The University of Montana Western is announcing this year's Chancellor's Leadership Scholars.
The university awards these four-year, full-tuition scholarships to exceptional Montana high school students.
Elizabeth Fulbright and Nicolas Macdonald from the Dillon area, Allison Sprague from Belgrade, Megan Ehinger or Chester-Joplin-Inverness school, and Isabella Montalvo from Terry are the winners.
Full release:
Montana Western is proud to announce the five following high school seniors as the 2023-24 award recipients:
Megan Ehinger
A graduate of Chester-Joplin-Inverness school, Megan would like to thank her teachers for their encouragement and guidance. While taking a combination of in-person and online classes, she was able to maintain her GPA and complete four dual enrollment courses. Megan plans to major in psychology with a minor in business. In her free time, Megan enjoys reading, drawing, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family.
“I want to pursue a degree in psychology at Montana Western so that I can help people overcome challenges and provide them with the tools to achieve their goals in life,” Megan said.
Elizabeth Fulbright
When Elizabeth Fulbright arrives at the University of Montana Western, she will be returning home. Born in Dillon, Elizabeth grew up in Lewistown, Montana. During her time at Fergus High School, she served as Student Body President, an FCCLA State Officer, a Drum Major and competed in volleyball and cross country. Elizabeth plans to major in mathematics education.
“My goal as a future educator is to inspire and motivate my students. I have always enjoyed helping others and I am excited for the upcoming opportunities at Montana Western,” said Elizabeth.
Nicolas Macdonald
In May 2023, Nicolas will be graduating as salutatorian from Beaverhead County High School. As an incoming UMW student, he plans to major in business with minors in glass and visual arts. Currently, Nicolas is a member of the National Honors Society, Academic Olympics, and a co-founder of the Robotics Club.
Through the Robotics Club, he hosted a workshop teaching middle school students how robots are constructed and programmed. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, designing 3-D animations, and woodworking. He looks forward to exploring the glass and art programs at Montana Western.
“I have always been a person who likes to help others. Typically, it was in the form of simple things like homework or class projects, but in recent years I have been able to make a bigger impact through volunteering,” said Nicolas.
Isabella Montalvo
Isabella Montalvo will be graduating from Terry High School as co-valedictorian this spring. She is excited to join the Montana Western community to obtain a degree in environmental sustainability and visual arts. Interactions between people and the environment have always fascinated Isabella and she hopes by minoring in visual arts she can share valuable information about the environment through her photography. Isabella enjoys botany, computer games, volleyball, drawing, and learning trivia in her free time.
“I strongly believe that when people cannot communicate with words, arts and visuals are a perfect alternative,” said Isabella.
Allison Sprague
Allison will graduate from Belgrade High and maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout all four years of high school. She participated in cheerleading, soccer, and the National Honors Society. In her last season, Allison was a varsity starter, captain, and an all-state recipient. She also volunteered in a fourth-grade classroom once a week and led lessons in grammar and spelling. She plans to join the education program at Montana Western to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. Allison enjoys painting, reading, and building Lego sets in her free time.
“I have always admired my teachers for their dedication to learning and I hope to continue their tradition by becoming a teacher through Montana Western’s education program,” said Allison.
“Congratulations to the recipients of this scholarship that recognizes leadership, community service, and academic excellence. We are excited to welcome you to campus this fall,” said Montana Western Chancellor, Michael Reid.