17 Bobcats chosen as 2026 Baucus Leaders

BOZEMAN - For Montana State University environmental science senior Gracie Caldwell, being selected as a 2026 Baucus Leader means "everything."

After a "life-changing" Baucus Institute experience in China last year as the first international affairs intern with Shanghai Disney, she is now spending the summer interning in the office of U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff in Washington, D.C.

Caldwell is one of 17 MSU students selected as 2026 Baucus Leaders through the Max S. Baucus Institute.

The students are among a record-size class of 43 selected from colleges and universities across Montana for internships and leadership experiences in Washington, D.C., Montana and around the world through the Baucus Leaders DC, Baucus Climate Scholars and Baucus Leaders Montana programs.

Through these programs, students receive paid internships, stipend support, mentorship and professional development while gaining hands-on experience in public service, government and environmental leadership.

Growing up in Roseville, California, during years of severe drought, Caldwell saw firsthand how public policy could affect communities, inspiring her interest in environmental policy. At MSU, that interest grew through experiences that strengthened her desire to help shape solutions to environmental challenges.

When she first learned about the MSU chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, Caldwell rushed to sign up and soon stepped into a leadership role and helped grow the chapter, drawn to the organization's mission, which she says "bridges the divide between science and politics."

At the end of her freshman year, Caldwell attended the CCL summer conference in Washington, D.C., where she met with lawmakers and gained experience in environmental advocacy. She said it kickstarted her understanding of environmental nonprofit work and leadership.

"I really learned how powerful voices in the room can be, especially young voices, and so I decided I wanted to be a person in the room to help advocate for natural resources and the people we love," Caldwell said.

Now, Caldwell is interning in Washington, D.C., where she is gaining experience in federal policymaking. She describes the internship as a "foot in the door" for a career in lobbying and international relations.

"As an environmental science major, I don't get access to state and federal politics, so having an internship like this and getting that practical experience means the world," Caldwell said. "The careers I'm interested in tend to bridge the gap between science and policy, so this gets me closer to that policy."

Like Caldwell, economics senior Robby Brown is building on a previous Baucus Institute experience. This summer, he is working with The Climate Reality Project in Washington, D.C., where he is combining his interests in economics and environmental stewardship.

Last summer, Brown served as a Baucus Climate Scholar in Montana with the Nature Conservancy. He worked on the Matador Ranch near the Fort Belknap Reservation, using 25 years of ranch data to model and forecast economic trends.

Brown said his work last year motivated him to seek broader opportunities related to the environment and economics, which led him to the Climate Reality Project.

As an intern, Brown researches prospective supporters and said his work allows him to combine analytical skills developed through his background in economics with his environmental interests.

"I've spent lots of time outdoors. I grew up skiing at Red Lodge Mountain, kayaking and canoeing down the Yellowstone River and backpacking in the Beartooth Mountains," said Brown, who grew up in Billings. "The environment and protecting it has always been very important to me."

At MSU, Brown said he found ways to pair that appreciation for the outdoors with his studies. He credits the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics, the Honors College and opportunities such as undergraduate research and teaching assistantships with preparing him for competitive internships like the Baucus Leaders program.

"I've been able to do a lot at MSU, and kind of chase every opportunity that's been thrown at me, and I've found my niche by having the opportunity to explore so many different avenues," Brown said.

Caldwell and Brown are among 11 Honors College students selected for this year's Baucus Leaders programs.

"The representation of MSU Honors College students in this year's Baucus class highlights how the Honors College curriculum - with its emphasis on interdisciplinarity, collaboration across differences and discussion-based learning - makes students especially well-prepared for the Baucus programs," said Richard Badenhausen, dean of the Honors College.

MSU's 2026 Baucus Leaders

The Max S. Baucus Institute, founded by former U.S. senator for Montana and former U.S. ambassador to China Max Baucus, has selected 17 MSU students to participate in its programs this summer. They are listed below by name, summer assignment, and hometown.

The following MSU students have been placed through the Baucus Leaders DC program in paid summer internships with congressional offices in Washington, D.C.

• Michajla (Kaylie) Baxter - Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA). Hometown: Snohomish, Washington.

• Gracie Caldwell - Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA). Hometown: Roseville, California.

• Molly Forney- Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Hometown: Billings.

• Jacob Harvey - Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Hometown: Dillon.

• Blake Lindemann - Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID). Hometown: Kalispell.

• Siena Quesada - Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO). Hometown: Golden, Colorado.

• Delaney Swaim - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Hometown: Glen Carbon, Illinois.

The following MSU students have been placed through the Climate Scholars program as paid interns with organizations working on climate and environmental issues.

• Ethan Ashwood - New Leaf Climate Partners. Hometown: Seeley Lake.

• Robert (Robby) Brown - The Climate Reality Project. Hometown: Billings.

• Gavin Cloyed - Nature & Future. Hometown: Boise, Idaho.

• Kendra Gilbertson - The Nature Conservancy - Singapore. Hometown: Prior Lake, Minnesota.

• Lukas Kosel - New Leaf Climate Partners. Hometown: Roberts.

• Fatima Ododo - Cat Creek Energy. Hometown: Abuja, Nigeria.

• Sam Pruitt - Henry's Fork Foundation. Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina.

• Taylor Russell - Big Sky SNO. Hometown: Littleton, Colorado.

The following MSU students have been placed through the Baucus Leaders Montana program in Montana-based public sector and nonprofit offices.

• Raey Hanke - Montana Afterschool Alliance. Hometown: Belgrade.
• Jake Moore - Montana Human Resource Development Council. Hometown: Rocklin, California.