Shannon Scholarship Fund Announces 2015 Scholarship Recipients

In 1987 Kevin Shannon, a local Butte businessman, started a scholarship club to support Butte High School and Butte Central High School students who plan to pursue higher education at Montana Tech. Since then, the Shannon Scholarship Fund has positively impacted over 400 students pursuing a post-secondary education at Montana Tech. The fund has given out over $180,000 in scholarships.

The original committee was made up of Kevin Shannon, Frank Gardner, and Jean Peterson. “Kevin sent out a letter asking community members to give $5.00 to help support a Butte student pursuing their education at Montana Tech,” noted Peterson. “The fund has since snowballed and the support has allowed us to give financial assistance to nine students this year. Financial need is a big part of the criteria when selecting the scholarship recipients. We want to make sure that the Montana Tech freshmen receiving the scholarship can really benefit from the assistance.”

“The Shannon Scholarship Fund continues to give outstanding students from Butte an opportunity to get on an extraordinary path and better their lives,” noted Joe McClafferty, Montana Tech Vice Chancellor for Advancement and University Relations and President of the Montana Tech Foundation. “This year's recipients represent a diverse group of degree majors. In four years, these students will be heading out into industry to solve real world problems. This fund is having and will continue to have a great impact on our community and university. Montana Tech is the number social mobility university in the country. We have a great opportunity to build this scholarship and improve more Butte kids’ lives. Thank you to the scholarship committee and all those who contribute to the Kevin and Joan Shannon Fund.”

“As an HR Manager for Pioneer Technical Services, I am now given the opportunity to recruit Montana Tech graduates and I know that I am going to get one of the best candidates out there. I want to thank the Kevin Shannon Scholarship Fund for believing in Butte students as well as Montana Tech,” said John P. Morgan, B.S. Business and Information Technology, Montana Tech Class of 2005.

“Kevin’s commitment to the higher education of Butte kids has had a direct impact on my family. Because of the Kevin Shannon Scholarship and others provided through Montana Tech, I was able to obtain an affordable world-class education in the Mining City,” noted Kerra Melvin, B.S. Business & Information Technology, Montana Tech Class of 2009.

The committee awarded $6,400 to nine Butte students this year. Each recipient received a scholarship ranging from $300-$1,000. The 2015-2016 recipients are Thomas Bolton, Kassidy Caprera, Hallieann Brancamp, Clay Dean, Seth Jaksha, Laryn Ludwick, Kaitlynn Schultz, Molly Sprunger, and Whitney Zimpel.

If you would like to play a part in this local scholarship effort, we encourage you to eat at the Pita Pit on June 10th. The Pita Pit will donate 100% of the proceeds on the 10th to the Scholarship Fund. “The Kevin Shannon Scholarship embodies everything we love about our hometown,” explained Carrie and Buddy Fisher, owners of the Pita Pit. “This scholarship was built on the foundation that we, the people of our city, can make a difference; and with Butte’s support, we will. Butte people, eating at a Butte restaurant, raising money for a Butte kid to attend a Butte college….what’s not to love?”

If you have any questions, please contact Katelyn Dean, Alumni Development Officer, with the Montana Tech Foundation at 406-496-4271 or kdean@mtech.edu. You can also give online at http://foundation.mtech.edu/.