HELENA – Carroll College has awarded $236,647 in scholarships to 15 students for the 2026–2027 academic year through the Elsie P. Corette Memorial Scholarship and the Roy F. Simperman Math, Science and Nursing Scholarships. With an average award of $14,790, these scholarships provide meaningful support to students pursuing degrees in medicine, nursing, mathematics, engineering, and the sciences.
Now in its 54th year, the Elsie P. Corette Memorial Scholarship supports Montana pre-med students who demonstrate financial need and strong potential for success in medical school. Since its inception in 1973, approximately 221 Corette Scholarships have been awarded, totaling more than $1.5 million. A significant majority of recipients have gone on to become physicians, many serving communities across Montana.
2026–2027 Corette Scholarship recipients are:
- Lauren Tuss, senior, biology major, Malta
- Baylee Herman, senior, chemistry major, Simms
- Gina Leveque-Zapata, senior, biology major, Helena
In addition, 12 students have been named recipients of the Roy F. Simperman Math, Science and Nursing Scholarships, which assist Montana students in these fields who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need. Now in its 17th year, the Simperman scholarships continue to help make a Carroll education accessible and comparable in cost to public institutions in Montana.
Over the past 17 years, the Simperman Scholarship program has provided $1.7 million in support to students in primarily math, science, and nursing disciplines.
2026–2027 Simperman Scholarship recipients are:
- Abbie Virts, senior, nursing major, Great Falls
- Elisabeth Lloyd, senior, nursing major, Helena
- LivPitcher, junior, nursing major, Miles City
- Jenavie Hammond, senior, nursing major, Libby
- James MacDonald, senior, nursing major, Great Falls
- Carli Seymour, incoming first year, bio/chem major, Billings
- Lane Wicks, incoming first year, pre-med pathway, Florence
- Paul Leach, incoming first year, engineering major, Missoula
- Claire Bucklin, junior, biology major, Sunburst
- Nicole Nau, junior, biology major, Sunburst
- Luci Horne, junior, math major, Townsend
- Abigail Carney, sophomore, chemistry major, Helena
“These scholarships help make a Carroll education more accessible for students and families,” said Dr. Jennifer Glowienka, co-president of Carroll College. “They make it possible for our students to pursue their calling here and then go on to lead, serve, and make a lasting difference in communities across Montana. We are deeply grateful to Roy Simperman Jr. and the Simperman-Corette Foundation for carrying forward this remarkable legacy of generosity.”
Together, the Corette and Simperman scholarships have awarded over $3.2 million to more than 360 students, expanding opportunity for generations of Carroll graduates and strengthening the impact of a Carroll education across the state.
A Legacy of Generosity
The Elsie Corette Memorial Scholarship was established at Carroll College through the generosity of Mr. John E. Corette of Butte, Montana, and his children in memory of his wife and their mother, Elsie Corette. Following Elsie’s passing in 1971, Mr. Corette created a scholarship trust at Carroll to support pre-med students who might one day practice in Montana.
After Mr. Corette’s death in 1994, the scholarship was sustained and expanded through the generous support of the late Roy F. Simperman, a 1962 graduate of Carroll College and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Semaphore Corporation. Mr. Simperman supported the scholarship in memory of his late wife, Diane Corette Simperman, daughter of Jack and Elsie Corette. Diane herself served on the Corette Scholarship Committee for many years, continuing her family’s dedication to aspiring medical students.
In 2009, Roy Simperman further deepened his impact by establishing the Simperman Math, Science and Nursing Scholarships, extending support to students across additional disciplines critical to Montana’s workforce needs.
Today, the Simperman family continues this tradition of generosity through the Simperman-Corette Foundation. Under the leadership of Roy Simperman Jr., president of the Foundation, this commitment ensures that the Corette and Simperman scholarships remain a transformative force in the lives of Carroll students for generations to come.
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