Mary Sorensen Environmental Love Scholarship Fund

A Life Full of Love, Adventure, and Joy. A Legacy That Will Keep Growing.

Mary Theresa Sorensen lived life with an adventurous spirit and an extraordinary love for the world around her. She believed that life was meant to be experienced, that the Earth was meant to be appreciated, and that every day offered another opportunity to find joy, share love, and make a difference.

To those who knew her, Mary was so much more than someone who loved nature. She was a wife, a mom, an Oma, a sister, an aunt, and a friend. She was someone who embraced life wholeheartedly, found beauty in the simplest moments, and encouraged others to do the same. Whether she was exploring a new place, spending time outdoors, connecting with the people she loved, or simply feeling the Earth beneath her feet, Mary had a way of appreciating life that was both inspiring and contagious.

Mary believed that joy was something we could choose, even when life was difficult. She believed in compassion, in treating others with love and respect, and in the responsibility we all share to make the world a little better than we found it.

On August 26, 2026, Mary was tragically lost during devastating flooding in Nepal while on a hiking journey toward Mount Kailash. She was doing something that reflected so much of who she was: embracing adventure, connecting with nature, and experiencing the incredible beauty of our world.

Although her life ended far too soon, the way she lived continues to inspire us.

Mary was an environmentalist toxicology principal at Ramboll where she spent her life working on some of the biggest environmental disasters aiding in clean up, restoration, and recovery! She was also a proud member of the Upper Etowah River Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the Etowah River, the Darter fish, and teaching about living sustainably. Her love for the Earth was not simply an interest. It was part of how she lived, how she connected with the world, and how she believed we should care for one another and the places we call home.

To honor her life and carry that spirit forward, our family has established the Mary Sorensen Environmental Love Scholarship Fund in partnership with the Upper Etowah River Alliance.

Our goal is to create a permanent scholarship supporting students who are pursuing education and careers in environmental science, conservation, sustainability, or related fields. But we want this scholarship to recognize something beyond academic achievement.

We want to support students who see the beauty in the world around them. Students who approach life with curiosity, compassion, enthusiasm, and joy. Students who not only want to protect the Earth but who genuinely love being a part of it.

Because that is who Mary was.

Through this scholarship, we hope to help future generations pursue their passions, experience the world, protect its natural beauty, and carry forward the love and positivity that Mary shared so freely.

Our hope is that this scholarship will continue for generations, creating opportunities for young people to make a difference in the world while keeping Mary’s spirit alive in the process.

We invite family, friends, and anyone who feels connected to Mary’s story to help us build this lasting legacy. Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to establishing a permanent scholarship in her name.

Mary had a simple but powerful belief: There is joy in every day, in every moment of life, and in every person. It is up to us to find it.

May this scholarship help others find that joy, follow their passions, and leave the world a little better than they found it.

Let her life bring more life, color, and joy to the world.

With love,

The Family of Mary Sorensen

Mary Sorensen Environmental Love Scholarship

A memorial scholarship in remembrance of an incredible civil servant, an environmentalist, and a lover of all things.

Team Members