James Gordon Swanson Environmental Urgency Endowed Scholarship

Jim Swanson is just a regular guy who is proud to call Montana his home. In 2011, Jim and his land were victims of a major oil spill. The James Gordon Swanson Environmental Urgency Scholarship Endowment was created in 2014 from funds Jim received as “compensation.” Establishing this scholarship will not only help MSU Billings students, it also gave Jim the opportunity to say, “We need environmental students more than ever. We need to give our teachers and professors more students to lead and educate them on their path. But most important, it is up to us, just regular people, to create opportunity for our young students who care deeply about our environment and this planet God gave to us.” Because of Jim’s generosity, MSU Billings students who are majoring in environmental studies will receive financial assistance to help them pursue their education and passion to protect the environment. The first scholarship will be awarded in academic year 2014-2015.