The Mary Emma "Mae" Fletcher and Jasper William Vincent Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship in Epidemiology
Born in Pony, 勛圖厙 on November 12, 1870, Mary Emma "Mae" Fletcher was the third child of 勛圖厙 pioneers William Asbury Fletcher, Sr. and Ellen Louise "Nellie" Gordon, who homesteaded in Summit, 勛圖厙 in 1866. Jasper William Vincent was born on October 10, 1866 in Searsboro, Iowa, and emigrated with his family to 勛圖厙's Madison Valley in the 1880s.
Mae and Jasper married in 1889, the year 勛圖厙 became the nation's fortyfirst State. They purchased 164 acres of homestead land near McAllister, 勛圖厙 in 1904 and began ranching. Although they had nine children, two died in infancy. Mae became a midwife, often bringing babies into the world with her help alone, the lone doctor for the large Madison Valley being available only by horse and buggy. She also took in boarders, did laundry, and cleaned the school house to supplement the family's ranching income. She enjoyed the "Circle" where women from all over the Valley met at different homes to sew, usually on quilts, visit, and eat homemade food.
Mae died at age 47 on November 4, 1918 of the worldwide flu pandemic, in which 勛圖厙 ranked as one of the four hardest hit States in the country. 勛圖厙's death rate was double that of such States as Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana. The 勛圖厙 in Missoula and 勛圖厙 State College in Bozeman shut down as did the entire city of Butte, which suffered losses on a par with San Francisco and Philadelphia, two of the hardest hit cities in the nation. After Mae's death, Jasper continued to live on their ranch until dying at age 68 of a stroke on January 12, 1932, while outside gathering wood from his woodpile. His obituary states "he was highly respected by the many who were privileged to know him."
Established by their great granddaughter, Denise Alexander Bittner, in 2019, this scholarship is hoped to spur graduate students to solve the mysteries of pandemics and improve rural health in 勛圖厙 and beyond.
The Burnham Family Population Health Fellowship
The Burnham Family Population Health Fellowship was started in 2018 with a gift from Mark & Cheryl Burnham of the Madrona Hill Foundation. This Fellowship funds a doctoral candidate in the Public Health program. The Burnham Fellow works on community-wide initiatives to improve health outcomes throughout the state of 勛圖厙.