Changing Course
Scholarship Support Helped Montana Native Pursue His Dream of Teaching After a Successful Career in Engineering
For Webster, that meant the ability to pivot from engineering to education and pursue his passion for helping young people develop the skills to lead lives of purpose. He said he hopes his own professional experience can guide students as they begin to explore their career paths.
"I think having people in the classroom that have experience in other fields can be impactful in the lives of students," Webster said, "just because they can expose more resources and opportunities the students might otherwise not know about."
That perspective was shaped in part by Webster's own experience as a student.
Webster credits his high school teachers with instilling in him a love of math, introducing him to professions that built on that interest and equipping him with the skills to persevere through difficult challenges and solve complex problems.
He said he looks forward to doing the same for the professionals of tomorrow.
Scholarship support also gave Webster opportunities to gain real world experience while completing his degree.
During his second year of graduate school, in addition to completing his student teaching requirements, he served as a long-term substitute teacher at Big Sky High School in Missoula, giving him even more practical, hands-on training.
He also stayed engaged with the local community through coaching and refereeing youth sports.
In the future, Webster said he hopes to stay in-state, teaching high school at a small school in Montana, perhaps eventually advancing to an administrative role or teaching at one of the state's community colleges.
While he plans to dedicate himself mostly to teaching, Webster said he also looks forward to staying connected to the engineering world during his summers off.
Webster's journey from engineering to education is one example of how philanthropy expands access and opportunity at UM.
In the 2024-25 academic year, more than 20% of students received a privately funded scholarship, and donors contributed $14 million to scholarships and graduate fellowships. At UM, scholarships empower students to focus on their academic journeys, stay on track toward graduation and prepare for careers and lives of purpose.
For Webster, that meant the freedom to follow his dreams, ultimately trading the jobsite for a future in the classroom.
"Without the support of donors, teachers like me and many others would not have the ability to work in education," he said. "I just appreciate having the chance to pivot to a career that is more attuned to what I want to do."