Bio

Tracy Bassett '06 was the recipient of the 2006 Barbara Barnes Hauptfuhrer '49 Scholar-Athlete Award. A Division III All-American in 2004, the cross country standout was a two-time NEWMAC Runner of the Year, four-time NEWMAC All-Conference and All-New England finisher and a three-time individual NCAA Championship qualifier, earning a trip to the national meet in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She earned Division III Cross Country Coaches Association Academic All-America honors in 2002, 2003 and 2005 and NEWMAC All-Academic honors in 2003 and 2004. On the track, she remains the Wellesley record holder in the indoor 1500m with a time of 4:44.27, set during the 2003-2004 season.

It’s difficult to summarize the importance of my Wellesley experience and the role of athletics in my life.

In lieu of recounting stories or reflecting at length, I would just like to say that I am forever grateful for my time at Wellesley, for the path it set me on, and for my continued growth —rooted in the years I enjoyed in this intellectually open, rigorous environment.

There’s nothing that has helped me make more profound relationships than sharing sport: it’s how I connect with my dad, it’s how I met my best friend, it’s how I integrated into different cultures; it’s how I’ve stayed grounded in these strange times.

I’m thankful to my parents for instilling in me not only a love for sport, but also the work ethic to improve at anything I set my mind to while never losing touch with my values. I’m grateful for the faculty and mentors who challenged me to be more demanding of myself, including John Babington, Joy Renjilian-Burgy, Lynn Viti, Roxanne Euben, Corrine Taylor, Carlos Ramos, Marion Just, Wilbur Rich, Ivan Arreguín-Toft, Christopher Candland, Alan Schecter, Mindy Mangels, John Manners, as well as my Wellesley teammates and incredible family and friends.

I am honored to receive this award. Wellesley College is a very special place. It has a heritage that I am proud of, including a lineage of women who cherished the pursuit of knowledge and the uncompromising freedom to question and debate, even when inconvenient. They created their own paths, and I hope we honor their bravery by upholding these values.

I am thankful to Wellesley as an institution, including the Political Science and Spanish Departments, the PRESCHO Study Abroad program, the Wellesley in Washington fellowship, the Student Aid Society, the Phorzheimer Learning and Teaching Center, and the entirety of the Athletics staff. Coach Babington is legend!