Marilynn F. Miller Opportunity Endowed Scholarship

Marilynn Miller was born and raised in Havre, Montana. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education with an extended English major from Northern Montana College (now MSU Northern), paying her tuition with the help of scholarships. She subsequently completed a variety of graduate courses at MSU Bozeman, MSU Billings, and Stanford University. Miller worked as a junior high school teacher and as a broadcast journalist before she took a position in non-profit fundraising, a move that would define the remainder of her career. Over the course of 30 years, Miller was a fund development professional, first with the Easter Seal Society, then the Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings Catholic Schools, and, finally, the MSU Billings Foundation. Her 16 years at the MSU Billings Foundation, 14 of which as President and CEO, allowed Miller to combine her passions for higher education and helping people flourish. Miller believes deeply in MSU Billings and its students, and, during her time at the MSU Billings Foundation, she worked hard to raise private support to help the university thrive: to enhance programs, purchase equipment, and provide student scholarships. During her tenure as CEO of the MSU Billings Foundation, net assets at the Foundation grew from $7.9 million to just over $22 million. Endowed assets more than tripled from $6 million to $19 million. Scholarship dollars awarded each year were increased from $432,000 to $1.3 million annually. Miller retired from the MSU Billings Foundation on December 31, 2013, and established this endowed scholarship to continue her commitment to MSU Billings students in perpetuity. Miller was widowed in her mid-50s but eventually remarried. She has two adult children and several grandchildren. She continues to live in Billings, Montana. The first scholarship was awarded in academic year 2014-2015.