Jan Strout

Jan Strout was hired at Montana State University to be assistant director of residence life. She was in charge of educational programming in residence halls and family housing. When a search began for a program director to specifically address the needs of MSU women in the Women’s Resource Center (now the Women’s Center), Strout rose to the top of a national search. Many of the Women’s Center’s popular programs today were initiated and implemented by her, including The Shannon Weatherly Memorial Lecture Series, Sack Lunch Seminars, Students Against Sexual Assault (now housed in the VOICE Center) and advocacy programs to end discrimination based on gender, race, sexuality, economics and ability. Strout wrote grants and created gender equity curriculum projects to recruit and retain women in nontraditional fields of student and career preparation. In the larger community, Strout co-founded our domestic violence shelter, HAVEN and co-led the campaign for Bozeman's Equal Pay for Equal Work Resolution adopted in 2015. In addition to being an MSU instructor, Strout co-leads the Cities for Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) project in Bozeman to create a resolution for gender equity based on the principles of the comprehensive international human rights treaty.

Jan Strout’s commitment to [gender equity] causes has never ceased, and it is truly through her unique global perspective that she continues to successfully educate, motivate and empower others.