Message from President Royce Engstrom.

• Author: Engstrom, Royce C.

What's ahead for the economy is always important for all of us who live and work in Montana. But it's especially so for the men and women whom we're graduating and sending into the workforce with newly acquired degrees and experience in the classroom and beyond. What's ahead for them matters a great deal, both for the graduates and their families, as well as for all of us who stand to gain from their talents and their leadership.

If the predictions in these pages prove accurate, those prospects are even more promising this year. The job market looks to be as good across Montana as it has been in years. That's good news for all of us, but especially for those starting their careers out of school.

Much has been written lately of another event frequently associated with graduation: student debt. The burden of paying back loans...