Montana State University’s most prestigious scholarship has been awarded to 20 high school graduates from across the nation and world, including 15 students from Montana.
The MSU Presidential Scholarship is awarded based on scholastic achievement, demonstrated leadership and exemplary public service. Students receive an annual stipend plus a tuition waiver. The scholarship is renewable for three additional years if students maintain a superior academic standing at MSU.
“This scholarship recognizes students who have shown tremendous promise and dedication to pursuing life-changing education,” said MSU President Waded Cruzado. “We are grateful that they have chosen to join the Bobcat community, and the university is proud to support them on their educational journeys.”
The scholars were selected from a pool of 1,434 applicants, said Durward Sobek, vice provost and interim dean of the Honors College.
“Presidential scholars demonstrate an inspiring commitment to public service and academics, and we are eager to welcome them to MSU this fall,” he said.
The 2025 MSU Presidential Scholarship recipients are:
MONTANA
Belgrade
Abby Robino is a graduate of Belgrade High School and plans to pursue a degree in music technology and chemistry. Throughout high school, she was an officer of the American Chemical Society, a writing tutor for the Belgrade High School Writing Center and an active member of the National Honor Society. Outside of school, Robino is a musician, serving as the co-founder, lead guitarist and backup vocalist of award-winning Montana blues band Emma and the Ledge. Since 2018, she has performed live with the band more than 100 times at various Montana stages and festivals. Additionally, since 2023, she has been a guitar instructor for young musicians.
Billings
Homa Masood is a graduate of Skyview High School and plans to pursue a degree in political science with a minor in Latin American studies. During high school, she served as captain of the speech and debate team, earning a state championship in Lincoln-Douglas debate and qualifying for nationals all four years of high school. Masood was also a president of her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. Outside school, she volunteers as a speaker for Humanities Montana, discussing stereotypes against marginalized groups. She has also been a member of American Civil Liberties Union’s National Advocacy Institute.
Reid Walks Over Ice is a graduate of Lockwood High School and plans to pursue a degree in kinesiology, hoping to earn a doctorate in physical therapy. He participated in basketball during his freshman year and also joined cross-country and track and field for four years of high school. He made Academic All-State Selection for three years. Additionally, he was a member of the National Honor Society and Math Club. In his free time, he has participated in trail runs around the state. His passion for running and body mechanics has influenced his career path. He hopes to complete a 100-mile ultra marathon and run in the Boston Marathon. His parents are Leigh Henderson and Darrell Walks Over Ice.
Bozeman
Elsa Austin is a graduate of Bozeman High School and plans to double major in cell biology and neuroscience, and anthropology. She co-founded STEAM Ready, a nationally recognized youth organization focused on expanding opportunities in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. She was Montana’s 2024 flight crew representative for the Million Girls Moonshot initiative, promoting gender equity in STEM fields. An accomplished leader in 4-H, Austin has held numerous officer roles and mentored youth through service-learning projects. She is a multi-year Montana All State Band flutist, a six-time Distributive Education Clubs of America state champion and is active in the National Honor Society, Science Olympiad and taekwondo. Her parents are Christine Sommers-Austin and Sean Austin.
Michael Kneeland is a graduate of Heritage Christian School and plans to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. He was captain of his school robotics team, served in student government, won two adjudicator choice awards for vocal solos at the Stillwater Music Festival and performed in five play productions. Kneeland skis for the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing, competed in the 2024 and 2025 World Cups in Europe and is a 2026 Paralympic hopeful.
Aika Lanes is a graduate of Bozeman High School and plans to study architecture with a minor in Japanese. She served as the Montana district governor for Key Club and served on the district board for three years in various officer positions. She was also a member of DECA, BHS marching band, National Honor Society, Solar Schools Club and Model United Nations. During the summer of 2024, Lanes was a NASA STEM Enhancement in Earth Science intern, working on high-altitude ballooning technologies for use in education. Outside school, she co-founded STEAM Ready, a youth-led organization dedicated to bringing STEAM education to various schools and communities. Lanes has also been involved in the Million Girls Moonshot and STEM Next Flight Crew, advocating for youth and minority voices in STEM. Her parents are Troy and Chiai Lanes.
Grace Lux is a graduate of Gallatin High School and plans to pursue a degree in conservation biology and ecology. She served as captain of her high school mountain biking team, state captain for Girls Riding Together, secretary of her school’s National Honor Society and officer for the Democracy Project Club and UNICEF Club. Lux skied for Bridger Ski Foundation Nordic and raced for two bike teams, Swift Spoke Racing and the Gallatin NICA Team. She has volunteered with the Bozeman Public Library and with Montana GRiT, an organization that aims to get more girls on bikes. Her parents are Nick and Christine Lux.
Madison Tobin is a graduate of Bozeman High School and plans to pursue a degree in pre-medicine with a minor in Spanish. She was president of her school’s Key Club for three years, a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a member of the Spanish Honor Society and a member of her school’s National Honor Society. Tobin played varsity softball for three years. She also participated in her school’s wind ensemble as a clarinetist for four years and in the jazz band for three years as a tenor saxophonist. She served as a section leader for three years in her marching band. In her free time, Tobin enjoys spending time with her family and dogs outside, as well as traveling. Her parents are Jeffrey and Jennifer Tobin.
Butte
Kelly McCloskey is a graduate of Butte High School and plans to study chemical engineering. She served as Montana state president of SkillsUSA, was crowned Miss Montana Teen Volunteer and earned the DAR Good Citizen Award. A dedicated athlete and musician, McCloskey captained her cross-country team and performed with the Butte Symphony as a double bass player. She is a two-time Grand Champion Market/Showman Lamb winner through 4-H and has volunteered with Southwest Montana Aging and Disability, Special Olympics and her local animal shelter.
Great Falls
Madisyn Peters is a graduate of Great Falls High School and plans to pursue a degree in animal science with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. She participated in various sports, clubs and arts programs in her school and community. Peters was a board member for her school’s National Honor Society, Key Club and Loop of Kindness, showing leadership and passion for those around her. She loves to read, write, cook, craft and spend time with her friends and family.
Helena
Kathleen Cook is a graduate of Capital High School and plans to pursue a degree in computer engineering. She served as a captain of Fusion Robotics, an officer in her school’s student council and National Honor Society, and an active member of Business Professionals of America, Science Club and Bruin Pure Performance. She played golf all four years of high school and was a president of the Catholic Youth Coalition, as well as a Montana Aerospace Scholar. She is involved in mentoring and advocating for STEM and education opportunities across Montana.
Missoula
Maria Flores is a graduate of Sentinel High School who looks forward to exploring her academic interests in college. In high school, she was involved in student government, the National Honor Society, Academic WorldQuest, Young Life and Model United Nations. In her free time, Flores enjoys creating art, hunting, skiing and traveling. She is the daughter of Michelle Flores and Tito Flores.
Tam Nhu Nguyen is a graduate of Loyola Sacred Heart High School and plans to study mechanical engineering. She won two state championships in Public Forum debate, qualified for state competitions in tennis and cross-country, and was class treasurer for four years. She assumed many leadership roles in the community, such as managing her school food drive’s finances to raise thousands of dollars, creating a virtual run to raise funds for the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative and becoming vice president of her school’s Key Club.
Terry
Hatty Eaton is a graduate of Terry High School and will study business accounting. She earned the highest score on the written exam in her age group at the Southeastern Montana High School Academic Olympics competition in both her junior and senior years. She also won Montana History Portal’s short story contest in 2024. Eaton captained her volleyball team in her junior and senior years, and she played volleyball, basketball and softball all four years of high school. Additionally, Eaton served as the president of student council and National Honor Society as a senior. Her parents are Shane and Tylene Eaton.
Winifred
Johanna DeMars is a graduate of Winifred High School and plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in precision agriculture. DeMars grew up on a third-generation ranch just outside Winifred. She served as president of her local BPA chapter for one year and president of the FFA chapter for two years. DeMars was also active in sports, the National Honor Society, band and choir, having participated in the Montana All-State Band for two years as a bass clarinet player. She volunteered many hours in her community, church parish and the American Red Cross.
OUT OF STATE
ALASKA
Eagle River
Evangeline Newkirk graduated as valedictorian from the Alaska Middle College School and plans to pursue a degree in microbiology on the pre-medicine track and German. Newkirk was a member of her school’s National Honor Society, competed on track and cross-country running teams as well as Alpine ski racing, and was a member of the 2024 German American Partnership Program exchange. She also completed over 50 hours of professional shadowing at Providence Alaska Medical Center, solidifying her career path in medicine. During the winter months, she is a volunteer ski instructor at Challenge Alaska Adaptive Ski School, a ski school for kids and adults with a variety of disabilities. Her parents are Chad and Aree Newkirk.
NEVADA
Las Vegas
Ekemini Okon graduated as a valedictorian from Rancho High School and plans to major in biomedical engineering and potentially minor in accounting. She was president of her school’s HOSA chapter, placing third in the state for the behavioral health competition. She also served as vice president of her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, president of the Black Student Union, co-captain of her school’s step team and student leader of her ongoing Bezos Scholar community project, in which she organized annual events to connect students with teachers. Okon also volunteered for athletic events, shadowing her school’s athletic trainer and taping athletes’ wrists, ankles, thumbs and more to prevent injuries. Her parents are Nene and Effiong Okon.
NEW MEXICO
Los Alamos
Priya Gardner is a Los Alamos High School graduate and will study chemical engineering to drive sustainable agriculture through the fusion of art and science. As a student with a 4.0 GPA and a National STEM Honor Society member, she has earned recognition for her excellence in STEM, leadership and athletics. She founded the nonprofit Archemist to bring free chemistry education to rural youth while also serving as a medical assistant, lab intern and literacy tutor.
OKLAHOMA
Fort Gibson
Kamdyn Willard Kating is a graduate of Fort Gibson High School and plans to pursue a degree in psychology. He was captain of the varsity swim team, vice president of student council and a member of National Honor Society. He was also selected as an all-state athlete in swimming. He was on a volunteer board for Fostering Hope, a nonprofit that helps foster children transition to homes, providing them with supplies and helping with the gospel rescue mission in their homeless shelters.
INTERNATIONAL
GERMANY
Stuttgart
Ruthie Thompson is a graduate of Stuttgart High School, an American Department of Defense Education Activity school for military families stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. Thompson plans to pursue health sciences, focused on community health and psychology. Thompson participated in her school’s student ambassador program, served as the secretary for the National Honor Society and is a member of the Red Cross, where she became a youth disaster preparedness facilitator. She was also selected as a delegate for the 2025 Model United Nations Conference in Prague, Czech Republic, as well as the International Student Leadership Institute Conference in western Germany.