Montana State University affiliates have garnered 18 regional Emmy nominations from the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The winners of the awards will be announced June 4 in Seattle.

MontanaPBS earned 13 nominations for its programming over the last year, while KXLF earned four and MSU’s University Communications has received one.

The nominations span 11 different categories including documentary, commercial, writing, photography, editing, directing and audio.

“Finding Traction,” the story of Montana ultra-runner Nikki Kimbal, received six nominations, including one in the audio category for Jeremiah Slovarp, an instructor in the MSU School of Music. “Finding Traction” follows Kimball as she attempts a grueling run across the nation’s longest hiking trail.

“Concussion: Answers in the Blood?” a documentary that follows two University of Montana scientists who received funding from the NFL for their research on concussions, received two nominations.

“Backroads of Montana,” a production of MontanaPBS, had a nomination in the arts and entertainment— feature/segment category for a piece on centenarian bugler Ray Zell of Shelby.

“11th and Grant with Eric Funk,” a program curated by MSU School of Music instructor Funk that gives local musicians a chance to showcase their talent to a statewide audience, also received two nominations, including another nomination for Slovarp. The nominated episode featured the School of Music’s Angella Ahn and Julie Gosswiller.

MSU graduates from television station KXLF received four nominations for “On the Mountain,” a documentary that tells the story of the construction of the 90-foot statue known as “Our Lady of the Rockies.”

“MSU Unbranded,” produced by MSU University Communications Marketing and Creative Services department and other MSU staff, faculty and alumni, was nominated in the commercial single spot category

Lastly, “Bard in the Backcountry,” a film that chronicles a summer season of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, received two nominations, recognizing Cindy Stilwell, an MSU film professor who co-directed the film.

For a full list of the nominees and the categories, please see below:

Arts/entertainment - feature/segment
Backroads of Montana, featuring centenarian bugler Ray Zell -- John Twiggs, producer

Arts/entertainment - program/special
11th & Grant with Eric Funk featuring Angella Ahn and Friends -- Scott Sterling, director; Aaron Pruitt, executive producer; Paul Gomez Routhier, producer; Eric Funk, artistic director; Jeremiah Slovarp, audio director

Audio
Finding Traction --  Slovarp, sound re-recording mixer
Bard in the Backcountry -- original music, Ian Hatton, composer
11th & Grant with Eric Funk featuring Angella Ahn and Friends  -- Slovarp, audio director

Commercial single spot
MSU Unbranded -- Dennis Aig, director, producer, writer; Scott Chestnut, director, editor, cinematographer; Julie Kipfer, executive producer, writer;  Phillip Baribeau, cinematographer, talent; Andy Hahn, special effects

Director - post production
Finding Traction -- Jaime Jelenchick Jacobsen
On the Mountain  -- Shawn Newton, Carley Rainey

Documentary – cultural
Bard in the Backcountry -- Cindy Stillwell, director; Tom Watson, director; Aaron Pruitt, executive producer; Chris Seifert, executive producer

Documentary – historical
On the Mountain -- Shawn Newton, producer, director, writer, editor; Carley Rainey, director; Andrew Preston, producer

Documentary – topical
Concussion: Answers in the Blood? -- John Twiggs, producer
Finding Traction -- Jaime Jelenchick Jacobsen, director; Aaron Pruitt, executive producer; Charles Dye, director; Rick Smith, director of photography; Daniel Schmidt - director of photography

Editor – program  
Finding Traction -- Stefanie Watkins
Concussion: Answers in the Blood? -- John Twiggs
On the Mountain -- Shawn Newton

Photographer – program
Finding Traction -- Daniel Schmidt, Rick Smith

Writer – Program
Finding Traction -- Jaime Jelenchick Jacobsen, Stefanie Watkins
On the Mountain -- Shawn Newton

MontanaPBS is comprised of KUSM-TV Bozeman and KUFM-TV Missoula, each a non-commercial educational licensee of Montana State University - Bozeman and The University of Montana - Missoula, respectively.

For more information, please contact Slovarp at (406) 586-5262 or jeremiah@jerecostudios.com.