Student Activities and Engagement

University of Mary Washington senior Blake Bauer has always dug learning about history. So, when he joined UMW’s Department of Historic Preservation – one of the country’s most highly regarded programs in the field – he knew he’d found the right place.

Fast-forward to his junior year, when he conducted “ground-breaking” archaeology research aimed at uncovering Mary Washington’s gravesite with Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Katherine Parker and Washington Heritage Museums. “When I declared my major, I could have never imagined I’d be using ground-penetrating radar to search for the final resting place of our University’s namesake,” he said.

The department’s quest is ongoing, but Blake has discovered multiple ways to make his mark in college, combining his historic preservation background with a passion for digital storytelling. Graduating in May, his unique skillset and impactful internships with the National Park Service, PBS, the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library, and UMW’s University Communications office have set him up for success in his life after Mary Washington.

Blake Bauer and Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Katherine Parker used ground-penetrating radar near the Mary Washington Monument as they tried to locate the final resting place of the University’s namesake. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.

Blake stands in front of his poster showcasing his research with Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Katherine Parker to try to locate Mary Washington’s final resting place. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.

Blake completed several internships at UMW, including one with the National Park Service. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.

Blake thanks his donors for his scholarships at the Celebration of Giving in fall 2025. K Pearlman Photography.

These opportunities – which he hopes will help him launch a documentary filmmaking career – were possible because of the Juanita S. Carpenter and UMW Alumni and Friends Scholarships. He thanked his donors for those and other awards during the Celebration of Giving, held last fall by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement.

“Your support hasn’t just eased the financial burden of college; it has opened doors I didn’t even know existed,” Blake said. He also expressed gratitude for the Lt. Gen. Albert J. Bowley Scholarship, which funded his yearlong internship at the James Monroe Museum, and the Veronica S. Johnson ’89 Scholarship in Historic Preservation, given to the department’s most promising student. “That was a big boost to my confidence.”

Blake, who grew up in Pulaski, Virginia, learned about UMW from his parents, Keith Bauer ’89 and Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91. The couple met in graduate school, when they realized they shared an alma mater – and a personal connection to late civil rights leader James L. Farmer Jr., who taught history at Mary Washington for over a decade.

“My mom took courses with Dr. Farmer, while my dad helped him get around campus between classes,” said Blake, who convinced his best friend since childhood, Allen Queen ’26, to apply to UMW. “We’ve been roommates all four years of college, which has strengthened our friendship even more,” he said.

Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91, Blake’s mother, and the late Professor Emeritus of Psychological Science Thomas Moeller at her Commencement ceremony. Debbie kept in touch with Professor Moeller over the years, even bringing Blake on visits with him. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.

Blake’s parents, Keith Bauer ’89 and Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91, met at VCU as graduate students and realized that they shared a connection as Mary Washington graduates. Debbie also had classes with Dr. James Farmer while Keith helped the late Mary Washington history professor and civil rights leader around campus. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.

Keith Bauer ’89, Blake’s father, on Campus Walk during his Commencement ceremony. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.

Keith Bauer ’89, Blake Bauer ’26, and Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91 attend the Generations Breakfast last fall. K Pearlman Photography.

Blake planned to become a history teacher but found his true calling after taking video courses taught by Assistant Professor of Communication and Digital Studies J.D. Swerzenski. A summer internship with the PBS affiliate in the Blue Ridge Mountains followed, with Blake assisting on a documentary about the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

Last semester, he interned with University Communications, producing his own Lively video series, UMW: Stories Behind the Buildings. Another recent video he created centered around Marshall and Russell Halls, where he learned that his father and Jay Bradshaw ’88, whom he interviewed, crossed paths during their years in Marshall. “Those unique, cross-generational connections deepen my appreciation for Mary Washington,” Blake said.

As president of UMW’s Historic Preservation Club, Blake helped revive its Victorian Ball, now called Sweetheart Ball, which won Best New Event at the 2025 Eagle Awards. In addition, he has worked as a digital archive lab assistant in Simpson Library, led outdoor trips for Campus Recreation, and served as a front desk assistant in Student Activities and Engagement.

Lively interns (from left to right) Lee Adams ’27, Kaitlyn Griego ’26, Marisol Juarez ’26, and Blake Bauer ’26 in the Office of University Communications. Photo by Sam Cahill.

Blake in front of Machu Picchu during his study abroad experience to Peru. Photo courtesy on Blake Bauer.

He also studied Holocaust remembrance in Austria and Hungary and recently spent spring break in Peru with his digital storytelling class after earning the Barbara Alden International Scholarship.

“You’ve allowed me to explore, take risks, grow, and discover passions I never knew I had,” he said when he thanked his donors last fall. Quoting his best friend, he added: “Because of all the experiences Mary Washington has given us, wherever we land, we’ll be able to make it work.”

Learn more about establishing scholarships and how private support makes a difference in the lives of UMW students who receive scholarships, research fellowships, and internship grants. Find scholarship opportunities that are available to UMW students

-Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04