Student Awards for Gender Equity

Ginny Lou Garabedian is an Honors student studying for a double major in Music and Global & Multicultural Studies with a concentration in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. She is a peer advocate at the Voice Center where she works to reduce the shame and stigma many survivors of interpersonal violence experience. Ginny Lou is also on the Survivor Fund Board and in that role she disperses monetary assistance to survivors. She has also completed several research projects on topics such as comprehensive sex education, the role of gender in children’s sports, trans women’s rights in sports, and the prevalence of gender and sex trafficking within the pornography industry. Ginny Lou aims to continue to make impactful changes in gender equality by attending law school and working with policy transformation around these topics and other gender issues. 

Maleeya is graduating in December 2024 with a degree in American Studies with a minor in Native American Studies. She is a proud member of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribes of Montana and has had a leadership role as Miss Indian MSU from 2021 – 2023. In that role, she re-formed the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Student Association at MSU (MMIPSA), and helped plan numerous MMIP Awareness Day events. As the Current Co-President of the MSU MMIPSA, she has helped teach the MSU community and students about the MMIP topic, attended marches across the world, helped bring a voice to the families and survivors, and donated resources to families. Maleeya helped to put on the annual No More Stolen Relatives and No More Stolen Sisters Men’s and Women’s Basketball games that were recently awarded the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) Unity Award.

Flor Vega-Castillo is working towards her Master’s in Public Administration and works as the Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Assistant. She is a Peruvian international graduate student and a first-generation student with a passion for working towards diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on campus but also in the Bozeman community. Flor founded the First-Generation Students Association (FGSA) at MSU and served as President for a year. The group serves mostly women members with students from many different majors, with the most active members from STEM disciplines (undergraduates and graduates). She serves as a Promotora de Salud (community health worker) at Proyecto Salud, a MSU-led team that works to provide healthcare services to Latino and Latina immigrants in Gallatin County. Her role is to help Latina mothers with no English background, improve their mental health and well-being through behavioral activation techniques.  

Flor's other volunteer roles were serving as a mentor for a Latina teenager at Hyalite High School through Thrive's CAP program and assisting the World Language Initiative with their Spanish classes as a way to facilitate language accessibility. She was selected to be a part of the first cohort of the Moral Courage College program at MSU, Diversity without Division, taught by Irshad Manji and was invited to be one of the four MSU representatives who will participate in the University of Michigan’s Intergroup Relations Program in the summer. 

Olivia is a senior graduating in May with a degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology and minors in Sociology and Global Studies.  She founded and serves as President of the Asian Student Interracial Association (A.S.I.A.) student organization and works as a Program Assistant for MSU’s DISC. She has served on ASMSU’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, as the Honors Presents Lecture Series Coordinator and as a Smarty cats Tutor.  In her work with the Friendship Center in Helena, Olivia provided a safe haven for people affected by domestic and interpersonal violence.

Maddy will graduate in May with a degree in Sociology and a minor in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Maddy is passionate about her coursework, her time with the VOICE Center as a Survivor Advocate, and her work with the Oh Hi Collective.  Serving as a Sexual Health Community Education intern with the Oh Hi Collective has led her to research and activism around the concept of incorporating pleasure in the conversation around healing from sexual and interpersonal trauma. Maddy has attended violence prevention workshops, completed Indian Education for All, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as well as a trauma-informed Advocate Training.

Katrina is a Ph.D. candidate in Microbiology and Immunology. Her work as both a Graduate and Undergraduate Assistant have led her to realize her passion for science. Katrina is committed to diversity and inclusion around drug testing, experiments and patient care.  As a leader in the Bozeman 500 Women Scientists group, and through her leadership roles with WISE at MSU, she has participated in numerous outreach efforts, conferences, and efforts to promote diversity in STEM both at MSU and in the broader community. Katrina has also used her proficiency in Spanish to improve accessibility to science in the Latinx community.

Erika Hernandez-Garcia will receive a undergraduate degree in Community and Global Health.  Erika began her work to move forward equity, diversity and inclusion efforts at MSU’s American Indian Center.After volunteering with the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers, she choose her path in Community Health where she feels she can make a true difference.Her work with the Montana Immigrant Justice Alliance, HOPA Mountain and Latinx members of the community will help her move forward as a McNair Scholar and a member of the Proyecto SALUD team offering accessible healthcare to our Latino neighbors and friends in the Gallatin Valley.

Ellie Jackson has focused on various efforts during her MSU undergraduate career to ensure the safety of women and children as well as addressing public health concerns.  As the President of the HEART Initiative at MSU, Ellie has enlisted dozens of speakers for bi-weekly meetings as well as four larger events for the campus community focusing on several aspects of human trafficking.  Her effort as an ASMSU Senator to move forward the Free Menstrual Products Initiative has certainly effected the daily lives of many women on campus and her volunteer work at HAVEN and Bridgercare will positively influence the lives of women in the Bozeman community.

Lyla Brown will graduate this spring with a degree in Sociology-Criminology and minors in Psychology and Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies. Lyla has made the most of her years at MSU as a Program Coordinator for the Diversity and Inclusion Student Commons (DISC), student director of the Late Night Streamline bus service through ASMSU, a Resident Advisor, and a Sustained Dialogue moderator. She is co-founder and former President of the Black Student Union, a member of the African Student Association (ASA) and the Queer Straight Alliance (QSA). Lyla’s honors include this year's MSU Homecoming Leadership Pillar Winner, recipient of Forward Montana’s 25 under 25 Award, a Christy Foundation Scholarship Winner, a DISC Spirit Outstanding Student Award, and she is notably One of Nine African American Leaders in the Pacific Northwest. Lyla has co-presented several Women’s Center Sack Lunch Seminars, one on Incarcerated Women and another titled: #BlackHairMatters. Her greatest passion and efforts while at MSU lie with social justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. After graduation, Lyla plans to enter into an Adult Education Master’s program to facilitate educating adults about healthcare access.

Mayuri Singh will graduate on May 1^st with degrees in Chemical and Biological Engineering and a minor in biomedical engineering. During her time at MSU, she worked at the DISC with Sustained Dialogue as a dialogue moderator, leading discussions on diversity, equity, intersectional identities and mental health.  Mayuri serves as Student Director of the Honor’s Presents series and is ASMSU’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Her work in Dr. Stephanie McCalla’s lab focuses on disease diagnosis and biosensors, and she received funding for this research through INBRE. Mayuri is a member of the MSU BIPOC Action Planning Committee and a Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador. Mayuri has been recognized with an Undergraduate Scholars Program scholarship, an Honors College Dean’s Excellence Scholarship, an Award for Excellence, and Septemviri. She has volunteered with the Montana Racial Equity Project, Planned Parenthood of MT, Compassion Project, Gallatin Valley Food Bank and Bozeman United for Racial Justice. She is a member of The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Society of Biological Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers. After graduation, Mayuri will pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering and continue her work to improve equity and accessibility for all identities within the healthcare system.  She will work to develop rapid diagnostic tools that are affordable and impartial for medical issues that disproportionately affect BIPOC and those in lower income areas.  

Dani Daley will graduate in May with a degree in Economics and Political Science. Throughout her time at MSU, Dani has served as a Senior Associate at the MSU Leadership Institute. Through this, she organized MSU’s first Gender Equality Conference.  Her work with the Leadership Institute helped to provide over 3,000 MSU students with leadership development opportunities.  Dani served as the Executive Assistant at the Montana Racial Equity Project, and has been very involved with the Bozeman for CEDAW Initiative to bring the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women treaty to Bozeman. Through her research, Dani has shed light on gender wage inequities, and the importance of the involvement of women in economics. She is the recipient of a Forward Montana 25 Under 25 Award, an MSUAF Award for Excellence, an MSU Leadership Institute Above and Beyond Award, and the Initiative for Regulation and an Applied Economic Analysis Grant. Upon graduating, Dani plans to work for a local start up, My Village, as a data analyst in finance and operations. Her work will support the mission to solve the childcare crisis in Montana and Colorado by financing women who are starting their own childcare businesses.

Emma Folkerts graduates in May with a degree in Directed Interdisciplinary Studies, combining Political Science, Economics and Sociology. Emma has led the HEART Initiative Student organization as the President and Chief Editor. She volunteers as a Peer Educator, Peer Advocate and Peer Educator Mentor with MSU’s VOICE center. In addition to being involved in countless MSU organizations, Emma advocates for the greater Gallatin County community through her work as an HRDC Warming Center volunteer and is a founding member of the Gallatin County Human Trafficking Task Force. Human rights are obviously a priority for Emma, she serves as a board member with the U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities Project and did research with Public History Lab’s Project Solidarity to collect information about refugees during El Salvador’s civil war. She is a recipient of Forward Montana’s 25 under 25 award, the MSU Award for Excellence in 2020, and the MSU Day of Student Recognition Outstanding Freshman and Sophomore Service Award. After graduation, Emma hopes to establish a position at MSU to examine exploitation within MSU’s supply chains. She also plans to volunteer in El Salvador and attend graduate school to focus on refugees, forced migration and exploitation.

Dana Kramer will graduate in May with a degree in Biochemistry.  Her work at the VOICE Center as a peer educator, advocate and currently a direct services specialist has helped her uncover a deep passion for advocacy work.  She has learned to provide intentional support for survivors,  recognizing that the serious impacts of sexual violence are damaging to people of all identities, genders and abilities. Her work at the Help Center in the community allowed her to bring these skills to populations struggling with addiction and suicide. Dana served as the President of Students for Choice in 2018, and currently serves as the President of Students Against Sexual Assault.

Jamie Baird is currently the Director of Diversity and Inclusion through the Office of Student Engagement.  They will graduate in May in Statistics, and serve on multiple university-wide diversity and inclusion councils as a student representative. Jamie has served as an ASMSU senator, President of the Queer Straight Alliance, and a mentor for the DISC's Mentor program. They note that their work toward gender equity and inclusion began as a means to survive in an institution that was not yet equipped to support LGBTQ+ students, but these activities have made Jamie dedicated to creating a community that supports marginalized students. Clearly they have not only survived, but have thrived as an MSU leader!

Micah McFeely is most recently known for her work as the ASMSU Vice President. What you may not know about Micah is that she was instrumental in developing ASMSU's position for a Student Director for Diversity and Inclusion, that she is a SafeZone Trainer and a Sustained Dialogue Facilitator. When Micah first arrived at MSU, she hit the ground running--running to forge lasting change that would challenge the institutions of racism, sexism, and intolerance. She has worked with the VOICE Center, the Leadership Institute, and Forward Montana. Micah was an RA with Residence Life, and served on Governor Bullock's Equal Pay Task Force. Micah proudly wears the labels of "ambitious", " lively", and "feminist", but notes that her experiences have transformed her into an inter-sectional-thinking feminist-- as both an ally and an advocate.

Marena Mahto is first and foremost, an indigenous activist here in Bozeman. Most recently, her attention has been focused on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (#MMIW) project to bring awareness to the shocking rates of interpersonal and sexual violence crimes against Native women in this country. While she was a freshman, Marena was able to attend the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Conference in Vancouver which led her to become active in the Standing Rock/Dakota Pipeline protests. Marena hopes to continue working with people who promote an agenda of equity and social justice through research and activism.

A native of Polson, Montana, Annie Venters, one of the 2017 students PCOSUW Award winners, and is majoring in Community Health and minoring in the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at MSU. Her exceptional work as the Sustained Dialogue Program Coordinator, as well as her past work as a VOICE Center advocate have fueled her passion for open dialogue, critical thinking, conversation facilitation, and activism.

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Frances began her career at MSU in the Fall of 2013. Her first day of school included a visit to the MSU Women's Center where she signed up as a volunteer. Frances quickly re-instated the feminist discussion group, F-Word. Her passion for feminism, environmental issues, and human rights has informed her volunteer work, her student employment, and her academic studies. Frances is a Conservation Biology and Ecology major, and is truly an engaged advocate for social justice causes.

Darby Lacey received an English literature degree, an honors degree, and a minor in biochemistry when she graduated May. She has been a moderator and program coordinator for MSU Sustained Dialogue, a moderator and program developer of the MSU Common Ground Retreat, a student leadership coach, and a volunteer for the Eagle Mount Adaptive Recreation Program. Darby has volunteered for Planned Parenthood, the national HOSA program for future health professionals, and presented at this year’s MLK Day celebration. Though her path to a pre-med career was unusual, she plans to combine her passion for social justice and healthcare in order to facilitate “access to quality and compassionate healthcare for all people regardless of sex, gender expression, race, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, and ability status.”

Katherine Stocker, a senior in physics, has been instrumental in helping found and develop what is now known as Engineering Peer Advising Leaders (EPALs). As a sophomore, Katherine was one of two undergraduate women who assisted Dr. Sarah Codd and Angela Des Jardins in carrying out the pilot peer advising program, which focused on freshman women in engineering and physics.  The program became so successful it now encompasses all engineering and physics freshmen and sophomores, while maintaining a focus on women and minorities. Katherine herself has helped mentor up to 25 EPALs per year. Katherine appreciates the benefits of the program personally as well, and states, “Being a student adviser has allowed me to grow as a role model. Providing information on research opportunities and aiding in the fulfillment of the mentees’ passions is a way for me to give back and show gratitude to the people who helped me.”

Joe Schumacher is truly a leader in creating positive change for students around issues relating to gender, equity, and diversity on our campus through his work with the VOICE Center, Pre-Law club, Student Veteran Club, and the Not In our House Task Force.  He takes personal responsibility for the education of our campus through his work with the VOICE Center and has traveled to testify in Helena as a student representative to keep the issue of gender equity on the table.  Joe presented to over 5,000 students in just one semester alone on the topic of interpersonal violence and has trained over 100 student advocates during his time at the VOICE Center.  He has presented at a number of statewide and national conferences focusing on sexual assault and violence against women. Joe has also been a volunteer with HAVEN, THRIVE and the Bozeman Help Center.  Joe discusses his work with all of these organizations in the following statement: “Our goal is to educate men on our campus and facilitate discussions about masculinity and encourage healthy sexuality and relationships. But I feel that in order to see real progress in equality and the prevention of interpersonal violence, collaboration between MSU and the community is absolutely vital.” Joe has actively forged those connections between our campus and the Bozeman community and is a well-respected member of both.

Abbie Bandstra is  a graduate student in Native American Studies.  During her undergraduate career at MSU, she was the President of Students for Choice, a volunteer and employee of the Women’s Center, an ASMSU Senator, a National Student Exchange Intern, and a First Year Seminar Peer Coordinator.   As a feminist and activist, Abbie’s work towards social justice in the realms of race, socioeconomic class, and gender equity has been admirable.  Abbie has also accrued impressive “real life” experience in her positions as program director with Shift Empowerment, as the Livingston School District Farmer Educator, and as a volunteer facilitator and advisor for a girls’ empowerment group at Livingston High School.  Abbie’s thoughtful consideration of the intersectionality of all oppressions is highlighted in this statement: “I often think that one of the most meaningful tools in advocating for change and equality can be in situations of discourse, particularly not just in upholding a constant presence of censor, but also a continual questioning and articulation of whose voice is not at the table.”  It has been Abbie’s life work to seek out those missing voices and make sure that they can be heard.  Her research on Native American women’s access to reproductive healthcare will likely prove to be both enlightening and invaluable.