Montana State University names 2024 presidential scholars

BOZEMAN - Montana State University's most prestigious scholarship has been awarded to 21 high school graduates from across the nation and world, including nine students from Montana.

The MSU Presidential Scholarship is awarded based on scholastic achievement, demonstrated leadership and exemplary public service. Students receive an annual stipend plus a tuition waiver. The scholarship is for four years if the students maintain a superior academic standing at MSU.

"MSU continues to attract exceptional high school scholars," said MSU President Waded Cruzado. "We are excited that these students have chosen to attend Montana State University, and we can't wait to welcome them to campus this fall."

The scholars were selected from a pool of approximately 1,350 applicants, according to Durward Sobek, interim dean of the MSU Honors College.

"We are immensely proud of these outstanding students who have demonstrated unparalleled academic excellence, exceptional leadership and deep commitment to community service," Sobek said. "Their achievements embody the core values of our university and set a high standard for their peers."

The 2024 MSU Presidential Scholarship recipients are:

MONTANA

Belt

Clayton Jassen is a graduate of Belt High School and is planning to study mechanical engineering and business. He was an accomplished varsity athlete in basketball, track and cross-country. Jassen was also involved in a variety of clubs, including DECA, FFA, 4-H and National Honor Society. He enjoys spending time outdoors skiing, hiking and working cattle. Jassen was raised on his family ranch; his parents are Cory and Lisa Jassen.

East Helena

Gianna Gutowsky is a graduate of East Helena High School. She plans to pursue a degree in microbiology and anthropology. She participated in her school's National Honor Society chapter, Science Olympiad team and Native American club. In addition, she was part of her school's varsity golf team for four years. She has volunteered with local golf camps and various other local nonprofits. She dedicated her summer to the U.S. Forest Service working to preserve and protect Native American archeological sites. Her parents are Kristin Gutowsky and Matt Pugh of Helena.

Kalispell

Hailey Hendrickson is a graduate of Flathead High School and plans to pursue a degree in cell biology and neuroscience. During high school, she participated in cross-country, speech and debate, and track, and was named a cross-country team captain her senior year. Her community volunteerism included working with Girls on the Run Western Montana, where she served on the program's 5k committee. She also coached for Highlanders Track and Field and co-founded the student-led Levy Advisory Committee at her school alongside two of her peers. Additionally, she was a member of her school's National Honor Society chapter. Her parents are Patricia Johnson and Noel Hendrickson.

Alex Hudson is a graduate of Glacier High School and plans to pursue a degree in landscape architecture and sustainability. She served as student body president and as an officer of the National Honor Society chapter and environmental club. She played soccer for four years and was a member of the debate team for three years. She also volunteers for a program called Refuge Kids, where she cares for kids that face domestic abuse, and created an annual campus clean up at school. Her parents are John and Samantha Hudson.

Taylor Pooton graduated from Flathead High School and intends to pursue majors in chemistry and criminology. She participated in speech and debate, DECA, National Honor Society, student council and band all four years of high school. Over those four years, she accumulated six state championships in DECA and two state championships in impromptu speaking, as well as national recognition. As band board president and student body secretary, she has led numerous events at her high school that were designed to give back to the community and ensure a supportive environment for her peers. Her parents are Julie and James Pooton.

Missoula

Quynh McKelvey-Pham is a graduate of Hellgate High School and plans to pursue a degree in biochemistry. She was the business lead for the Missoula Robotics Team 3216 for three years and participated in high school soccer for four years. McKelvey-Pham also participated in speech and debate for two years. She likes to bake, embroider and read in her spare time. Her parents are Tri Pham and Kim McKelvey.

Roundup

Noah Oakes is a graduate of Roundup High School and plans to pursue a degree through the Directed Interdisciplinary Studies program, starting with a focus on computer science. He served as captain of the Speech Drama Debate team, with which he competed for four years. He is also involved in advocacy work and served for two years as state ambassador for Montana with the Tourette Association of America. Oakes is also active in his community through his work with Youth C.A.R.E.S., a local youth suicide and drug prevention coalition. He is the son of Jason Oakes.

Sidney

Ella Norby is a graduate of Sidney High School and plans to pursue a degree in finance. She served as captain of her basketball, golf and drill teams. She is a nationally recognized dancer for Cutting Edge Dance Studio and spent her summers swimming for the Sidney Tiger Sharks. Alongside her athletics, she also was president of the Math Madness Club, Close Up and National Honor Society. She was also an officer for American Politics Club and the Montana High School Association Student Advisory Council. She was chosen to represent her school at American Legion Auxiliary Girls State and was nominated to represent Montana and serve as a senator in Washington, D.C., at ALA Girls Nation. Her parents are Jeremy and Lorilee Norby.

Three Forks

Madison Griffiths graduated as a valedictorian from Three Forks High School, where she participated in student council and served as student body president her junior and senior years, as well as National Honor Society president. She participated in several categories of speech and debate, winning state her senior year in public forum debate. Griffiths played varsity tennis all four years of high school and was team captain her senior year. She co-founded the Three Forks afterschool tutoring program and organized local blood drives. Griffiths plans to pursue a degree in political science. Her parents are Tim and Melissa Griffiths.

OUT-OF-STATE

ALASKA

Juneau

Sophia Owen graduated from Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau, Alaska, and plans to pursue a degree in physics before attending graduate school for astrophysics. She advocated for funding for after-school activities and for minorities in STEM with Million Girls Moonshot, and she produced podcasts to empower women in STEM. She has also been a captain of her cross-country, track, robotics and dance teams, all of which she participated in for four years of high school. Her parents are Angela and Larry Owen.

CALIFORNIA

Woodland

Kylie Mills is a graduate of Woodland High School and plans to pursue a degree in fish and wildlife ecology and management. She served as president of the National Honor Society, music department and Chess Club. She was an officer in the school's Associated Student Body for four years. She was also the founder and president of the Environmental Club at her high school, which earned her the Girl Scout Gold Award. She volunteered more than 700 hours with local nonprofits, including the Yolo County Food Bank, SPCA and the Woodland Tree Foundation. She played on the girls' tennis team for three years, serving as team captain for two years, and was assistant coach of the boys' tennis team during her senior year. Her guardians are Kenneth and Teresa Redwine.

COLORADO

Highlands Ranch

Hunter Engelsen is a graduate of Stem School Highlands Ranch and plans to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. He served as a captain of the track and field team, a founding member in his school's UNICEF club and wrestled his senior year. He was also a member of his school Math Honors Society and student government. He is active in his community, helping organize and participate in veterans' snowmobiling activities, sharing his passion for all forms of fishing and being an ambassador for the town of Grand Lake through his employment at Headwaters Marina. His parents are Craig and Kristen Engelsen of Larkspur, Colorado.

KANSAS

Manhattan

Connor Buchanan is a graduate of Manhattan High School and plans to pursue a degree in microbiology on the pre-medicine track. He served as a drum major in the marching band, president of his school's German club and was on the varsity Science Olympiad team. He volunteered at a tutoring program serving underprivileged communities and co-founded a local tutoring and community service organization called Project MHK. He is also involved in his local scouting troop and earned the Eagle Scout award. His parents are Cathy and Alan Buchanan.

MINNESOTA

Twin Valley

Chloe Abraham is a graduate of Norman County East High School and plans to pursue degrees in child development and nursing. She served as student council vice president, played basketball and ran track all through high school, and was involved in many activities including Knowledge Bowl, River Watch, musicals, choir and more. She also volunteered as a tutor for her peers and coached at elementary basketball camps.

OREGON
West Linn

Maya Putnam is a graduate of West Linn High School and plans to study microbiology on the pre-medicine track. She was an active member in her school's chapter of the National Honor Society and World Language Honor Society, earning the Oregon Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish as a sophomore. Outside of school, she co-founded a Spanish immersion summer camp to support elementary-aged language learners in her community. She has an extensive record of community service, including interpreting on two international surgical mission trips, leading middle schoolers at her local church and assisting at monthly events for children undergoing cancer treatment. Her parents are Bryan and Dee Putnam.

PENNSYLVANIA

Lancaster

Liam Rockwell is a graduate of Manheim Township High School, where he served as captain of the varsity cross-country team, was an active member of the varsity volleyball team and was involved in student council and the Manheim Township superintendent's advisory group. He also volunteered with MiniThon and an after-school program in Lancaster City. During his junior year, he completed the Semester in the Rockies with the National Outdoor Leadership School. After graduating, he took a gap year volunteering with the Idaho Conservation Corps and traveling across Europe and Asia. He plans to pursue a degree in engineering. His parents are Shannah and Nick Rockwell.

TEXAS

Georgetown

Elizabeth McCallum is a graduate of Georgetown High School and plans to pursue a double major in microbiology and music, with a focus on harp. She participated in varsity orchestra and full orchestra for four years of high school, performing as concertmaster for three years and principal harpist for two years. McCallum was a four-year member of the All-Region String Orchestra and qualified for the UIL Texas State Solo-Ensemble competition eight times, receiving an Outstanding Performer Award as a senior. She has volunteered at her middle school library each summer and in her community by playing music at different events. Her parents are Angela Moorman and Dave McCallum.

WASHINGTON

Leavenworth

Isabel Menna graduated from Cascade High School and plans to major in biology. She served as editor-in-chief of the Cascade Publications Group, president of the Environmental Sustainability Club and captain of the cross-country team and the Plain Valley Nordic Team. She is active in managing her community's composting and recycling program. She also participated in Knowledge Bowl, played cello in the National Youth Symphony and sang in the Washington State Voice Solo and Ensemble. Her parents are Ellen Beardsley and James Menna.

Spokane

Jackson Smitham is a graduate of University High School and plans to pursue a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering. He served as a captain of the tennis team, congressional debate team and Civics Bowl team and as an officer in his school's ASB. He also lettered in three different sports and acted in two plays with the U-High Drama Department. He is an AP Capstone Scholar, a Spokane Scholar in Social Studies and volunteered with the U-High Concession Crew and U-High Summer Tennis Camp. His parents are Jon and Jennifer Smitham.

WISCONSIN

Cedarburg

Anica Tipkemper-Wolfe is a graduate of Cedarburg High School and plans to pursue a degree in paleontology. Tipkemper-Wolfe was captain of the swim team, played clarinet and saxophone in several ensembles, served as the clarinet section leader and participated in the Wisconsin State Honors Band. Tipkemper-Wolfe volunteers at a bed and breakfast by performing trail maintenance and invasive species removal and as a peer tutor. Tipkemper-Wolfe's parents are Jessica Tipkemper of Cedarburg and Jeremy Wolfe of Loveland, Ohio.

INTERNATIONAL

KYRGYZSTAN

Tokmok

Zhuratzhan Ubylkasymov is a graduate of Zhusup Balasagyn High School and plans to pursue a degree in animal science, livestock management and industry concentration. He served as Minister of the Environment in the school parliament and head of the school's debate club. He trained Olympiad students in geography, was an assistant teacher in geography and was a mentor for seventh-grade students. He also volunteered with the Red Crescent, working in the children's department and as a first aid instructor. Together with his team, he also raised funds for underprivileged children. His parents are Ladykar and Feruza Ubylkasymov.