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Blake Morstad Memorial Endowment in Engineering

"Opportunity to contribute to an endowed scholarship fund in the name of Blake Morstad, BackpackingLight.com staff writer and product reviewer killed in an avalanche on January 1, 2005..."

About Blake Morstad

BackpackingLight.com Section Editor Blake Morstad was killed by an avalanche while backcountry skiing in Montana's Centennial Mountains on January 1, 2005. Blake was 24 years old and is survived by his wife, Adele, and their son, Blake Samuel, born February 5, 2005.

• Buy the movie that tells the story about the avalanche that took Blake's life, and the impact it has had on avalanche awareness and personal victories for those involved.

Blake Morstad graduated from Montana State University with a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering. His thesis work focused on understanding the physics of snow facet recrystallization that contribute to snowpack strengthening, and thus, avalanche prediction.

About the Endowment

The intent of the Blake Morstad Memorial Endowment in Engineering at Montana State University is to provide scholarships, in perpetuity, to outstanding engineering students who reflect the spirit of Blake's exemplary character as well as his sound engineering approach to understanding avalanche phenomena.

• Administration of the Endowment is managed by the Montana State University Foundation.
• Endowment liaisons: Adele Morstad and Ryan & Stephanie Jordan.
• Special thanks to Ed Adams and Linda Wyckoff at MSU for facilitating endowment logistics.

Information about individual scholarships and recipients will be maintained on this page.

How to Contribute

You may contribute to the Endowment by going directly to the MSU Foundation's online giving page.  Funds should be directed to the College of Engineering, and in memory of Blake Morstad.

100% of the funds you contribute will be issued directly to the Montana State University Foundation for the Endowment.

TAX INFO: Your contribution is tax deductible, and should be recorded in your tax records as a gift to the "Montana State University Foundation - Blake Morstad Memorial Endowment in Engineering". The MSU Foundation will issue a receipt to substantiate your charitable contribution to Montana State University.

If you would like to contribute an amount greater than $5,000 to the Endowment, please address a note to Ryan Jordan via BackpackingLight.com's Support Page.

Additional Information

• Blake Morstad's Biography at BackpackingLight.com
• Blake Morstad's Memorial and Guest Book at BackpackingLight.com