Jane L. Howell Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Jane was born August 17, 1944, in England, grew up there, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Leeds in 1965. She met her husband, Joe Howell, when he was studying in England during the 1960s. After they married in 1968, they moved to the University of Virginia where Joe started work on his Ph.D. When he was drafted into the Army, they wound up at Fort Carson, Colorado. After Joe’s service, they moved to Denver University, where Joe got his Ph.D. in mathematics, and Jane a master’s of library science degree. In 1980, the couple came to Billings, Montana, with their two small children, Christopher and Sarah. Joe got a job with the faculty at Eastern Montana College (now MSU Billings). After working at Parmly Billings Library for a short time, Jane took a part-time job with the EMC Library in 1982. In 1990, she became the director. As director, she worked tirelessly to improve access to information and utilize cutting-edge technology tools for faculty and student research. She made many significant contributions to her profession, serving on the boards of state, regional and national library associations. Jane also served as President of the Montana Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and worked collaboratively with the local chapter of the American Association of University Women. Additionally, her enthusiasm for and efforts in behalf of the construction of a joint community library, operated by MSU Billings and the City of Billings, was contagious and her support for that project never wavered. Jane and Joe were supportive of student scholarships through the MSU Billings Foundation and were active in the annual MSU Billings Foundation Wine and Food Festival, contributing at the wine store or through leadership positions. Jane retired in 2010 and the Montana Board of Regents conferred on her the title of Administrator Emeritus. Jane passed away on May 28, 2012, at her home in Billings after a courageous battle with cancer. Her presence in all things related to the University, her passion for the Wine and Food Festival, her love of knowledge, her commitment to students, her support of the public radio, and her lilting British accent will be missed by all. In memory of Jane and her commitment to the students, the Jane L. Howell Memorial Scholarship Endowment was established in 2012. The first scholarship was awarded for academic year 2014-2015.