Grace Hannah Buck ’26 never had the chance to take a class with Michael Bass, professor emeritus of environmental sciences and biology at the University of Mary Washington. But the scholarship that bears his name has had a monumental impact on the UMW junior who is majoring in environmental geology and historic preservation, and who plans to pursue a career in architectural preservation.
“Receiving this award felt like someone telling me they saw my hard work and potential and wanted to partner with me so I could achieve my educational goals,” Buck said, recipient of the Dr. Michael Bass Scholarship from the Class of 1972. Bass served as class sponsor and remained in close contact with the 1972 graduates over the years, leading them to establish the scholarship to celebrate their 50th reunion. “I am very grateful to him and to the donors who made this scholarship possible for me and future students.”
It often takes generations for tiny saplings to grow into towering trees, but in just a few years, Bass grew Mary Washington’s nascent environmental science program into one that has enabled d countless alumni have made careers over the decades. After his passing on October 4, 2024, tributes poured in, from graduates who were influenced by their former professor to pursue professions related to his field, and from those who appreciated the support he and his wife Heather provided. brought to the community of Mary Washington.
“I knew I made the right choice in coming to a small school with a teacher filled with the same wonder and passion for nature that I had,” said May Sligh ’88, who spent decades to protect water quality along the East Coast. . “Dr. Bass’s kindness, ability to listen to his students, and desire to share his knowledge were unmatched. I will be forever grateful for the role he played in helping me find a career I love.
Bass held several research positions before joining the Mary Washington faculty, where he became the first chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Geology (now Earth and Environmental Sciences), established in 1993. He received a Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1976 and spent more than 45 years in the classroom at Mary Washington before retire in 2018.
The UMW Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences will celebrate Bass’s life and career at Mary Washington with an open house in the Chandler Ballroom of the Cedric Rucker University Center on Saturday, February 1, from 2 p.m. at 4 p.m. The event is free and open to all. all current and former members of the Mary Washington community and the public.
Learn more at give.umw.edu.