Foundation for Rural Service Awards Inaugural James L. Bass Legal Scholarship

Contact: Lauren Gaydos, (703) 351-2015
 
Arlington, Va., (May 18, 2021)— Today, the Foundation for Rural Service announced it has awarded the first James L. Bass Legal Scholarship of $5,000 to Morgan Gray, who will be attending George Washington University Law School in the fall. The one-time scholarship goes to someone entering their first year of law school and who has an interest in rural communities. 
 
Gray grew up in Oklahoma and Texas and earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Master of Public Service and Administration degree from the George Bush School of Government and Public Service, both from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Since 2018 she has served as a business analyst for Chickasaw Nation telecommunications team and Trace Fiber Networks, LLC, a Chickasaw Nation subsidiary.
 
The James L. Bass Legal Scholarship was established with generous donations from NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members to honor James Bass, whose law career spanned more than 70 years and who helped secure funds for rural telephone systems to bring modern telephone service to rural areas. He was pivotal in the creation of NTCA, where he served as one of the organization’s earliest Presidents and continued his leadership with service for more than 50 years as legal counsel, guiding NTCA through many challenges and opportunities. Bass passed away on May 21, 2020, two weeks before his 99th birthday.
 
“FRS is proud to award this scholarship to Morgan because she is knowledgeable about the unique challenges of living in a rural community, seeks to address the digital divide in our country and is a tireless advocate for indigenous populations,” said FRS Executive Director Pam Becker. 
 
 
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The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. Through scholarships, grants, and a variety of educational programs, FRS focuses on educating rural youth, encouraging community development and introducing policymakers to challenges unique to rural communities. Visit us at www.frs.org.
 
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. In an era of transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.