About
Carroll College graduate Jason DeShaw, Class of ‘03, has made a name for himself as a mental health speaker, singer, and songwriter, traveling across Montana to share his story of resilience with the state’s youth.
Jason grew up in Plentywood, MT, a small town in the northeastern corner of the state. Growing up, he worked on a ranch on the Canadian line, as well as for his parents’ crop insurance agency. When it came time for college, Jason chose Carroll. He wanted to stay in Montana, and Carroll offered scholarships and financial aid to support his education. Jason started as a pre-medical student, but later changed his major to business with a minor in communications.
Jason remembers his time at Carroll as “the best four years of my life,” crediting his professors for their impact on his life. “They taught me a lot about service work, and going beyond one’s self,” he stated. “People make the places, and Carroll has a lot of amazing people.”
Jason served as a peer minister for three of the four years he was at Carroll. He led service trips for students during fall and spring breaks, going to the inner cities in locations such as Cincinnati and Baltimore.
In addition to starting his life of service at Carroll, Jason also started his musical career. During his time in Helena, he bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. He recorded his first album during his senior year, and he played a sold-out show at the Myrna Loy Theatre in Helena. “It was my first glimpse of being able to make it as a singer-songwriter,” Jason recalled. It was then that Jason started traveling the country, performing on the college circuit, as well as on the fair and rodeo circuits.
In 2010, Jason was hospitalized and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After a long struggle with addiction and mental health, this marked a turning point in Jason’s life. In 2014, after working to seek help and recover, Jason launched his new career, combining music with a message of hope. “I wanted something good to come out of the struggle,” Jason explained. Since then, he has traveled to countless high schools and hospitals in Montana, as well as to lecture halls at Harvard, spreading his message of hope.
Jason says that no matter where he is performing, his goal is the same: to build compassion for people struggling with mental health and to open doors for people to ask for help. “Music reaches people in a way that just words can’t,” Jason explained. Jason is a one-man show, accompanied only by his guitar and his cowboy hat.
A study conducted by Montana State University found that Jason’s work has been successfully decreasing the stigma of mental health in Montana. In December of 2024, Jason wrapped up a statewide tour of ten schools that was sponsored by Blue Cross and by Montana Office of Public Instruction.
Jason credits much of his success to his time at Carroll. He felt a call to service while he was a student, and he was led by the faculty and staff’s passion to serve others. He feels blessed to have been able to travel as a student, but he reminds others that you don't have to travel far to make a difference. “I’m grateful to the people who walked these halls,” Jason said of the Carroll community. “I’m thankful to Carroll for who I am today and the work that I’ve been able to do.”
To learn more about Jason DeShaw’s work, visit https://www.jasondeshaw.com/ and check out his episode of Big Sky, Small World.