April 22, 2016
“We are thrilled to honor Mike Schulz with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award,” Montana Western Foundation Director Roxanne Engellant said. “Mike’s commitment to Montana Western and the Dillon community is remarkable. His passion for libraries, literature and learning is apparent in all that he contributes.”
Schulz grew up in Sheridan, Mont., where he graduated from high school in a class of 16 students. When he attended Western Montana College, (now Montana Western) from 1975 to 1979 Schulz had a work study job in the library for three years. That is when his love of English and literature developed into a passion for library sciences.
Montana Western is my academic home and is a special transformative place, Schulz said. I have been blessed to have my dream job as the Montana Western library director for almost 27 years.
Schulz received his Bachelor of Science degree at Montana Western in secondary education for English and social sciences minoring in library science. In 1984 he returned to earn his master’s in education with an emphasis in counseling. He later went to California State University where he received a master’s in library science.
It was an exciting and wonderful place to work, Schulz said. I first decided to come to Montana Western because of its rich history in producing quality educators and because of the small class setting allowing me to develop personal relationships with my professors.
Throughout his career Schulz has worked for all types of libraries including school, public, academic, special and even ship libraries in both Montana and California. For the past 37 years Schulz says he has watched libraries improve and evolve with the technological age making information more accessible and revolutionizing search and retrieval methods for students.
As a longtime member of the Dillon community Schulz has been on the board of the Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Beaverhead County and acts as the western representative to the Montana Small School Alliance. He also serves on the Dillon School Enrichment Program Committee.
The Dillon community welcomes students and is filled with kind and supportive people, Schulz said. I see it as my pleasure and responsibility to give back to the community which has done so much for me.
MONTANA WESTERN
