Washington Foundation, Montana Resources renew commitment to Rolin Erickson Montana Resources Opportunity Scholarship
As a high school senior at Butte High, Zach Noctor was not sure college was in his future.
“I was on the fence,” Noctor said. “I did not have a clear motivation or a clear place I wanted to see myself in five years.”
But in the summer after his senior year Noctor was notified that he had received a Rolin Erickson Montana Resources Opportunity Scholarship. The scholarship, established in 2017 by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, in conjunction with Montana Resources, is a 4-year, full-ride scholarship for first-generation Butte students. Recently, Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and Montana Resources agreed to extend funding for the scholarship annually.
Since the scholarship was first established in 2017, 30 students have received support through the program. Looking ahead to next year, 16 students will be enrolled and benefiting from the scholarship, including three new Rolin Erickson recipients for the 2026–27 academic year. There is still time for students to apply to Montana Tech to be considered.
“I would like to thank the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation for their generosity and ongoing support of the Butte community,” Montana Resources President Jack Standa said. “Every year I look forward to meeting the scholarship winners and learning how Montana Tech has changed their lives. It brings me great joy to know these scholarship opportunities will continue.”For students like Noctor, the financial support makes a huge impact.
“I was really excited to receive the scholarship,” Noctor said. “It definitely gave me a sense of responsibility to take this opportunity and apply myself.”
Noctor’s journey has been a winding one. After starting as a chemistry major he settled on data science. He interned as a geology intern for one summer at Montana Resources, as well, but where he’s really found his passion is research. As a rising sophomore he researched electrospun nanofibers for fuel cell components through the Montana Tech Nanotechonology Lab. He then worked with the Chemistry Department, analyzing fuel cells with Raman spectroscopy. Currently he’s working on a project focused on rare earth material extraction. Noctor is planning on pursuing his master’s degree in materials science, and complete more research focused on batteries. He’s not sure whether he’ll pursue a Ph.D., but he definitely has a good idea of how he’d like to spend his future.
“I found out that I do enjoy research quite a bit,” Noctor said. “It’s nice to have autonomy on whatever you are learning about… The direction I’m leaning is going into materials informatics for renewable energy resources.”
At a recent gathering of the scholarship’s recipients, Montana Resources President Jack Standa and Vice President of Human Resources Mike McGivern spoke with students who expressed their gratitude for the scholarship.
“We are so grateful to have this scholarship,” business senior Tylar Clary said. She and fellow business senior Taylor Bjorkman also expressed their gratitude to the Montana Tech TRIO office for making sure they had the resources to succeed academically. TRIO Student Support Services STEM program is a federally funded program designed to serve first-generation, income eligible, and students with disabilities. The program provides opportunities in academic development, financial literacy, career awareness, and other college requirements. TRIO Student Support Services STEM serves to motivate students towards the successful completion of their post-secondary education.
Bjorkman made a point to use every resource available through TRIO — from financial aid support to one-on-one advising.
“I would go to them for everything,” she said. “Pretty much whatever I was having trouble with, they were there.”
“I have witnessed the impact this scholarship has made on students,” Executive Director of the Institute for Educational Opportunities Theresa Rader said. “It is life changing. At Montana Tech we recognize, however, that simply throwing money at a student does not guarantee their success. We connect the scholarship winners to the TRIO SSS program to provide the students with wrap around services to support them along their educational journey. We like to think of TRIO SSS as the insurance on the financial investment that the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation has made. This particular group of students has been a delight to work with. They have taken advantage of every resource TRIO could provide them with. The TRIO office is very proud of them”
Montana Tech Foundation Vice President of Development and Philanthropic Engagement Shannon Panisko also emphasized the impact of the scholarship.
“The continued support of The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and Montana Resources through the Rolin Erickson Opportunity Scholarship demonstrates a remarkable commitment to the students of Butte and the future of our community,” Panisko said. “Their partnership with Montana Tech is helping ensure that local students have access to the opportunities and education that can transform lives and strengthen our region.”
If you know a student from Butte who may qualify for the Rolin Erickson Montana Resources Opportunity Scholarship, encourage them to take the first step by applying for admission to Montana Tech: https://www.mtech.edu/admissions-aid/undergraduate-admission/index.html