About George M. Dennison

George M. Dennison (1935-2017) was the longest serving president of the University of Montana. Among his accomplishments was his tireless record of service. In 1993 he co-founded Montana Campus Compact, a network of colleges and universities in Montana committed to community engagement. George worked closely with CEO colleagues from state, private and tribal institutions to create a network of presidents who shared the values of community engagement and the public purposes of higher education. He co-chaired the MTCC board with the University of Great Falls President Frederick Gilliard for many years.

George also chaired the Governor’s Commission on Community Service, helping support national service, service learning, and volunteerism in Montana. During his time on the Commission, he worked with the Montana Higher Education Student Assistance Corporation (MHESAC) to create the Youth Serve Montana Scholarship, which still is awarded annually to 100 incoming college freshmen attending Montana Campus Compact institutions.

Dennison’s legacy can still be very much felt to this day. When the board of Montana Campus Compact created the George M. Dennison Civic Engagement Scholarship it was done to honor his vision that reminds us that we are better together, that we should strive to find common ground across political divides, and that the core purpose of an education is to serve the public good. The George M. Dennison Civic Engagement Scholarship honors exemplary Montana college students who, like George, have made noticeable positive differences in their communities and the world.