UM Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships Prepares Rhodes Scholar for Bright Future

Kolter Stevenson is the first UM student in 30 years to receive the Rhodes Scholarship, one of the oldest and most renowned academic fellowships in the world.

Stevenson, from Amsterdam, Montana, will graduate this spring with four majors: management information systems, finance, international business and Russian, as well as a certificate in big data analytics. 

Stevenson is one of 32 American Rhodes Scholars, one of five 2024 scholars from a public university, and the only awardee from Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, the Dakotas or Alaska. The scholarship will allow Stevenson the opportunity to complete a master’s degree on the intersection of diplomacy, cultural sovereignty and energy in Russian-speaking regions at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

In addition to the Rhodes Scholarship, privately funded scholarships through the UM Foundation have helped Stevenson enjoy UM’s intellectual rigor and explore his passions. A Presidential Leadership Scholar, he also earned the Allene A. Schiesser Presidential Scholarship, Coghlan Family Scholarship and the Donald J. Byrnes Memorial Scholarship.

Equipped with exceptional skills and a commitment to service — Stevenson volunteers as a firefighter and EMT for two small-town fire departments — he sought guidance for his Rhodes Scholarship application from UM’s Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships.

Directed by Dr. Kylla Benes and housed in UM’s Davidson Honors College, OESF is a unique university resource in the state of Montana. UM’s undergraduates, graduate students and alumni have free access to application support for the most prestigious academic awards in the world. Applicants receive personalized and group advising, access to current information about awards and opportunities, and professional skills they can use beyond scholarship applications.

"Dr. Benes is devoted to giving students the best feedback before they apply for these major awards," Stevenson said. "She is a tremendous resource for Davidson Honors College and UM.”

“Our work ensures students benefit from a high-quality, accessible education at UM,” said Dr. Benes. “It’s so rewarding to help amazing students like Kolter reach their full academic and career potential.”

You can help

To support UM's Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships or to support student scholarships, contact Noah Durnell, assistant director of development for the Davidson Honors College and University Scholarships, at 406-243-2567 or noah.durnell@supportum.org.