Montana State graduate students help Dolly Parton Imagination Library secure books for kids

BOZEMAN - Graduate students in the master's of science in innovation and management program at Montana State University made statewide impacts this year in partnership with renowned country singer Dolly Parton.

In 1995, Parton created the Imagination Library, which sends free, age-appropriate books each month to kids under 5. The resource aims to provide every child, regardless of income, access to books in early childhood, which can help boost early literacy skills and children's attitudes toward reading.

Two years ago, Montana First Lady Susan Gianforte, wife of Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, began working with Parton to bring the Imagination Library to more children in Montana. Expanding the enrollment to now include 27,000 Montana children has been a key priority of First Lady Gianforte, who undertook the work with the Treasure State Foundation, Greater Gallatin United Way and MSU students.

The students, all enrolled in the MSIM program in the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship, worked for months to spread awareness about the Imagination Library. Their efforts culminated in Bozeman in August at a celebratory event attended by Greg and Susan Gianforte, MSU students, key donors and community members. Parton, originally expected to attend, was unable to travel due to an ear infection. She instead recorded a video message that was played at the event, and others recognized her achievement.

"What Dolly Parton has accomplished through the Imagination Library is incredible," First Lady Gianforte said at the event. "Thanks to Dolly's vision and generosity, the program is helping our youngest generation be ready for school and ready to learn."

MSIM students spend one year earning a master's degree that equips them with advanced business knowledge so they can create, operate and scale businesses successfully. As part of the program, they are required to participate in either an internship or service project as part of their career development class, said program director Michelle Haught. One of the service projects is working "to identify and target untapped areas to increase future awareness and enrollment in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library," Haught said. The opportunity is supported by donor and former MSIM instructor Julie Scates, who originally connected MSIM to organizers involved in the library.

In spring 2025, five graduate students - Sophia Olivo, Jace Kirschman, Brody Leslie, Jessie Reitan and Symbat Zaiyr - began their outreach to eligible children in Gallatin and Park counties. The students tabled six in-person events at local fairs and libraries, designed and sent out nearly 1,500 mailers, and partnered with businesses to hang posters advertising the Imagination Library, Olivo said in an interview.

As of May, around 300 new children had signed up for the Imagination Library since the students began their efforts. According to organizers, most kids sign up in the summer, so many new enrollments likely haven't been counted yet.

Olivo said that skills taught in the MSIM program, such as how to communicate with a variety of people and how to promote an idea, were key for the service project, which provided an opportunity to practice in a real-world context while also making a positive impact.

MSIM students come from multiple backgrounds, and Olivo said that proved advantageous. For example, one student used his data processing skills to identify the ZIP codes in Gallatin and Park counties with the fewest enrolled children, so that's where the team targeted its work. Others used graphic design and marketing skills to design the mailers and posters.

"It was a great opportunity to practice the skills we had been building all year during the MSIM program and see the value of different academic backgrounds," Olivo said. "The Imagination Library and MSIM really played off of each other. Using the MSU name gave us credibility and helped us connect with new families, and working to support the program helped instill what we were learning in school."

Olivo said the group also delivered two presentations to Susan Gianforte during the spring semester. The first outlined the outreach plan, and the second showcased what the group had achieved. Additionally, Olivo said the team created a playbook of strategies to pass down to future students involved in the project, which will preserve the generational knowledge of what worked well and what didn't.

Haught said that she is excited to see the current MSIM cohort assume leadership of the project.

"Our engagement with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library exemplifies the core values of the MSIM program - cultivating leadership, strengthening communication and presentation skills, fostering community engagement and service, applying data analysis, and building meaningful partnerships with high-impact organizations," Haught said. "This initiative demonstrates how our students can translate classroom learning into real-world impact."

"Supporting the Imagination Library is exactly the kind of outreach and community involvement we expect of our students in the business college," added Dean Brian Gillespie. "Our MSIM students have diverse backgrounds and skills, and it's amazing to see everyone work together and use their strengths to bolster this important program to help young children in Montana."

Olivo said it was disappointing not to meet Dolly Parton in person, but that also made the August event feel less stressful, and she appreciated the video message that Parton recorded for her supporters.

"I wasn't as stressed about figuring out what I should wear to meet Dolly," Olivo said with a laugh.

For more information about the Imagination Library, visit imaginationlibrary.com/. For more information about the MSIM program at MSU, visit montana.edu/business/innovation-management/.