Montana State University Womens' Center 2022 Students of Achievement Awards

Maria Gallivan

She/Her

Maria is graduating in May with a degree in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. During her time at MSU, Maria has held multiple officer positions with the Association for Women in Engineering, where she advocated for diversity and inclusion in tech. She has also served as an NACOE ambassador, where she shared her perspective as a woman in STEM with potential engineering students. During her time as a STEM student and as a member of the MSU Spirit Squad, Maria has made sure to act as role model within these spaces by living as her authentic self. 

Upon graduating, Maria hopes to become a white hat hacker to help companies become more digitally secure. She hopes that her impact on her classmates will continue to encourage them to create repectful communities in every space they occupy. 

Isabelle Ivankovich

She/Her

Isabelle will graduate this spring with a degree in Business Marketing and Business Finance. During her undergraduate career, Isabelle began her career working in tech sales with Amazon. She plans on continuing this work as a part of Amazon's STAR program, where she will have the opportunity to experience various sales disciplines. Isabelle served the Bozeman and MSU community as a Thrive CAP mentor and an Eagle Mount dance instructor. She has also become a leader on campus through her position as the president of the MSU chapter of the American Marketing Association, as a Supreme Court Justice for ASMSU, and as a member of the Student Conduct Hearing Board. Upon graduating, Isabelle hopes to continue making a difference in the lives of young people by working as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children during custody hearings. 

Ellie Jackson

She/Her

Ellie will graduate in May with a degree in Cell Biology and Nueroscience with minors in Global Health and Hispanic studies. Ellie has emerged as a campus leader through her role on the ASMSU senate, and has advocated for victims of human trafficking as the director of the HEART Initiative. As well as raising community awareness of human trafficking, Ellie worked with the Gallatin County Human Trafficking Task Force to create a survey in order to create a broad understanding of the prevelance and perceptions of human trafficking in the Gallatin Valley. Ellie plans to pursue a degree in medicine as a general practicioner, and will use her education in global health and hispanic studies to work towards eliminating disparities within the medical system. Ellie's research, education, and campus leadership will enable her to continue striving for social justice as she advances in her career. Upon graduating, she plans to pursue a Doctor of Medicine and a Masters of Public Health. 

Jessica Maynard

She/Her

Jessica will graduate Spring 2022 with a degrees in English Writing and Sociology-Criminology. Jessica's education in Sociology led her to understand that one's intersectional identity effects their ability to succeed within our society. This understanding led her towards her plan of attending law school and practicing law, where she can work towards making the criminal justice system more equitable. She is also passionate about victim advocacy, and worked at the Gallatin County Attorney's office as a Victim Witness Advocate to make sure those who have experienced a crime were treated with respect and dignity. Additionally, Jessica has been involved as both a volunteer and employee at the VOICE center, and is a board member of the Students Against Sexual Assault survivor fund. This involvment has enabled her to advocate for victims of interpersonal violence within the MSU community. After her education, Jessica hopes to become a judge, where she can continue her comittment to social justice and community service. 

Madeline Metcalf

She/Her

Madeline will graduate in May 2022 with a degree in Economics and a minor in Global Health. As an undergraduate, Madeline has been involved with a variety of research programs that have allowed her to help reduce health disparities in Montana. She has worked directed with immigrant Latino populations to identify disparities and to promote interventions in community health outcomes. Additionally, Madeline worked with Montana Fort Pecks Trives in research regarding the development and implementation of trauma-informed public health policies in a rural, indigenous community. Through her internship with South North Nexus, Madeline completed a community assessment at the US-Mexico border to prepare the design of a model to address the nutritional needs of migrant women and children in border cities. Madeline hopes to utilize these experiences to establish trusting, equitable partnerships in healtcare. Upon graduating from Montana State University, Madeline will continue her education in public health in order to utilize community-based approaches to promote healthcare accessibility and equity within rural, undersrved communities. Madeline has been recognized as a Montana State University Idea Network of Biomedical Research Scholar. She has also presented her research at the Western Institute of Nursing and at various Montana State University Research Celebrations. 

Samantha Myxter

She/Her

Samantha will graduate this Spring with a degree in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Hispanic Studies. During her time at Montana State University, Samantha has worked as a peer advocate at the VOICE Center, where she provides support and resources for victims of interpersonal violence, both in person and over the crisis hotline. She has also participated in outreach and campus education events to educate the MSU community about consent and sexual violence. In the Bozeman community, Samantha works as a Family Support Mentor, where she provides support to youth during mental health treatment. She has worked as an assistant in the REACH Lab in the psychology department of MSU, where she learned about the disporportionate effects of health disparities regarding substance abuse and mental health in underpriveleged populations. Upon graduation, Samantha plans on attending graduate school to become a licensed mental health counselor. 

Lucy O'Hagan

She/Her

Lucy will graduate in May of 2022 with a degree in English Teaching and a minor in Global Health. Lucy has prepared for her future as an educator through her work as a student teacher at Belgrade High School, as a staff member at the Montana Outdoor Science School, and as a one-on-one tutor for students of all levels at the Sage Learning Center. She also has volunteered with many adaptive programs with Eagle Mount. All of these experiences have helped Lucy see the benefits of challenging traditional classroom norms by bringing education into the greater community. Lucy has also worked in the VOICE Center as an advocate and peer mentor to raise awareness and give support to survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. After graduating, Lucy plans on working as an educator where she will continue examing the ways that reading, writing, and learning can be experienced by all students through different strategies and relationships built within the classroom setting. 

Juliana Rajamohan

She/Her

Juliana will graduate in May, 2022 with a degree in Human Development and Family Science with a minor in Personal and Consumer Finance. Juliana has focused on empowering those around her thorugh her work creating the Montana State University chaper of United Nations Association. This club works to engage the community in mitigating global inequities. Juliana also established a podcast with Bridgercare to debunk cultural myths around meantal health and accessibility to sexual and reproductive health. Juliana has also been a leader for increased diversity on campus thorugh her position as Student Director of ASMSU's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council that works to increase student awareness of DEI related issues on campus. This position enabled her to create discussion around internal policy changes at MSU regarding international students and DACA students. As an international student, Juliana is passionate about being a catalyst for change in addressing gaps in MSU's community related to opportunities for different populations. Juliana is currently developing on onboarding process to sustain nuero-divergent students at MSU. She has also established a mental health campaign specifically for Asian Pacific Islanders with respect to celebrating their culture. Juliana was selected to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Upon graduation, Juliana hopes to continue to create a world that sustains each individual regardless of identity. 

Emma Sihler

She/Her

Emma will graduate in Fall, 2022 with degrees in Cell Biology and Nueroscience and Political Science. During her undergraduate career at Montana State University, Emma has served as a peer tutor in the American Indian Student Success Center. Emma is an advocate, a peer educator, and crisis line staffer at the VOICE Center. She also acts as a victim advocate as a SASA Survivor Fund Board Member and as the Chief Editor and Secretary of the HEART Initiative at MSU. Working with the Guardians of the Living Water Program, Emma helped to design, implement, and evaluate an environmental health literacy summer camp for students on the Crow Reservation in Montana. Emma also founded the Camp Kesem chapter at Montana State University, to provide support for children with parents impacted by cancer. Emma has been awarded an MSU Award for Excellence and is a current Truman Finalist. After graduating, Emma plans on pursuing a dual Master of Public Health and Master of Public Administration with an emphasis on community-oriented public health and analysis and evaluation. She hopes to return to Montana to work to decrease the burden of health inequities in rural and Indigenous communities. 

Sophia Thompson

She/Her

Sophia will graduate in December, 2022 with a degree in Nursing and a minor in Global Health. At MSU, Sophia has been a part of the Moyce Immigration Health Lab, which focuses on the improvement of the Latinx community's access to healthcare in Montana. Sophia sees this as an opportunity to improve the lives of the community that helped raise her as a child in Puerto Rico. She also has spent time volunteering with the Warming Center in Bozeman. This experience led her to become a more empathetic and effective care provider. Sophia has been recognized with the Montana State University Alumni Award of Excellence for Nursing. She is also a three time IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence Scholar. Sophia currently works in the Critical Care Unit at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital, where she works with vulnerable populations. Sophia hopes to be accepted in a Critical Care Graduate Residency Program once she has completed Nursing school.

Ella Van Vlack

She/Her

Ella will graduate in Spring 2022 with degrees in Psychology and English Literature. During her time at Montana State University, Ella has been involved with the VOICE center as both a volunteer and as a staff member.  Through this work, Ella has participated in tabling events and silent advocate work to increase support for survivors of inter-personal violence in the MSU community. This work influences Ella to choose Pschology as her major so she can continue to support vulnerable individual as her career. Ella has been recognized by MSU as an exceptional student employee through her work within MSU's residence halls. She is involved in the MSU Honors Collee as a student fellow, where she worked to make the classroom welcoming and comfortable for students of all identities. She has been involved with Student Against Sexual Assualt, where she helped organize the Missing and Murdered Indegenous Women campaign, march, and artwork that was incorporated with SASA's Take Back the Night campaign. Ella is preparing to pursue a graduate degree in social work. She hopes to use her education to help people take back power in their lives by assisting those affected by trauma in their healing process.