The late Dr. Eric Ross (BA’51, MA’54) is remembered for his warmth, his quick wit, and his excellence as a teacher. Now his memory lives on through his legacy at UNB.
The field of geography was in its infancy in Canada when Eric completed his PhD in the subject at the University of Edinburgh. His time in Scotland also marked the beginning of a lifetime of world travel, and his enduring curiosity about people, places and cultures made him a consummate geographer.
Eric spent the bulk of his career at Mount Allison University, where he founded the department of geography in 1972 and where he remained until his retirement in 1994. His fondness for his alma mater never wavered, though, and upon his death in 2019 he provided UNB with a legacy gift in support of scholarships, teaching infrastructure and research.
In 2015, Eric established two awards at UNB. These scholarships, endowed through his legacy gift, can now be awarded in perpetuity. The David and Maisie Ross Memorial Scholarship was created in memory of his parents, David Dewitt and Clara Maisie (Wells) Ross. The George and Linda Vlasak Scholarship was named in honour of Eric’s dear friends, his classmate Linda Vlasak (BA’51) and Linda’s late husband George. Both scholarships are valued at $10,000 and awarded annually to two students entering the third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree.
Funds from Eric’s estate have also allowed the university to transform an existing classroom in Tilley Hall into an elite learning facility featuring state-of-the-art teaching technology. Built-in microphones, tracking cameras and interactive screens will allow for hybrid teaching of students both in the classroom and learning remotely. The Dr. Eric Ross Room was opened for the 2025 fall semester and serves as a model for classroom upgrades across the university.
It is fitting, given his own impact as a researcher, that Eric’s support also extends to research with the establishment of the Dr. Eric Ross Research Fund. This fund will support research initiatives within the faculty of arts, allowing for the timely and strategic investment in promising scholars and research.
“Dr. Ross’s legacy – within the faculty of arts and across the university – is profound and far-reaching,” says Peter Thompson, UNB’s dean of arts. “We are tremendously grateful that he chose to include UNB in his estate planning; his generous support will continue to benefit students, faculty, and research for years to come.”
