Winner of the Montana Educational Heritage Scholarship

Winner of the Montana Educational Heritage Scholarship

Each year, the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Foundation awards a student with the Montana Educational Heritage Scholarship, worth $1,000. This year, we are proud to announce that Ariel Overstreet-Adkins has been selected as the winner.

Ariel served as MSGA’s director of communications for five years and has been actively involved in bettering the ranching industry through journalism, lobbying and leadership roles. Currently, Ariel is attending the University of Montana School of Law where she is pursuing a juris doctor (J.D.) degree. She says her goal is to become a more effective advocate for agriculture and rural Montana and focus on natural resource and environmental water law.

“I believe that having strong advocates for agriculture with legal experience and expertise will be very important for the future of our industry,” said Ariel.

Ariel grew up on a small horse ranch outside of Big Timber and attended high school in Reed Point. She went on to study at Princeton University, earning a degree in cultural anthropology with honors. Her senior thesis “High School Rodeo: Growing Up Cowboy,” was based on original field research at high school rodeos in Montana, and was awarded the Senior Thesis Prize in Anthropology.

While working for MSGA, Ariel learned about the many different issues facing Montana’s ranching families, which is what inspired her to go to law school.

“I believe a law degree will help me work to ensure the continued influence of agriculture and rural Montana, and improve the legal, policy, and business climate for farmers and ranchers in Montana and the nation,” said Ariel.

Ariel also volunteers with groups like the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, Montana Board of Milk Control, Rural Advocacy League, Princeton Alumni Schools Committee and the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance.

“I was honored and thrilled to be selected for the scholarship. I am so thankful to the great people involved in REEF and MSGA for the assistance and support in my pursuit of a law degree,” said Ariel. 

If you’d like to help support Montana’s students, please consider making a donation to the Foundation. In order to keep our scholarship program active, we need your help! Please call our office at (406) 442-3420 for questions or email Lauren: [email protected].