Michael Bass, an undergraduate student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, received the 2015 Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award.
Through a gift from the Brown Foundation of Houston, the Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Outstanding Student Award was established to honor the memory of the late President Earl Rudder and to provide public recognition to the outstanding senior students graduating each year from Texas A&M. Each college may nominate up to two students to be considered by a special committee appointed by the president. From the nominations, the committee selects two award recipients on the basis of academic achievement, leadership, extracurricular activities, community service and dedication to Texas A&M.
Bass enjoyed many Aggie traditions, including Midnight Yell, Aggie Muster and the Aggie Ring. He also started a new Texas A&M tradition called the Layne's Challenge, a triathlon combining running, biking and eating fried chicken. The Layne's Challenge is now a student organization at Texas A&M and raises money for the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
Bass will continue his studies at Texas A&M as Ph.D. student in the department under the advisement of Dr. Sunil Khatri.