University Communications and Marketing

March 28, 2011

Contacts:

Julie Seedhouse, Alumni Relations, 247-5780
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — A cancer center CEO, a special education director, business leaders and a former student-athlete turned Nevada legislator have been honored this week as outstanding alumni for Montana State University Billings.

The 29th annual Outstanding Alumni Awards event on Saturday, March 26, recognized the accomplishments of six people selected by the MSU Billings Alumni Association. Outstanding alumni are recognized in three categories:

• Distinguished Alumnus: Honors an alumnus who has distinguished him or herself through personal, professional and civic contributions, while bringing a sense of honor, pride and recognition to the University community.
• Alumni Merit Medallion: Honors an alumnus who is dedicated to the advancement of education, exemplified by his or her commitment of professional expertise and/or volunteer service to Montana State University Billings.
• Recognition for Exceptional Achievement: Honors four alumni who have distinguished themselves in fields ranging from business, professional, education, volunteer service to a community, public or civil service, or arts and sciences having impacted those fields while bringing a sense of pride and recognition to the University community.

Past recipients of these awards have included persons who have exhibited unusual courage, creativity, perseverance, originality of competency in their chosen field; raised the quality of life for others; contributed to and promoted the advancement of higher education; or distinguished themselves as leaders in their profession or area of interest.

This year’s recipients are:

Cathy Bealer, Recognition for Exceptional Achievement. Bealer is the chief executive officer of Frontier Cancer Center in Billings. She received her master’s degree from MSU Billings in Health Administration in 2003.

Colleen Riley, Recognition for Exceptional Achievement. Riley, an Anaconda native, is the state director of special education in the Kansas State Department of Education. She received her bachelor’s degree in special education from Eastern Montana College in 1983 and a master’s degree in education from the University of Arizona.

Jeremy Morgret, Recognition for Exceptional Achievement.Morgret is branch manager for First Interstate Bank in Polson. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2002.

Mark Dawson, Recognition for Exceptional Achievement. Dawson is the owner/broker of Century 21 Hometown Brokers in Billings and owner of Classic Design Homes. He received his bachelor’s degree in mass communications in 1990.

 

Harvey Munford, Outstanding Alumnus Award. A native of Akron, Ohio, Munford was a student-athlete at Eastern Montana College in the mid-1960s and received a bachelor’s degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1965 and later a master’s degree in guidance counseling. He taught school for 36 years in Nevada and is currently a state assemblyman in the Nevada Legislature.

 

Jeannie McIsaac-Tracy, Ronald P. Sexton Award for Professional Commitment to the University. A 1993 graduate of MSU Billings with a degree in Special Education and Elementary Education, McIsaac-Tracy taught school for a year before returning to the university to work in housing and eventually became director of Student Life and Housing. This award is named for former chancellor Dr. Ronald P. Sexton and will be awarded periodically to alumni who dedicated their professional careers to serving students and the university.

 

 

More information about the awards and the Alumni Association can be found at www.msubillings.edu/alumni/ or by contacting Julie Seedhouse, director of alumni relations, at 247-5780.