Student Seen
Kevin Furey '06
Photo by Laurie Schendel
Kevin was enrolled in UM and a member of ROTC and the Army Reserves when he was called to serve in Iraq in 2003. After eight months, the Missoula native returned and enrolled in the Davidson Honors College with a double major—political science and environmental studies—and a passion to “make a difference,” which for Kevin meant running for the state legislature. He won his race and will represent Missoula’s 91st House District in Helena.
Why did you enlist in the Army Reserves? It was a lot about serving my country and also my community. All of my life, my parents taught me to give more than I take. It was just one way of doing that.
What have you done outside UM that you’re proud of? I helped start Friends of Two Rivers, a local Milltown and Bonner organization, to work on influencing the EPA and the governor to get the dam removed.
What is one of your priorities if you get elected? Making it more affordable for Montanans to buy Montana products. One example of that is the Farm to College program, where University Dining Services buys as much food as they can that is grown and produced in Montana.
What would you like to take into your “next life”? A happy disposition.
What’s the best advice you ever got? Life isn’t fair.
What surprised you most when you came to UM? Probably how involved everyone is in the Missoula community.
If you could light anything on fire right now, what would it be? My campaign finance report.
What one thing would you change about UM? More funding.
What’s your favorite bumpersticker? Veterans for Kerry-Edwards.
Describe how you will have changed when you graduate. I’ll know a lot more, hopefully, about how the state government works.
