Grace Hannah Buck ’26 never had the chance to take a class with University of Mary Washington Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science and Biology Michael Bass. But the scholarship that bears his name has made a monumental impact on the UMW junior who’s majoring in environmental geology and historic preservation, with plans to pursue a career in architectural preservation.
“Receiving this award was like someone telling me they saw my hard work and my potential and wanted to partner with me so I could achieve my educational goals,” said Buck, the recipient of the Class of 1972 Dr. Michael Bass Scholarship. Bass served as class sponsor and kept in close touch with 1972 graduates over the years, leading them to establish the scholarship in celebration of their 50th reunion. “I’m so grateful to him and the donors who have made this scholarship possible for me and future students.”
It often takes generations for tiny saplings to become towering trees, but in just a few years, Bass grew Mary Washington’s fledging environmental science program to one that has cultivated careers for countless alumni over the decades. After he passed away on Oct. 4, 2024, tributes poured in, from graduates who were influenced by their former professor to enter professions relating to his field, and those who appreciated the support that he and wife Heather gave the Mary Washington community.
“I knew that I had made the right choice by coming to a small school with a professor filled with the same wonder and passion for nature that I had,” said May Sligh ’88, who has spent decades protecting water quality along the East Coast. “Dr. Bass’ kindness, ability to listen to his students and desire to share his knowledge was unmatched. I’m forever grateful for the role he played in helping me find a career that I love.”
Bass held several research positions before joining the Mary Washington faculty, where he became the first chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Geology (now Earth and Environmental Sciences), which was introduced in 1993. He earned 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 retiring in 2018.
UMW’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences will celebrate Bass’ life and career at Mary Washington with an open-house memorial in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 2-4 p.m. The event is free and open to all current and former members of the Mary Washington community and the public.
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