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| September 2025 |

Montana Learning Center Awards Founders’ Scholarship to Aspiring Astrophysicist Aspen McKee

The Montana Learning Center (MLC) is proud to announce that longtime camper, counselor, and staff member Aspen McKee has been awarded the 2025 MLC Founders’ Scholarship. McKee, now in her third year at Montana State University in Bozeman, is pursuing a degree in astrophysics and has set her sights on earning a doctorate in physics.

McKee’s journey with MLC began in 2014, when she first attended camp as a nine-year-old. Her passion for science and space grew with each summer, and by high school she was diving into the Montana Aerospace Scholars Program—a NASA-supported initiative for students interested in aerospace careers. As a sophomore, she joined the MLC staff, and has been an integral part of the organization ever since.

“The MLC has always been pretty special to me,” said McKee. “I would not be anywhere near where I am without the MLC. I wouldn’t have figured out what I wanted to do, or be set on this path. This is a huge honor because I’ve put a lot of work, elbow grease, and time into that camp because I love it there. I love it with my whole heart.”

Advancing STEM in Montana
Beyond her work at MLC, McKee serves as an Ambassador for the Montana Space Grant Consortium (MSGC), which partners with MLC and Montana State University to strengthen NASA-related STEM education in the state. Through MTSGC, she constructed a spectroheliograph for MLC’s astronomy program—an advanced instrument that allows scientists and students to study the Sun in incredible detail. Today, that instrument plays a vital role in MLC’s astronomy offerings, which include Montana’s most robust collection of publicly accessible, research-grade telescopes.

At MSU, McKee also works with the BOREALIS Lab (Balloon Outreach, Research, Exploration and Landscape Imaging System), part of the MSGC’s high-altitude ballooning program. Her team designed and built a circuit board outfitted with air quality, pressure, magnetic, motion, and gamma ray sensors. Their payload was selected to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2026 aboard a SpaceX mission.

Honoring MLC’s Legacy of STEM Leadership
The $5,000 Founders’ Scholarship is made possible by Merrilee Alexander Kick, a Helena-native entrepreneur and founder of BuzzBallz Cocktails. Kick established the scholarship in honor of her parents, Gil and Marilyn Alexander, who founded the Montana Science Institute in the 1980s, laying the groundwork for today’s Montana Learning Center. The Alexanders’ pioneering STEM education work was recognized nationally, earning honors from two U.S. Presidents and the Christa McAuliffe “Teacher in Space” Fellowship.

“Aspen has been an invaluable part of the Montana Learning Center, and we are so grateful for her boundless enthusiasm and many contributions to our Center,” said Ryan Hannahoe, Executive Director of the MLC. “This award is well-deserved, and we are excited to see what the future has in store for her.”

Inspiring the Next Generation
When asked why she continues to dedicate her summers to MLC, McKee’s answer was simple: the kids.

“There is something so special about inspiring young kids, and it’s an incomparable experience to see them light up at a summer camp about science,” she said. “These kids are having the summer camp experience, but they’re also learning something and fostering a love for science that will stay with them. It’s just amazing.”