Education Briefs
Legislative Page Program still has openings
The Montana Legislature offers a unique opportunity for young people to participate in the legislative process through its Legislative Page Program. Page applicants are juniors and seniors in high school who are at least 16 years old.
Pages perform a variety of duties guided by the Page Supervisor, including assisting legislators and House and Senate staff by running errands, delivering messages, and distributing bills, amendments, and other official documents. Pages also have the rare privilege of working on the floor of the House or Senate in the midst of legislative action.
Pages serve for one week and are paid minimum wage. Arrangements and expenses for housing and transportation are the responsibility of the student and his or her parents. The work week extends from 8 a.m. Monday to the close of Saturday's floor session. During the week, pages have the opportunity to meet the Governor, Secretary of State, and other high-level officials.
To apply, head to leg.mt.gov; applications can be found under Engage in Government, Page Program.
Polson students honored during MSU Founders Day
Two Polson students are among 40 Montana State University students and their faculty and staff mentors who will be recognized Thursday, Feb. 16, at the 41st annual Founders Day Awards for Student Excellence, which will be held on the MSU campus. Local honorees include:
• Mesa McKee, Polson: Political Science; mentor David Parker (College of Letters and Science)
• Payton Dupuis, Polson: Chemical Engineering; mentor Abigail Richards (Norm Asbiornson College of Engineering
Students are nominated by faculty in their college or department. Nominees must have at least a 3.0 GPA and have demonstrated campus leadership and community service. Each selects a mentor who will be recognized alongside them.
The Founders Day event is hosted by the MSU Alumni Foundation and tickets cost $25. Attendees can register by Feb. 10 at msuaf.org/excellence23.
Five locals graduate from MSU
Montana State University awarded 851 undergraduate degrees during its 137th commencement ceremony held Dec. 16 at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, including seven Mission Valley grads.
Students with two asterisks after their names graduated with highest honors, having earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7. Undergraduate students graduating with honors – a cumulative GPA between 3.25 and 3.69 – have a single asterisk after their names. Recent graduates include:
Arlee: Selya Avila and Isla Olivera-Olson
Charlo: Aislynn Love*
Polson: Briala Forman-Bisson and Brian Jore
Ronan: Jacob Dresen and Jacob Martin
MSU-Northern Dean’s List includes five locals
Five Mission Valley students made Montana State University-Northern’s Fall semester Dean’s List. To be included, students must carry a minimum of 12 credits and earn a grade point average of 3.25 or better. The following students were included:
Polson: Brian Siemens and Mason J. Smith
Ronan: Daniel P. Kelsch and Cheyanne M. Smith
St. Ignatius: Layne R. Spidel