About Montana Leggett
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in May 2020, earning a degree in Journalism. Within the degree, I focused on both Strategic Communication and Reporting to ensure a holistic education across the digital media field.
I am proud of my achievements in the Strategic Communication coursework, especially the client casebook I developed with my peers for a real-world client. We collaborated to research, develop and present in-depth casebook material to executive members of the client. This included utilizing the Simmons research database to gather updated information and producing video content in Adobe Premiere Pro to capitalize on our research for the client.
My work extends well beyond the classroom as I continue to use my knowledge and experience with the Eastside Farmers’ Market as the Assistant Market Manager. In this position, I capture, edit and schedule visually appealing photographs of the market. This position also includes regular website maintenance as well as implementing a new weekly email reminder service, highlighting new products and vendors coming to the market each week.
I am proud to have been part of numerous organizations to get to this point in my career. This includes the Badger Herald where I became a Reporter (2016, 2017), City News Associate Editor (2017) and ArtsEtc. Writer (2018-2019). It also includes Murfie Music where I worked as a Digital Media Strategist (2018, 2019), generating organic digital media content to help drive sales. I particularly enjoyed my time with the Madison Capitols Hockey Club as a Digital Media/Communications Intern (2019-2020) where I captured and produced video content highlighting the organization’s various themed nights and events. My success with the Capitols would not have been possible without my incredible experience as part of the Badger Report (2019) where I extensively worked in the video production sphere to successfully carry out five student-led newscasts.
Beyond the Classroom
I am equally proud of my achievements outside the classroom, from my Eagle Scout project, my time with Badger Boys State, and my passion for music.
I earned my Eagle Scout Rank in 2014 after I completed my Eagle Scout project and countless other prerequisites. My Eagle Scout project consisted of renovating a stone and concrete structure at Maple Hill Cemetery in Evansville, WI. and fundraising for two additional flag poles to bear the Wisconsin State flag and the P.O.W./M.I.A. flag. I maintained a tight, organized schedule with city officials and professionals to ensure required approvals were granted and the necessary personnel were completing their work on time. I managed a group of Boy Scout volunteers to assist the professionals in tasks such as concrete removal and stone cleanup. I also engaged the community through fundraising nights where I organized a partnership with several restaurants to generate publicity for the fundraiser night and in return they donated a portion of the proceeds to my Eagle Scout project.
I was also selected to participate in Badger Boys State in 2014 as a Citizen where I partook in a week-long summer program focused on developing leadership skills through government simulation. I ran for positions at the city, county, and state level at BBS and continued to participate in each level of government despite not being elected to those positions. Through BBS I learned effective teamwork and meeting strategies which I continue to use to this day.
While BBS did not have enough space for me to return as a counselor, I worked with staff during the off-season to find a way to utilize my skills and elevate the program. This role has significantly changed over my time on staff, but my ambition and impact remain. Recent changes with staff have allowed me to become a major leader in the digital media/communications section of BBS.
My involvement with music has been an asset throughout my life. I have always had some type of musical instrument in my hands since I was a young child and loved to sing in addition. This led to me spending time on stage in school concerts where I overcame stage fright and learned to embrace the energy. I learned to sing well in choir during middle school and picked up the Euphonium at the same time. I continued singing through high school, but switched over to the Tuba during my sophomore year in high school.
After graduating high school I continued to play the Tuba, but this time with the UW Marching Band. I made it through the intense “Reg Week” as an incoming freshman and spent the next four years as a “World Famous Wisconsin Marching Tuba.” I have performed in front of more than 80,000 cheering fans each game and met some of the greatest individuals in the world through the UW Marching Band.
However, I am most proud of the work that few people get to see. As part of the Tuba section, I have helped lead prospective members in drills to learn the fundamentals of the marching style and ensure returning members perfect the smallest details in their step, continuing the tradition of excellence in the section. The step has been at UW-Madison since 1969, but it has not gotten easier over all those years. It takes a great deal of patience and teamwork to help the younger members blossom into the greatness they can achieve.
