University of Montana to honor Pat Williams with scholarships, lectures

"Pat Williams provided valuable assistance during the establishment of the Mansfield Center, and he also chaired the Postsecondary Education Subcommittee in Congress," UM President Dennison said. "With his many years of public service, he embodies the ideals of civic engagement, and the university is pleased to honor him in this way."

The Mike and Maureen Mansfield Center at the University of Montana is undertaking a public service and leadership initiative that will sponsor some public service scholarships and lectures in honor of former nine-term U.S. Rep. Pat Williams.

These and some UM courses and seminars are being paid for by federal grants totaling $438,000 for 2009 and 2010 obtained by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., members of their chambers’ respective appropriations committees.

A 1983 congressional act established an endowment to provide funding for the creation of the Mansfield Center in honor of Mike Mansfield, the long-time U.S. Senate majority leader from Montana and ambassador to Japan, and his wife, Maureen. The Mansfield Center was to study and teach about two topics: Eastern Asian affairs and public service.

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