McMullen Golden Years Endowed Scholarship

Lynn B. McMullen was the first president of Eastern Montana Normal School (now MSU Billings), a teachers college that started in Billings in 1927. Dr. McMullen, who came to Montana from the University of Kentucky, was hired to head the school and to teach education classes. He was known to his students as “Prexie” or “Dr. Mac.” His philosophy of preparing students to teach was to have them learn by spending time in local classrooms. In 1935, Dr. McMullen oversaw the construction of the building that is named after him — McMullen Hall. McMullen Hall wasn’t just the biggest and best-looking building at Eastern Montana Normal School in the mid-1930s, it was the only building on campus. The building housed the English and education departments, classrooms, and book store on the first floor; the library, museum and social sciences on the second; art, music and science department on the third floor; and band, orchestra, and chorus in the tower room on the fourth floor. In the basement were the cafeteria, boiler room, and more classrooms. Dr. McMullen retired in 1945 after more than 18 years as president. In appreciation of his dedication to Eastern Montana Normal School, the graduating classes of 1928 through 1945 created the McMullen Golden Years Scholarship Endowment. A lasting tribute to Dr. McMullen, this scholarship endowment provides a means to carry forward his educational ideals to future students. The first scholarship was awarded in academic year 1986-1987.