Scholarships
1.) William G. & Mary H. Walter Scholarship
This award was established by friends and colleagues to acknowledge the many contributions
of William G. Walter, Ph.D., former Emeritus Professor of Microbiology, to Montana
State University. Dr. Walter served MSU for many years. He was Head of the Department
of Botany and Microbiology (later the Department of Microbiology) from 1968-1976,
and Acting Academic Vice President 1976-1978. Among his many honors and awards are
the Blue and Gold Award, the Carski Teaching Award of the American Society for Microbiology,
and the Mangold Award of the National Environmental Health Association. Dr. Walter
retired in 1980.
Eligibility: Awarded each year to a student showing interest and promise in the field
of Environmental Health. The student must have a Junior standing and a GPA of 3.0
or higher. If no Environmental Health major meets the criteria for this award, students
in other Microbiology options can be selected.
2.) William G. Walter Award
This award was established by William G. Walter, Ph.D., and his role in developing
Montana’s environmental health programs and professions. Dr. Walter served MSU for
many years. He was Head of the Department of Botany and Microbiology (later Department
of Microbiology) from 1968-1976, and Acting Academic Vice President 1976-1978. Dr.
Walter retired in 1980.
Eligibility: Awarded each year to a student showing interest and promise in the field of Environmental
Health. The student must have a Junior standing and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. If no
Environmental Health major meets the criteria for this award, students in other Microbiology
options can be selected. The student should demonstrate an interest in pursuing a
career in public/environmental health and have participated in research or community
activities that promote public/environmental health.
3.) Irving L. Weissman Undergraduate Biomedical Research Support Fund
This award is given out based upon your overall classroom performance, initiative in seeking opportunities to make original contributions to the field, and your efforts to disseminate accurate information about the field. The award has been made available through the generosity of Dr. Irving L. Weissman. This award is a meant to be used by the student for traveling to a meeting in their research area or to help support original research.
Eligibility: Awarded each year to help support original research or to be used for travel to
a meeting in the student’s research area.
4.) Frank B. Cotner Award
Frank B. Cotner, Ph.D., was Head of the Department of Botany and Bacteriology (now
the Departments of Plant Pathology, Department of Biology and Department of Microbiology)
at Montana State College (now MSU) from 1944-1957. He also served as Dean of the Division
of Science (now College of Letters and Science). Dr. Cotner retired in 1961 as Emeritus
Dean and died in 1973. The funds used for the Cotner Award were given by former students,
faculty and friends in recognition of his many years of devoted service to the university
and his interest in scholarly achievement by students.
Eligibility: Award given to an outstanding student pursuing a degree in Microbiology, Med Lab
Science, or Environmental Health of junior or senior status.
5.) Linda Long-Linda Hunter Award
This award was established by the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority in memory of two of their members who were unfortunately killed in an automobile accident in the late 1960’s. These girls were outstanding students in the Medical Technology option of the microbiology curriculum and would have made many advances to the field. This award is in honor of women who excel in the medical lab sciences.
Eligibility: Award is given to an outstanding woman who is in her junior year of the Medical
Laboratory Sciences option.
6.) Outstanding Junior Award
The student to receive this award has been selected by a committee of faculty members of the Department of Microbiology. Students are selected based upon their overall classroom performance, their initiative in seeking opportunities to make original contributions to the field, and their efforts to disseminate accurate information about the field. The award is in honor of the student’s excellence in the field of microbiology.
Eligibility: Award is given to a student with junior standing based upon overall classroom performance,
initiative in seeking opportunities to make original contributions to microbiology
and efforts to disseminate accurate information about the field.
7.) Outstanding Senior Award
The student to receive this award has been selected by a committee of faculty members of the Department of Microbiology. Students are selected based upon their overall classroom performance, their initiative in seeking opportunities to make original contributions to the field, and their efforts to disseminate accurate information about the field. The award is in honor of the student’s excellence and drive in the field of microbiology.
Eligibility: Award is given to a student with senior standing based upon overall classroom performance, initiative in seeking opportunities to make original contributions to microbiology and efforts to disseminate accurate information about the field.
8.) RG Martin Award
This award is given every three years and the student to receive this award has been selected by a committee of faculty members of the Department of Microbiology. Students are selected based upon their overall classroom performance, their initiative in seeking opportunities to make original contributions to the field, and their efforts to disseminate accurate information about the field. This scholarship has been made available through the generosity Richard G. Martin. This award is presented to an outstanding student in microbiology.
Eligibility: This award is given every 3 years to a student with junior, senior or graduate standing.
9.) Microbiology Academic Achievement Award
Award given to an outstanding student in Microbiology who does not necessarily fall into any of the aforementioned categories. Given out only when there is funding and a particular student in mind.
10.) Carol Belohlavek & Nicholas Hether Microbiology Scholarship
Award given to promising students entering the Microbiology Department degree program.
Students must be residents of Montana or North Dakota and not participating in athletics.
Scholarship should be awarded to women or Native American students 50% of the time.
11.) Janice (Kathary) Vigre Scholarship
Award based upon academic achievement, leadership, and integrity demonstrated by a
student in Medical Lab Sciences or pursuing human medical health in microbiology.
The award has been made available through the generosity of Janice and Norman Vigre.