Montana Tech student pursues nursing dreams with help of Lance Scholars Program

When Kally Strohm was a high school senior, she knew she’d have to leave her tiny town of Richey, Montana — population 164 — to reach her goal of earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

 “I didn’t want to go to Bozeman or Missoula because they’re big towns with big colleges and expensive,” she said. “Coming from such a small town, even Butte feels big. Montana Tech felt like the right fit—and it has the #1 nursing program in Montana.”

To make college possible, Strohm applied for as many scholarships as she could.

“I probably applied for 30 scholarships,” she said. “I searched for them every day my senior year. My counselor was a huge help.”

Her persistence paid off. In addition to a number of smaller scholarships, Strohm received the Lance Scholarship from Montana Technological University.

The Lance Scholars Program annually provides 50 in-state students with the opportunity to receive a $4,000 per year scholarship, renewable for up to an additional three years (up to $16,000 total). It was established through the generosity of Ryan (Petroleum Engineering, ’84) and Lisa Lance. Ryan has served as the CEO of ConocoPhillips since 2012. The Lance family made a $31 million donation to Montana Tech in Spring 2022, most of which is dedicated to the Lance Scholars Program.

“I was really excited when I found out,” Strohm said. “I immediately told my mom, ‘I got this scholarship and it’s $16,000!’ It was a huge relief, and it felt like all my effort was worth it.”

Strohm said the scholarship is motivating her to stay focused.

“It definitely makes me try harder because I want to keep my GPA up and not lose it,” she said. “I study all the time.”

Strohm hopes to become a labor and delivery nurse after graduation, then move into critical care in the ER to prepare for her long-term goal: becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

She encourages other high school students to apply for as many scholarships as possible.

“Apply for everything,” she said. “It can never hurt, and you never know what you’ll get.”

The Lance Scholars Program is open to Montana high school seniors or transfer students who meet the following criteria:

• Student must have a 3.0 GPA or higher at time of application.
• Student must be a resident of Montana.
• Student must be an incoming first-year, transfer, or a Highlands College student moving to a bachelor’s degree program.
• Student must complete the dedicated scholarship application for the Lance Scholars program.
• Student must complete the FAFSA.

Applicants will be asked in 3-5 sentences to answer the question: During your time at Montana Tech, what is one thing you’d like to learn or experience that has the ability to effect change in the world?

Upon acceptance to Montana Tech, qualifying students will receive a link to apply for the Lance Scholars Program and submit materials on their personal URL (PURL) page. The deadline to apply is February 15. For more information visit www.mtech.edu/lancescholars.