Megan Marie Hamilton
Megan Marie Hamilton
Megan Marie Hamilton Indigenous STEM Scholar Fund
The Megan Marie Hamilton STEM Scholar Fund was established in memory and honor of our dear friend Megan Marie Hamilton, Ph.D. Megan Marie Hamilton was a devoted spouse, loving mother, cherished friend, Indigenous scholar, life-long learner, researcher, and educator with a passion for STEM education. She is a citizen of the White Earth Nation. She was a light to everyone around her. She honored her Anishinaabe heritage and dedicated her work to increasing access to STEM education for Indigenous peoples and other historically marginalized groups in STEM. The purpose of this endowed scholarship is to continue her legacy by providing scholarships to Indigenous peoples to study any STEM major including STEM education.
Megan was a talented educator and researcher. She was skilled at taking difficult concepts and presenting them in meaningful, easy-to-understand ways. Her compassionate and intentional instruction made her loved dearly by her students and colleagues. Megan taught middle school science for four years in the Tooele County School District. She then taught high school biology, genetics, and marine biology in the Jordan School District. She worked as a STEM Professional Practice Assistant Professor for Utah State University Extension. She left her position with USU Extension to pursue her passion for STEM education and research and obtain a doctoral degree.
Megan was the first Doctoral Scholar in the Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences doctoral program in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. She excelled in everything that she did earning awards for her research and publications throughout the program. Megan also served with her whole heart. She brought unity and friendship among graduate students as she served students in various capacities. She served the Instructional Technology Student Association (ITSA) as vice president and president. She served as treasurer and vice president for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science Utah State Chapter. She was a Graduate Fellow in Intersectional Gender Studies and Research at Utah State. She received the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services Legacy of Utah State Award in 2019. Megan persevered through several difficult challenges in her doctoral program with grace and determination.
In 2022, Megan started a new journey as an Assistant Professor of STEM education at Weber State University. In the same unique and important ways she was admired at Utah State, she was loved by her Weber State students and colleagues.
Megan Marie Hamilton passed away on June 24, 2024. In honor of Megan’s extraordinary contributions to scholarship, teaching, and her unwavering passion, her family invites you to support The Megan Marie Hamilton Indigenous STEM Scholar Endowment Fund. The scholarship will support students studying a STEM field or STEM education that are member of a federally recognized Native American Tribe. Your donation will serve as a lasting tribute to her remarkable work. As she honored her ancestors’ love, light, and resilience, we will continue to share Megan’s light by helping provide the path forward for other Indigenous scholars. Megan was loved dearly by so many, and we will continue to honor her work and her legacy. Chi Miigwech.
How to Give
Megan Marie Hamilton Indigenous STEM Scholar Endowment Fund
Online:
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Mail:
Utah State University
Megan Marie Hamilton Indigenous STEM Scholar Endowment Fund
1590 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-1590
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Phone:
1-888-653-6246
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Contact USU Gift Processing at 435-797-1320 or advgifts@usu.edu for instructions.
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Your gift will be used only for the above-stated purpose if the required minimum endowment level of $25,000 is met by December 31, 2029. If not met, the gift will be considered expendable towards the stated purpose.
The Endowment will exist in perpetuity. If circumstances arise that render the stated purpose of the Endowment (as set forth herein) illegal, impractical, impossible, or wasteful (e.g., a change in law, the elimination of a USU program, position, or course of study, the persistent unavailability of scholarship recipients that meet the criteria, etc.); then, as set forth in this Solicitation, under such circumstances and in keeping with Utah Code 51-8-501(1), USU may designate a new purpose and/or scholarship selection criteria for the Endowment. Any such new purpose shall be defined by USU’s President.
The Endowment shall be deposited and invested by the Board of Trustees of USU, through the USU Investment Advisory Committee in accordance with USU’s investment policy. The USU Foundation is the legal entity designated by USU to receive charitable gifts in support of its academic mission.
Distributions from the Endowment shall be governed by USU’s Endowment Spending Policy. The spending policy calls for an annual distribution up to 5% (currently set at 4%) of the value of the endowment account to be expended per the gift agreement. An additional 1.5% of the endowment value shall be used to fund the administration of the endowment and USU advancement efforts. All additional gains shall be retained as appreciation and invested along with the corpus to grow the value of the Endowment over time.
By letter dated May 21, 2008, the Internal Revenue Service has declared the USU Foundation (federal tax identification number 87-0627128), to be a duly qualified charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) and also an organization described in sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(iv) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is a duly chartered active Utah nonprofit corporation, under the provision of Utah Code, Title 16, Chapter 6a.