Introducing the “Talk of the Town: Fick Faculty Speaker Series”

The University of Montana Western is proud to announce the launch of the “Fick Faculty Speaker Series”, celebrating faculty innovation across teaching, service, and scholarship. The inaugural event will feature Dr. Katrina Kennett, who will present on community-based literacy projects on Monday, November 17, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Andrus Hotel Gathering Place.

Each semester, one faculty member will be recognized with an honorific title and award and will share their work through a public presentation in Dillon. The series highlights the many ways UMW faculty enrich student learning and the greater community while celebrating excellence, boosting morale, and strengthening the connection between UMW and Dillon.

The first award recipient, Dr. Kennett, will discuss her work on community-based literacy projects, including the Story Stroll collaboration and the emerging Garden Bank initiative.

Dr. Kennett earned a B.A. in Secondary English Education from Connecticut College in 2008, an M.A.T. in K–12 Language Arts & Literacy from San Diego State University in 2013, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, Language & Literacy with a concentration in Writing Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2017.

Since joining UMW in 2018, Dr. Kennett has served as an Associate Professor of Education in the Education Division. She teaches courses in literacy and technology education and supervises student teachers in the field. Dr. Kennett has also collaborated with Katie Miller at Dillon Middle School and Lori Cannady at the Dillon Public Library to develop the Dillon Community Story Stroll.

The “Fick Faculty Speaker Series” is more than an honor—it is a bridge between campus and community. By recognizing faculty contributions, the series fosters a culture of motivation and collaboration, demonstrates UMW’s commitment to student success in a changing world, and upholds the core values upon which our universities were founded.

We invite you to join us in celebrating this new series and hope to see you at the upcoming event.