporate Leaders Network, the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital’s NICU Family Advisory Council, and the City of Lewiston’s Planning Board. She is also a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and has taught for the New England division’s Rising Leaders Colloquium.

During her free time, Leigh can be found outside or traveling with her husband, Austin, and their two kids, Josie and Wren. Together, they enjoy the arts, exploring nature, and giving back to their local community.