Scholarships

Swan Valley Connections is committed to increasing representation of people of all identities and backgrounds in conservation and outdoor education. SVC seeks to remove barriers that impede people from participating in our programs by prioritizing scholarships for those from underrepresented and underserved communities. Available scholarship amounts vary but range from 25% to 100% of total tuition costs. (In most cases, scholarships cannot be used to pay for University of Montana Credit Fees).

Application Deadlines

Winter Programs (start date between Jan 1-Feb 28): December 1

Spring Programs (start date between March 1 -May 15): January 15

Summer and Fall Programs (start date between May 16 -September 30): February 15

Applicants will be notified about the status of their scholarship application within 2 weeks of the application deadline.

To apply for a SVC scholarship, please answer the questions on the form linked below. If you have difficulty completing the form, have questions, or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact Sara Lamar.

Scholarship recipients will be asked to write a testimonial once they complete their SVC program.

We are enormously grateful for the generosity of wonderful supporters who are passionate about making outdoor education accessible to everyone. We thank Gene and Patty Tingle, Sean and Susan Bogue, Ginger and David Holmes, the members of the Evelyn H. Fuldner Foundation, and many other individual donors and organizations that have helped us grow our scholarship fund.

  • Patty Tingle was a longtime friend of Swan Valley Connections, along with her husband, Gene. She was a lifelong learner who believed in experiential education as a way for students of all ages to truly connect to and appreciate the value of one of the last wild places in the lower 48. Patty passed away in 2018, and to honor her spirit, Gene has started the Patty Tingle Memorial Scholarship. Gene attended graduate school at Virginia Tech, and received his M.S. in Forestry and Natural Resource Conservation. Gene attributes his success in school and life to Patty, saying that without her partnership and support, none of it could have happened.

  • Susanna loved many things in her life, most importantly and passionately was her family.  Although she wore glasses, she was an impeccable bird spotter and watcher, spending road trips with her eyes glued to the countryside for hawks and antelope.

    Her green thumb, with her plethora of house plants and flowers, was known far and wide. From the Volcanoes of Hawaii to the Cliffs of Ireland, Susanna loved traveling and seeing the beauties of the world. A soak in a therapeutic hot spring was her favorite way to unwind after a long day of swimming, hiking, skiing, and walks aplenty.

    Susanna was a humble, selfless woman known for her strong convictions, extraordinary intelligence, sense of humor, and her kind and caring nature.  While she has passed on, her spirit and legacy live on through her husband, Sean, of 29 years and her two sons.

  • Agnes Beck lived with her husband Ed in the original homestead-era cabin on the Beck Homestead. She was without a doubt one of the most generous people in the world. You never left her cabin without something she had thoughtfully given to you.

    This scholarship fund was developed after her death in 2005, and has helped many students have the opportunity to attend a Swan Valley Connections education program.

  • Thanks to David and Ginger Holmes!

Gene and patty Tingle at Holland Falls

Agnes Beck with Anna McEvoy, at Agnes' 80th birthday party.

“Thank you tremendously for making this opportunity possible for me. Although my lifelong dream has always been to become a field wildlife biologist, opportunities for direct experience have traditionally been inaccessible due to my financial hardship. Investing in students like me makes an immense difference to us not only individually, but also contributes to a more honest, authentic, holistic practice of nature education and conservation.”

— Jay Schutze, Montana Master Naturalist and Wildlife Tracks and Sign alumn