UM Students Receive Bob and Sue Brown Scholarships for Ethics in Public Affairs

MISSOULA – The University of Montana’s Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center is pleased to announce that UM students Danara Greer and Marina McGourty have been awarded the Bob and Sue Brown Undergraduate Scholarship for Ethics in Public Affairs.

The center received $50,000 from anonymous donors to create an endowment in support of the Bob and Sue Brown Undergraduate Scholarship for Ethics in Public Affairs. In honor of the Browns, $2,000 is offered annually to an undergraduate author of a paper or creative project that relates to ethics in public affairs. Since the initial gift, another donor has come forward to support a runner-up award in the amount of $1,000 annually for the next 10 years.

Photo of Danara Greer
Danara Greer

“We were delighted to receive many outstanding examples of work on ethics and public affairs by UM undergraduates,” said Professor Robert Saldin, director of the center’s Ethics and Public Affairs Program. “As inaugural recipients, Danara and Marina set a high bar for the Brown Scholarship going forward. We’re especially proud that the Mansfield Center is the home for this scholarship in honor of Bob and Sue, who have both led exemplary lives committed to integrity in public service.”

Greer, a junior from Florence majoring in political science and sociology, won the $2,000 award. She was nominated by Professor Dane Scott for her paper on social media companies’ response to the use of their platforms by QAnon groups.

“Each semester this course investigates the relationship between ethics, political philosophy and timely, contemporary policy issues, including the impacts of social media on American democracy,” Scott said. “It was clear after the first few weeks of the term that Danara is a special student and is authentically engaged in the course’s topic. In the many years I have taught this course, Danara stands out as the top one or two students.”

Photo of Marina McGourty
Marina McGourty

McGourty, a senior from Missoula studying elementary education, won the $1,000 prize. She was nominated by Associate Professor Matthew Schertz for her ethical analysis that focuses on a high school educator feeling pressure from conflicting loyalties.

"Marina is an incredibly mature and thoughtful student, the kind that a professor relies upon as a leader for the class,” Schertz said. “In her essay, Marina is able to analyze a dilemma from a variety of perspectives with grit and poise. It’s this kind of ethically-grounded work that makes her stand out as one of our star students in teacher education.”

Bob and Sue Brown have lifetimes of commitment to public service. Bob Brown served in the Montana Legislature for 26 years, was Montana Secretary of State, the Republican party’s nominee for governor in 2004, and has served on a number of history, education and community service boards. He taught history and government at the high school and college levels. Sue Brown taught at Flathead High School for 40 years where she initiated many programs to provide opportunities for students to become critical thinkers and compassionate, responsible citizens of the world community.

Created by an Act of Congress in 1983, the Mansfield Center fosters globally minded leaders of integrity through a dual mission dedicated to supporting ethical public policy and leadership as well as mutual understanding between the U.S. and Asia. The center serves as an essential component of Montana’s economic and civic life by fostering dialogue on issues facing the U.S., Asia and the world. The Mansfield Ethics and Public Affairs Program supports the Mansfield mission by conducting research and educational activities that examine the role that ethics can and should play in public life and the issues of leadership and character in public service.

For more information on the Mansfield Ethics and Public Affairs Program, see www.umt.edu/mansfield or call 406-274-0992.

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Contact: Deena Mansour, UM Mansfield Center executive director, 406-274-0992, deena.mansour@umontana.edu.