UMW Hosts 2026 Night of Stars Education Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
February 2, 2026
The University of Montana Western Education Department and Alumni Office, in partnership with Stockman Bank, are proud to present the 13th Annual Night of Stars Education Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Top row (left to right): Timothy Love and Katherine Sunwall. Bottom row (left to right): Jamie Courville, Quinn Kelly, and Tricia Schumann.
This year’s event will take place in the Lewis & Clark Room in Mathews Hall on the University of Montana Western campus. The evening will begin with no-host cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by an Italian buffet dinner at 6:00 p.m. The induction ceremony will begin at 7:00 p.m.
The Night of Stars celebration honors Montana Western alumni who have demonstrated outstanding dedication and service to the field of education. During the ceremony, five alumni will be inducted into the Education Hall of Fame, and ten current education students will be recognized as Outstanding Teacher Candidates.
“Night of Stars is always a meaningful evening for our campus,” said Jolene Robbins, Special Events and Alumni Coordinator at the University of Montana Western. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate alumni who have dedicated their lives to education, while also recognizing the next generation of teachers who are preparing to make a difference in classrooms across Montana and beyond.”
The 2026 Education Hall of Fame inductees are Tim Love, Katherine Sunwall, Jamie Courville, Quinn Kelly, and Tricia Schumann.
The 2026 Outstanding Teacher Candidates are Mariah Humble, Theo Harris-Kaczmarek, Hailey Pike, Ryleigh Pitcher, Angela Anderson, Taylor Lovaas, Kira Crete, Karmen Ward, Thomas Zak, and Isabella Lund.
Tickets for the dinner and ceremony may be purchased by contacting Kelly Allen at 406-683-7306 or online at https://tinyurl.com/UMWNOS26.
For additional information, please contact Jolene Robbins, Alumni Coordinator at the University of Montana Western, at 406-683-7303 or [email protected].
Timothy Love
Timothy “Tim” Love, a native of Townsend, Montana, graduated from Montana Western in 1999 with a BS in Education and later earned a master’s degree in K–12 Leadership in 2006. While at Western, Tim was actively involved on campus, serving as a member of the Student Senate and as vice president of the Spurs. He earned multiple honors, including the Golden Hammer Award, the Roy Evenson Leadership Award in 1998, and the Evenson Alumni Service Award in 1997. He also holds legendary status as a tenant of the third floor of Davis Hall during the 1994–1996 school years.
Some of his fondest Montana Western memories include the lifelong friendships he formed, snowball softball tournaments, the success of the football team, and the spirited campus atmosphere of the 1990s. He describes his four years at Western as “all so special.”
Following graduation, Tim launched a long and impactful 25-year career in education. He taught for 20 years in Augusta, where he led Industrial Arts (welding, woodworking, and construction) for grades 7–12, Business/Computer Science for grades 9–12, and 7th-grade math. Prior to Augusta, he spent two years at Kremlin–Gildford High School, followed by three years at Kalispell Junior High School. Throughout his teaching career, Tim also drove bus and coached athletics, serving as an assistant coach in football, basketball, and track for 25 seasons and contributing to four state championship teams.
Beyond coaching, Tim dedicated 20 years as the SkillsUSA advisor and another 20 years as the CLAD advisor, mentoring countless students in leadership and technical skills. After retiring from teaching in 2025, he began a second career as an electrician.
Tim’s commitment to education and community is evident throughout his career, and he has positively influenced generations of students. He is grateful for the support of his family, including his wife, Rebecca, and his stepdaughter, Natalia.
Katherine Sunwall
Katherine Sunwall is a 2007 graduate of the University of Montana Western, earning a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. During her time at Western, she excelled in the classroom, on the court, and in the community. A dedicated student-athlete, she graduated magna cum laude while competing in two collegiate sports, working in the campus cafeteria, and staying actively involved in student life. Katherine is most proud of how she balanced the demands of academics, athletics, work, and leadership—something she credits to her strong focus, determination, and faith.
Her fondest memories of Western include time spent with friends, taking courses from inspiring professors like Rita Moore, being involved in Chi Alpha, and sharing summers in Dillon with her roommate, Kayla Olsen.
Today, Katherine teaches kindergarten at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Great Falls, where she has spent the past 13 years. She is especially grateful for the colleagues and mentors who shaped her career, including longtime coworker Tina Mitchell and Barby Judge, her student-teaching mentor at Parkview Elementary. Barby taught her the value of patience, kindness, and celebrating every holiday with her students—lessons that still guide Katherine’s classroom today.
Katherine’s favorite part of teaching is watching her students grow, learn, and experience those unforgettable “aha” moments. She feels blessed to work in a school where she can share her faith openly and create a classroom where every child feels loved and supported. She remains deeply grateful for the people and experiences at Montana Western that helped shape her into the educator she is today.
Jamie Courville
Jamie Courville, Class of 2002, is a proud graduate of the University of Montana Western and a lifelong advocate for education, leadership, and community service. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance from Montana Western in 2002 and later completed a Master of Education in Educational Leadership in 2008.
Courville attended Montana Western from 1995–2002 as a student-athlete on a football scholarship and credits the mentorship of faculty, coaches, and staff for helping shape both his academic success and personal growth. He fondly remembers the camaraderie and lifelong friendships formed during his time at Western, often reflecting, “Once a Dawg, always a Dawg.”
Currently, Courville serves as the middle school principal at Hellgate Elementary, a position he has held for 13 years, and is in his 18th year as a building principal. His career has also included roles as dean of students and athletic director for the Ronan School District, as well as leadership positions at Havre Middle School and Rocky Boy Jr./Sr. High School.
A proud member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Courville has spent much of his life on the Flathead Reservation and previously served on the Salish and Kootenai College Board of Directors. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys life with his wife, Jennifer, and their family, and they are active supporters of 4-H, raising cattle, pigs, and chickens together. Most recently, Courville was named the National Distinguished Principal of the Year for the State of Montana (Class of 2025).
Quinn Kelly
Quinn Kelly, a native of Cut Bank, Montana, graduated from Western Montana College in 1998 with a BS in Education. While on campus, he distinguished himself academically and through leadership roles, including serving as treasurer of the SkillsUSA Club, earning a spot in Who’s Who in Colleges in 1997, graduating with honors, and serving as the lead woodworking student. Quinn enjoyed sharing his skills with fellow students, demonstrating proper power tool setups, and fostering skill development in the classroom.
After graduation, Quinn began a rewarding career as a 7–12 middle and high school shop teacher at Cut Bank Public Schools, where he instructs students in woodworking, carpentry, drafting, technology, electronics, and STEM. He also teaches woodworking classes for adults, sharing his expertise and love for the trade. His community involvement extends to helping Boy Scouts earn the traditional woodworking merit badge. For Quinn, teaching and mentoring both students and adults has been an enjoyable and deeply fulfilling part of his life.
Quinn has a long history of coaching athletics, including football, track and field, and wrestling, with the past 15 years spent coaching at the middle school level. His teams have achieved great success in track and field, reflecting his dedication as both a coach and mentor.
Some of his favorite Montana Western memories include fly fishing in southwest Montana, working in the wood and metal shops, admiring the silver maple trees on campus, benefiting from the small-college setting that allowed easy access to faculty, and enjoying pitchers of beer at the bowling alley.
Tricia Schumann
Tricia Schumann, originally from Anaconda, Montana, graduated from Montana Western in 1994 with a B.S. in Elementary Education and later earned an M.S. in Teacher Leadership in 2010. One of the experiences she is most proud of from her time at Western was serving as an ambassador for the Admissions Office, where she learned firsthand how to connect with prospective students and their families. She also worked in the Alumni Foundation Office alongside Tom Yahres, Arlene Williams, Henry Stish, Dona Wallace, and Wally Felt—an opportunity that gave her early practice in building relationships and representing the university.
Tricia remembers Montana Western as a place with a strong feeling of family and shared purpose, especially among students preparing to become educators. A few standout memories include representing Western on recruiting trips and serving as a Spur under the guidance of Dona Wallace, whose leadership left a lasting impression.
Tricia recently retired after a long and meaningful career in education, most recently serving as the Alternative Education Teacher and Director at Mineral County High School in Nevada. Throughout her career, she held roles such as District Literacy and Learning Specialist, served on the UniServ Council of Nevada and the NSEA Board of Directors, and earned the NSEA Bernard J. Anderson Dedicated Educator Award in both 2018 and 2024. She continues to stay involved through the NSEA-Retired group and the Elizabeth Brown Scholarship Committee. Beyond the classroom, she started a community mobile bike parade for Armed Forces Day and created a third-grade bike program through a partnership with the local Sheriff’s Office. She and her husband, Rick, live in Hawthorne, Nevada.
