HELENA – Carroll College is pleased to announce the establishment of a new endowed scholarship named in honor of Dr. Robert Swartout Jr., professor emeritus of history at Carroll College. The Dr. Robert Swartout Endowed Scholarship was made possible through the generosity of Thomas ‘83 and Kimberly ‘84 Whyte, with the support of Daniel Whyte ‘85, Michael Whyte ‘88, and Rex Renk ’88. The scholarship is intended for a worthy student with a passion for history and who exemplifies the quality, character and academic promise of a student at Carroll College. Preference will be given to students from Montana.
The Dr. Robert Swartout Endowed Scholarship honors the legacy of Dr. Swartout, a beloved history professor who inspired students for 36 years. His example, dedication, and tireless commitment to his students encouraged everyone around him to pursue excellence regardless of their field of endeavor.
”Dr. Swartout vibrantly showed how history plays an active role in our daily lives. He became the communicator and caretaker of so many stories of our past,” said Tom and Kim Whyte. “This scholarship provides Carroll the ability to communicate and take care of Dr. Swartout’s story as well as impacting the stories of those for whom Dr. Swartout cares for the most – the students of Carroll.”
Dr. Swartout retired in 2014 and was conferred the title of professor emeritus that same year. During his 36 years at Carroll, Dr. Swartout was a Fulbright scholar, served as the chair of the history department from 1988-2012, worked on many campus committees, taught National Endowment for the Humanities seminars, was appointed by the Korean government as the honorary consul for the Republic of Korea in Montana, and contributed to numerous boards. In 2009, in celebration of Carroll College’s centennial, Dr. Swartout produced the definitive history of Carroll College, Bold Minds & Blessed Hands: The First Century of Montana’s Carroll College. He won Carroll’s Distinguished Scholar award in 2009 and he was recognized in 2013 with the Outstanding Teaching Award.
"I am deeply moved that former students would think enough of me to name a scholarship for future Carroll students in my honor,” said Dr. Swartout. “I loved every moment of my thirty-six years of teaching at Carroll College. The high point of those experiences was the daily interaction with Carroll's remarkable students. They kept me intellectually stimulated, as well as young at heart. Above all else, it was a privilege to serve them in any capacity that I could."
The benefactors selected to endow the scholarship in Dr. Swartout’s name to acknowledge and honor his invaluable impact on Carroll College and his extraordinary dedication to and investment in developing the full potential of all his students. Tom Whyte is the CFO of Koelbel and Company, a 65-year-old real estate development company in Denver, Colorado. He graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and political science. Kim (Bauer) Whyte graduated from Carroll College in 1984 with a bachelor of arts in dental hygiene. She is a dental hygienist in Centennial, Colorado. Dan Whyte, Chief Legal Counsel for the Montana Department of Revenue, majored in history and political science and graduated from Carroll in 1985. Mike Whyte is a partner at Thomsen Holman Wheiler, PLLC, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and graduated in 1988, majoring in business administration, political science and public administration. Rex Renk, a 1988 Carroll history graduate, is Deputy Clerk of the Montana Supreme Court.
A one-year scholarship will be available to a qualified candidate in their senior year for the 2017-18 academic year, with the four-year scholarship being awarded to an incoming first-year student beginning with the 2018-19 academic year.
For information on how to provide a gift to this scholarship or to learn more about endowments at Carroll College, visit www.carroll.edu/endowments or contact Candie Cain, Associate Vice President of Advancement in the Office of Institutional Advancement at ccain@carroll.edu, (406) 447-4388.