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10.26.09 | Adventures of the Mind conference brings students and inspiring personalities together
The Washington Companies Employee Family Scholarship (WCEFS), a scholarship program made possible to Washington Company employees and their families through a joint effort of the individual Washington Companies and The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, provides financial support to spouses and children of Washington Company employees.
Under the program, a spouse or child of a qualified employee may receive recurring financial support towards his or her education at an accredited university, college, vocational technical school, or trade school.
In a response to increased need during these tough economic times, Washington Companies Presidents recently announced they would be doubling the scholarship limits. Approximately 200 students received continuing education aid under the program for the Fall 2009 semester.
The Foundation recently checked in with two scholars - Danna Clizbe and Ken McDonald - to see where they are headed in their educational careers and how the WCEFS is helping them to reach their goals.
Danna Clizbe
Danna Clizbe, daughter of Modern Machinery’s Dan Clizbe, is currently a sophomore at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. Danna says the variety of subject areas she has been exposed to at MSU have only made her more indecisive about her future career and educational goals.
As a University Studies major Danna is exposed to a diverse group of disciplines; she currently is taking courses in biology, math, Spanish and literature. “I might go with Liberal Studies, but I just can’t decide,” she says. Despite her indecisions about her educational interests, Danna is certain about where she prefers to spend her extra-curricular time. She serves as a resident assistant for a dorm and is involved in College Republicans and “Bobcat Club.” “…it’s mostly for getting premium Cat/Griz tickets,” admits Danna, an avid Cat fan.
Ken McDonald
Ken McDonald, son of Montana Resources’ primary crusher operator William McDonald, is currently a senior chemistry major at Boise State University in Idaho. After three years at Montana Tech, the Butte native transferred to Boise State, where he hopes to continue his education to the graduate level in either chemistry or engineering.
At Boise State Ken worked on an undergraduate research project which looked at piezoelectricity, the ability of some materials (like crystal or ceramic) to generate electricity when pressure is applied. Ken is interested in this alternative fuel potential but explains that is still prohibitively expensive. “It’s not cost effective yet,” reports Ken, “but it might be some day.”
Ken says he became interested in fuel sources from an early age. “My grandpa got me into this,” he says. Ken’s grandfather worked in Butte in energy research and production. After graduate school Ken would like to earn a PhD and work in research as a professor. “I’d love to come back to Montana,” Ken says.
