Each Spring, the Women's Center honors the Student of Achievement Awardees. These students have worked hard to promote diversity and equality, have demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities, excelled in their school work, and served as strong roles models for their peers.
Check out the awardees for 2025:
Sophia-Kouko Adams
She/Her
Sophia will graduate this spring with a degree in Biochemistry. While at MSU, she worked at the VOICE Center as an advocate for survivors of interpersonal violence, has been involved in the Students Against Sexual Assault organization and the Survivor Fund, which helps to get funds to survivors of interpersonal violence for emergency expenses. Sophia also has a seat on the board for Suffer Out Loud, which is an organization dedicated to suicide prevention in Montana. Although she originally planned to pursue a medical degree, she soon realized that her passion extended beyond medicine and is drawn to advocacy, support, and working to uplift those who need support the most. Sophia is a recipient of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, the Montana INBRE Student Research Scholar, and the George M. Dennison Civic Engagement Scholarship.
Taylor Carey
She/Her
Taylor will graduate in December with a degree in Chemical Engineering. While studying at MSU, Taylor was involved with the Society of Women Engineers and served as the Vice President and is currently the President. Taylor has been involved in other organizations such as Big Sky Youth Empowerment, Bienvenido’s, Eagle Mount and HRDC’s Warming Center. As Taylor pursues her professional career she hopes to find a role at a company that values community impact as much as technical innovation. She notes, “whether in sustainability, process optimization, or mentorship, I want to continue inspiring future engineers while contributing to meaningful advancements in the field.” Taylor is the recipient of the Leadership Institute Scholarship and the Wilbur J. Bennington Scholarship for Women in Engineering.
Persephone Fossi
She/Her
Persephone will graduate this summer with a degree in Psychology. She joined Student Advocates for Reproductive Rights (SARR) last spring and quickly stepped up to take on the leadership role of President. The registered student organization has grown under Persephone’s leadership and they have offered regular meetings with films, speakers and dialogues around the complex issue of reproductive health and rights. Her internship with the Bozeman Counseling Center and with SHE Health and Wellness have exposed her to the importance of accessible women’s and mental health, and as a Psychology major, Persephone is: “especially interested in how the field is still catching up in the area of psychological disorders as they manifest in women” and wants to use her experience and education to “continue helping women find their voices and confidence.”
Ginny Lou Garabedian
She/Her
Ginny Lou is majoring in Global and Multicultural Studies (with a concentration on Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies) and Music. She will graduate in December and plans to pursue a law degree in Human Rights. While at MSU, Ginny has volunteered at the MSU VOICE Center and Campus Civil Rights to advocate for victims of interpersonal violence. She serves as President of the Survivor Fund which offers resources and financial help for victims of assault and domestic abuse. She will be hosting We Are HER, a Healing Through Music event in April for survivors which incorporates music, dancing, drawing and writing to help encourage a mind-body connection for survivors. Ginny is also a piano instructor and a recipient of the President’s Award for Gender Equity, the Mary Frances Shale Fund for Liberal Studies, and was chosen to participate in two music masterclasses.
Maddie Hagengruber
She/Her
Maddie is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human Development. She will graduate in May and plans to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. During her time at MSU, Maddie has been involved with the Backcountry Squatters, which is a national organization for women who enjoy the outdoors. She was a VOICE Center and Campus Civil Rights (CCR) Survivor Advocate as well as student staff for CCR. Maddie has also served as a Volunteer Advocate for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), where she participated in the “Out of Darkness Walk.” She has worked as a Student Fellow for the Honors Freshman Seminar, Texts & Critics, where she was able to connect and guide freshman through their first semesters at MSU.
Sarah Hagengruber
She/Her
Sarah is majoring in Microbiology as a pre-med student. She will graduate in May and plans to pursue a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology. During her time at MSU, Sarah has been involved in Students Against Sexual Assault and is a member of the Backcountry Squatters. She has also worked under SEPA to develop educational resources such as lessons plans and activities for teachers in rural Montana, specifically on Montana reservations, to educate children about various public health and disease ecology issues in their communities to improve the health of Native American children in Montana. Sarah also worked at the sleep physiology lab, where she studied cardiac differences between men and women during their sleep.
Delanie Hill
She/Her
Delanie is majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and a minor in Human Development. She will graduate in May and plans to pursue a career in the Justice System. While at MSU, Delanie volunteered at the VOICE Center as an advocate and worked as student staff at Campus Civil Rights. She has interned at Gallatin County Victim Services where she helped to create a new Child Victim Impact Statement giving voice to children in the courtroom. She created self-care kits to give out to survivors of interpersonal violence when they go to the hospital for a SANE exam. Delanie’s goal is to one day work with law enforcement in crisis intervention, to hopefully offer the help needed to those who are going through a mental health crisis.
Isabel James
She/Her
Isabel will graduate this December with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and a minor in Political Science. After graduation she plans to go to law school to become an advocate for marginalized communities. While at MSU, Isabel has been a part of the HEART Initiative serving in various roles such as Social Media Coordinator, Secretary, Vice President and most recently as President. She also served as the Director of Programming at Chi Omega Sorority, which oversaw the Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Chair and relevant programming. Isabel has been initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society and is a recipient of the Servant Leader Award from the Office of Admissions.
Taylor Janssen
She/Her
Taylor is graduating in May with a degree in Economics and Business Finance and a minor in International Business. During her time at MSU, she has played for the MSU Bobcats Women’s Basketball team and has helped to bring them to the NCAA tournament once again this spring! Taylor has worked as a college tutor to assist her fellow students understand complex concepts. She has been a very active member of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Student Association since 2022 to raise awareness around the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. For the past three years, Taylor has helped plan events for MMIP Awareness Day, and as it has grown, MMIPSA has also directly assisted families affected by the violence. Taylor was first introduced to the organization by one of her Bobcat teammates and has served as MMIPSA’s Treasurer and Co-President.
Allison Lenssen
She/Her
Allison will graduate in May with a degree in Nursing. While at MSU, she discovered her passion for bridging the gap in healthcare access and supporting those who face systematic barriers to care. Her coursework at MSU included Spanish for Healthcare Providers, which empowered her to connect and support Spanish-speaking patients, ensuring they receive the culturally sensitive care they deserve. Allison has clinical experience at the Bozeman Warming Center for homeless folks and at Lame Deer on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. She is also a Rural Health and Area Health Education Center Scholar. Allison’s goal is to “continue promoting equitable healthcare solutions that cater to marginalized populations, with a particular focus on rural health, where resources and preventative care access are limited.”
Mey Palomino
She/Her
Mey will graduate this summer with a degree in Modern Languages & Literature – Hispanic Studies. During her time at MSU, Mey has had the opportunity to present one of her research projects, “Exploring the Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Hispanic People” studying the correlation between mental health and social media use among the Hispanic population in the United States. Mey has been involved with the Pre-Medicine Club and the HEART Initiative as the communications coordinator. She has also served as the Performance Director for Students Against Sexual Assault (SASA) and will direct the Bozeman Monologues in the community this Spring. Mey has received the Pearce Grad Initiative GRIT Grant and an MSU Merit Award, and presented at the McNair Winter Research Symposium.
Hazel Rex
She/Her
Hazel will graduate in May with a degree in Community Health. She has served as a volunteer with Students Against Sexual Assault and is the Director of Fraternity Heritage for Pi Beta Phi and educated her chapter on the history of women’s rights and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Hazel hosted campus book drives, donating textbooks to the local women’s prison and has collaborated with local daycares to provide reading materials to students. She interns with Bridgercare and tabled at various campus events to provide MSU students with sexual health resources and information. Hazel hopes to continue working with Bridgercare in a professional capacity when she completes her degree as her goal is to “…continue to advocate for and contribute to…ensuring that all people have access to the healthcare they need.”
Luna Richards
She/Her
Luna is graduating in May with a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Computer Engineering. In her time at MSU, Luna has served as the ASMSU Senator for the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering and on the MSU Diversity Council, the MSU Gender Equity Alliance, as ASMSU’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusions Committee and as ASMSU’s Liaison to the Office of Off-Campus Student life. Luna assisted with the establishment of CatCab, a popular safe-ride program for students. She has served as the Social Media Coordinator for oSTEM, and hopes that her important work in ASMSU and in the broader campus community has given her a unique perspective and skillset to allow her to be a proper leader and advocate for her future co-workers.