25 November 2022

The Missoula Community Foundation is honored to announce the establishment of the Lorilee Evans-Lynn Memorial Scholarship, which honors the memory, work and passion of Lorilee Evans-Lynn. 

Lorilee was the long-time advisor of the literary magazines Aerie Big Sky and founder/advisor of Aerie International during her twenty-nine-year teaching career at Big Sky High School. The scholarship will support graduating seniors at Big Sky High School who have a passion for the creative arts and are pursuing secondary education in that field.

Lorilee and her husband John moved to Missoula in 1980 so she could study under Richard Hugo at the University of Montana, an influence that loomed large for her, and helped to shape her own future as a writer and teacher. She would in turn pass on her own unique perspective to hundreds of students in the creative writing program at Big Sky High School. Lorilee was passionate about writing and put remarkable energy into teaching her students. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2016 at the age of 59 after a very short battle with cancer.

Lorilee’s family came together to open an endowment fund through the Missoula Community Foundation that will support a $1,500 annual scholarship award – as a way to honor Lorilee’s memory and provide a legacy appropriate to the love and energy she poured on those she taught and inspired.

 Big Sky seniors are encouraged to apply here: Lorilee Evans-Lynn Memorial Scholarship.