Carrie Wagner Memorial Scholarship

Carrie Wagner Memorial Scholarship

Descendants of Germans-from-Russia who immigrated to North Dakota in the 1890’s, Carrie and G.G. Wagner headed to eastern Montana and settled in Circle in 1928. The Northern Pacific Railroad had built a branch line out from Glendive and the old “let’s get people to settle here” routine was practiced again, as was the promise that life in Big Sky Country would be right up next to Paradise, if not quite within the boundaries of Eden. Carrie and G.G. ran a dairy farm during the 1930’s. Carrie also taught Home Economics at Circle Public Schools. She had a passion for education and influenced her three sons to go to college, each graduating from Concordia College. In 2016, James Wagner (Carrie’s middle son) decided to honor his mother by establishing a scholarship in her name at Montana State University Billings. The first Carrie Wagner Memorial Scholarship was awarded to a student from eastern Montana in academic year 2017-2018.

Impact

“Words alone cannot thank you for selecting me for the Carrie Wagner Memorial Scholarship. I am deeply humbled to be chosen for this scholarship and cannot thank you enough. I served in the United States Army and was on combat deployments to Bosnia and Iraq. While deployed to Iraq was wounded during combat missions. The injuries sustained while serving my country has left me with permanent disabilities and scars that will never heal. I plan to use your gracious scholarship toward the expenditures needed to attend college and finish with a degree in Human Services. I will finish my undergraduate degree and apply for the graduate program for Mental Health Counseling at MSU Billings. I will apply all my skills and knowledge acquired at MSU Billings to work with the veteran population much like myself. I know very well the struggles I endured and know I can make a difference to help our veterans throughout the community. I am not only a full-time student, but a husband and father of my twelve-year-old daughter. I remain very dedicated to my academics as my lovely wife maintains the household to help me focus on school. This scholarship will greatly assist in helping my family and I manage the burden of finances. Not only myself, but my family thanks you for this blessing in the form of a scholarship. We cannot tell you how grateful we are to be chosen for your scholarship. Thank you so much!" — Chris G., Human Services major