Green & Gold - Winter 2013 by Rocky Mountain College

Winter is an interesting time on RMC’s campus. Within one season there are many different seasons of activity. The flurry and stress of one semester ending, the excitement and expectation of a new semester beginning, and sandwiched inbetween is a small respite. During those few weeks of quiet after students have left on break, campus seems to freeze for a moment in time – and not just because of the cold temperatures. But despite that feeling of stillness, campus isn’t still; work still goes on and things still move forward. And soon, the season will start to change once more and campus will again be busy and preparing for spring and summer. Like the seasons, Rocky Mountain College is continually changing, and the College is moving on to a bright and exciting future. And just like seasons end, seasons of RMC end as well, and with new hellos come painful goodbyes. For years, Dave Shumway has served the College in numerous capacities

Green & Gold

– website development, teaching, a little bit of everything in a sense, but above all stands his photography. He’s had the unique ability to showcase RMC not only as a beautiful place to study and work, but a beautiful place to be. But like RMC, Dave is entering a spring of his own and is moving on to new and exciting adventures. While goodbyes can be painful, the opportunity to grow and explore is exciting, not only on a personal level,

but an institutional level as well. Please join the College in thanking Dave for his years of devotion to RMC and for freezing small moments of time on campus in his pictures. But like everything frozen during winter, time passes and things thaw and move on. The College is excited for the future, and we hope you are as well and that each of you will continue to support the institution as we move on into spring and new opportunities.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

SEASONOFGIVING When Obert Undem, Rocky Mountain College’s Director of Planning Giving, talks about endof-year charitable donations his face lights up. This longtime tax and estate attorney attributes his own success in life to someone who believed in education and demonstrated that belief in an amazing and unexpected way.

“My education was underwritten by a retired Glendive banker and his widow for whom I mowed lawns during high school summers,” Undem recalls. And he strongly believes in such selfless commitment to educate others to whom no legal obligation for support exists. Lives so affected will be forever changed in good ways. Even more exciting, he notes, is that Montana offers a very generous incentive benefitting friends of nonprofit organizations like RMC. This is the time of year when individuals review tax records of the fast-closing tax year and identify actions they can take to reduce the sting of the tax collectors next April 15th. Undem points out that a 1997 Montana state law allows state taxpayers to claim a tax credit of up to $10,000 per taxpayer on their state tax liability. A married couple can claim up to $20,000 in state tax credit to pay their 2013 state

income tax liability. Plus, there will be additional federal income tax savings and capital gains tax avoidance if the gift is funded by transfer of appreciated securities rather than cash. In such a case, the taxpayer will still have unspent cash in his and/or her checking account on April 15, 2014.

Although the formula, like most tax scenarios, can be complicated, Undem offers this basic analogy: if an individual owes $5,000 in state taxes, and he or she makes a planned gift to RMC using a simple Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity, that individual may receive up to a $5,000 tax credit to pay his or her state taxes. The gift essentially either pays or greatly reduces the tax. The value of that gift benefits RMC students through scholarships available to students who might not otherwise be able to afford that education.

According to Jessica Francischetti, RMC Director of Financial Aid, nearly 90 percent of RMC students receive some sort of scholarship. “The Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity increases the availability of scholarships. We always have more demand than we can fill,” noted Undem.”Our business is educating students, and every dollar counts.” He recommends that any individual who pays at least $1,000 in Montana state tax consider making such a gift. An attorney or certified public accountant can help advise the donor. Undem, who has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law, and extensive experience in tax planning is happy to suggest potential options. Rocky Mountain College’s annuity forms reflect Undem’s years of experience, the good work of many attorneys, and have worked for many individuals using them.

Five years after establishment, as permitted by Montana law, such planned gifts can be canceled to fund a permanent scholarship endowment. Earnings thereafter are used for student scholarships, while the principal remains in the endowment to fund future scholarships.

The net result, however, goes beyond the dollar signs, Undem says.

Currently annual distributions average four percent of the endowment fund with earnings in excess of that distribution added to the endowment fund to increase future scholarship distributions. This protects the endowment’s assets from possible future inflation.

There you have ideas worth thought and immediate action – call Obert with your questions today. His direct line is 406.657.1142.

Gifts like these are “an investment in our communities and our world’s future. Our country needs leadership, which is most effectively given by well-educated citizens.”

Another bonus, notes Undem, is that the donor can specify the scholarship’s parameters. For example, a rancher from Eastern Montana may wish to benefit students from that same geographic area who are pursuing a teaching or physician’s assistant career path in or near their hometown. Or, a Billings business owner might decide to help students from Yellowstone County majoring in business or economics. The ability to personalize the gift by name or use tailors it to the desires and interests of the donor. Season of Giving

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

BLACKTIEBLUEJEANS

of time to prepare, newly named Vice President for Advancement Kelly Edwards got straight to work by first reaching out to a friend and colleague. “The most brilliant move was to reach out and ask Kelsey Daer to serve as the working chair for Black Tie Blue Jeans. We also reached out to board members, specifically Chris [Dorr] and Mary [Underriner]; they’ve had experience with the event and provided a lot of work to help execute the event, and I think the four of us coming together is what allowed us to pull off the event.” With Daer (RMC cheerleading coach and event coordinator for advancement), plans quickly started coming together, thanks to her experience and knowledge of the event.

Like a wedding, the anticipation and planning for Rocky Mountain College’s annual benefit, Black Tie Blue Jeans, begins long before the night of the event, and in a few short hours, the weeks and months of planning have come to fruition and there’s nothing to do but clean up.

clean up, this year’s Black Tie Blue Jeans was an enormous success in raising money to help fund student scholarships. Held on campus in the Fortin Education Center, nearly 600 attendees enjoyed a night of dinner, dancing, and, most importantly, student interactions.

But regardless of the planning and

In late summer, with a limited amount

Black Tie Blue Jeans

“I had volunteered at Black Tie for two or three years so I knew the ins and outs of the event, and I’ve attended for many years. I knew the event and what had to be done. It was just a matter of taking what had been done and making it better.” Having heard from alumni and donors about holding the event at RMC, everyone was in agreement about moving it to campus. Understanding that the benefit centers on RMC students, Edwards and Daer made

sure the event was student-centered. “We just focused on the student; it was all student-focused,” said Edwards. RMC President Bob Wilmouth called it “a brilliant move.” Besides helping staff volunteers with event setup, students hosted Black Tie Blue Jeans. Guests were greeted and served by students, photos of students were prominently featured, and senior Neal Coon spoke about the impact scholarships had on him and his family during his time at RMC. “Getting the students in the face of the donors helped the entire event, and getting the donors to realize why they’re there and understand

the cause [was important]. It helped with the students too because the students got to see the people that are making their education a reality,” said Daer. “I don’t know how it happens, but there’s something special with an RMC student,” said Wilmouth. That specialness was not lost on the evening’s guests. The highlight of the evening for Edwards was the Scholarship Challenge, in which guests donate money directly for RMC’s merit scholarships in a live auction format. This year’s Scholarship Challenge, the largest to date, raised over $107,000 thanks to the generosity of 57 participants. Overall, between table sponsorships, live and silent auction items, and ticket sales, the event raised over

$230,000 for student scholarships. Not only was the Scholarship Challenge the biggest ever in terms of participants and total raised, it was also aided by a $25,000 match by Dr. William Ballard, RMC board member, something that meant a lot to President Wilmouth. “Dr. Ballard has led us in so many ways. It jumpstarted us; it developed a momentum. Whenever you have someone like that, who’s well respected in the community and has been a big part of this college, people are just going to want to follow that. I did, personally.” And continuing to build support like that for RMC and the Scholarship Challenge is on the forefront of Edwards’ mind. She plans to continue cultivating relationships with donors and helping them understand not only what the College does, but how their donation helps. RMC gives over $11 million a year in student scholarships, and for many students, an RMC education would not be possible without the financial assistance scholarships provide. As for the future of Black Tie Blue Jeans, look for it to be on campus for some time. “I want [it to be] an event that people look forward to coming to, and that they understand why they’re attending the event, and they’re coming to have a good evening,” said Edwards. Black Tie Blue Jeans

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

PLAYINGATRMC:PRICELESS And, they would do it again. Neal’s parents traveled to every – yes, every – football game of Neal’s career at RMC. That’s a total of 44 regular season games, plus the playoff game against Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa – a 24-hour-drive from their hometown. “The Coon family is incredibly dedicated,” noted RMC Coach Brian Armstrong. “They didn’t just talk the talk, but they walked – and drove it – too. It’s easy to see where Neal gets his work ethic and strong focus.” Older siblings Ian and Janae only missed a handful of games due to school or work obligations. While it’s not too unusual for athletic families to travel extensively for their sports, the Coon family from Metaline Falls, in northeastern Washington, went beyond the norm.

When Neal Coon arrived on the campus of Rocky Mountain College more than five years ago, he had thoughts of pursuing a scientific degree and dreams of playing collegiate football. After redshirting his freshman year, Coon called his parents three days before the season opener of his sophomore year to report, “I’m starting at center.” It was “Game On” for the Coon

Playing at RMC: Priceless

family. And they wouldn’t have dreamed of missing it. “I saw every game he played in junior high and every game he played in high school,” said mom Candi Coon. “Why stop?” “That’s just the way this family operates,” said Neal’s father, Mark. “We drove a lot of late nights. I’m not sure how, we just did it.”

Located in the mountains, about 100 miles north of Spokane, Metaline Falls is closer to the Canadian border than any other landmark. It took the family 11 hours on the road to see a home game at RMC. They just about lived in their cars during the football season. “We’ve slept at rest stops or in a Walmart parking lot,” said Mark, an educator, who also bunked in Neal’s dorm room on occasion.

Geographically, the closest games were at Eastern Oregon – only six hours from home. The farthest conference games were 17 hours away, in Dickinson, North Dakota. Siblings Janae and Ian learned to schedule their college courses to end by noon on Fridays. “It wasn’t a matter of if we were going,” said Janae, “just where were we going to meet up along the way.” And not only did the Coon family attend, but they brought their definition of “fan” along to the game. “My brother and sister – they are just crazy,” said Neal of his siblings. “They came in a lot of different outfits.” He went on to describe some of their flamboyant and outlandish outfits. Ian, who also played football, spraypainted their old high school football helmets to look like the old RMC helmets. Candi croqueted bearlooking hats. Ian and Janae, who both graduated from Eastern Washington University, essentially brought their big-university experiences to the RMC games, Ian noted. “One time they came in these weird, dangly, light-up things,” Neal recalled. “It was like something you might see at Mardi Gras. It became a joke: what are your brother and sister going to wear this week?” Yet, every game, wherever it was, the Coon family was in the stands, wearing their green #61 jerseys. More times than not, they had relatives or

hometown friends along, to cheer on Neal and the entire Battlin’ Bears football team. “We are a band of brothers,” noted Neal of the team, “but our fans are one big family.” Many of the players called Mark and Candi “mom and dad.” “Our contingency of parents is very strong,” noted Armstrong. “Over a four-year career, it’s no small feat to make every game. The Coons are very special people.” Yet Mark and Candi, Ian, and Janae are not just football fans—they are true fans of Rocky Mountain College. Neal was not as heavily recruited by RMC as by other schools, yet there was something about the campus that Neal liked, Mark said of their initial visit.

“He had an opportunity to walk on and play,” Mark recalled. “That first summer, he worked really hard to make it reality. I’m not sure that could happen just anywhere.” Candi also appreciates the hard work ethic at RMC. “Being a football player, he was required to be in study halls and that formed good habits,” she said. “The instructors were so available to him, to every student. If a tutor couldn’t figure something out, the professor would come over on his or her own time. That means something.” It also means something when your family drives more than 50,000 miles to see 44 football games. “That’s just the kind of parents they are,” said Neal.

Playing at RMC: Priceless

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

PRESCRIPTIONFORSUCCESS From the role of Rosalind in “Moon Over Buffalo” in a Rocky Mountain College theatre production, to Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, to a medical clinic in Estancia, El Salvador, Dr. Nicole Ruske is certain of one fact: “Not all people give a tiny school in Billings, Montana, much thought. But they should,” she said, “I had an amazing learning experience, and it was the time of my life. I would

repeat my experience at Rocky over and over again – it made me who I am.” Ruske, who graduated in 2004 with a triple major – biology, chemistry, and theatre – and a minor in Spanish, is not one to sit still. She is a doer. But she takes nothing for granted, either. Arriving at RMC with a theatre scholarship, Ruske had plans to

become a doctor. RMC had all the elements the young woman sought: a location outside of her home state of Colorado; small class sizes; close connections with professors; and an opportunity to pursue extracurricular activities. “Rocky had all the things I wanted,” said Ruske. “The opportunities to do extracurricular stuff are amazing.” While some may see the two sciences of biology and chemistry sandwiched between a theatre major as somewhat odd, for Ruske it is the perfect marriage. “I get complemented every day on my presentation skills,” noted the doctor-in-residence. “I have to explain the patient’s case to the medical team, and I know those skills are strong because of my theatre background. I am eternally grateful to Gerry Roe and Sarah Brewer for making me a better communicator, person, and doctor.” Ruske uses her Spanish minor, too. Her language skills were basic and included a study abroad opportunity the summer after her freshman year at RMC. Ruske continued to study the language, taking medical Spanish throughout medical school, prompted by her desire to work with underserved people, many of whom speak Spanish.

Prescription for Success

After her first year at Albert Einstein, Ruske spent the summer in South America, working in the Amazon jungle with the indigenous Shuar Indians, learning about natural medicine while seeing the challenges they faced when seeking outside medical care. The short visit simply wetted her appetite to do more. “It was an eye-opening experience,” she said. “I realized that I have seen so little of the world and know so little of the different lives around the world.” Taking off a year from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, which is very open to service and research projects amongst its students, Ruske embarked on a volunteer endeavor in Estancia, El Salvador, as part of the non-governmental organization Doctors for Global Health (DGH). Ruske was gone for a little under a year, but her experience there will forever shape her as a person and as a physician. El Salvador had been ravaged by civil war. Poverty and disease were now the main enemies. And Ruske wanted to fix it all, heal it all. By listening and observing, Ruske understood the native people’s choices and priorities. For example,

while she initially planned an antiparasite campaign for a village, the residents were busy organizing how to get water into their homes. The native people brought as many lessons to her as she did to them. Ruske’s time in El Salvador also helped solidify her specialty choice as a physician. “I always thought I would be a pediatrician, but I kept getting interested in other things,” she said. “I wanted to do complementary alternative medicine, but that’s not a huge thing in kids. I love women’s health, too. Then I got to my clinical years. Delivering babies was the coolest thing I have ever experienced, hands-down. It turns out though, that elderly people have amazing, incredible stories. I realized I wanted to be competent in everything: kids, adults, men, women, seniors.” “I wanted to be an old-time, smalltown doc,” Ruske finalized. “Family Medicine is the best way to do that.” During a one-month rotation at the Blackfeet Community HIS Hospital in Browning, Montana, Ruske experienced true family medicine and thrived. She is now practicing at the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho in Boise and stops back at her alma mater on occasion.

“RMC prepared me so well for medical school. I was even ahead of my friends from East Coast Ivy League schools,” Ruske noted. “Having access to a cadaver lab for anatomy in college is invaluable. I just mentioned this to my residency co-workers, and they were jealous. The hands-on training and close relationship with professors at Rocky allows you to really absorb and apply the information you are learning – it was a fantastic base for my medical career.”

Prescription for Success

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

NOHORSIN’AROUND As if RMC wasn’t unique enough with its location, student/faculty mentoring relationships, and history – 25 years ago they had to add an equine program.

Today, the Rocky Mountain College Equestrian Program is still going strong and is continually looking for ways to grow and evolve. Its strength is evident in its faculty members – industry-renown and

mostly homegrown. Professors Scott and Amy Nueman and Chris Brown along with instructor Allison Grow are all RMC alumni, testifying to the strength of a degree from the program. Their industry experience coupled with their RMC education make them the best to prepare equestrian students. Assistant Professor Hollis Edwards may not be RMC-grown, but her lifelong passion and experience with horses make her one of the bunch as well. In speaking with Chris and Amy, it’s clear that from their experience both as students and faculty members that they’ve been witness to and part of many of the program’s growths and changes. When Chris began in the program, there were eight students in her class, and “the curriculum wasn’t nearly as focused – there was only one major back then, and it was very broad.” Nowadays, that’s completely changed. With five specialized and distinct majors, students can pursue the equine field of interest that is most relevant to their career aspirations and desires. Most recently the program has added an equine science major, which many

No Horsin’ Around

equestrian students use as a precursor to veterinary school. Not only are today’s students presented with a variety of degree concentrations, but the opportunities and connections that are available to them through RMC’s program are as unique and one-of-a-kind as the program. “I think the opportunities to have the faculty and the opportunities we give our students with the contacts that they’re able to make through the faculty…it’s a tremendous asset to them. It’s one of our biggest boasts that we can boast of – that we are able to put our students into whatever venue they so choose,” says Chris. For Amy, one of the biggest changes she has seen is the development of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) team, which gives students the opportunity to pursue their passions in a schoolsponsored environment. And with the opportunity to compete for their school has come success and recognition – RMC students have fared well and have been competitive on the national level, with several students in the top five at the nationals for the IHSA. In spite of the changes that she’s

The biggest change Hollis has made is moving students from theory to application by having students teach and participate in hands-on client lessons. Clients vary and can be youthat-risk with emotional needs to clients with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and autism. “We can teach about what autism is and how you teach to it, but unless you go teach those hands-on lessons I think you’re doing those students a disservice because they leave and get hired to teach, but have no idea how to teach hands-on.”

witnessed during her time at RMC, Amy believes that the heart of the program remains the same. “The core of what we do hasn’t changed; one of the great things we do is you’re with your horse, you’re actively involved,” she says. Though the core hasn’t changed, components of the core have. One of the bigger changes to the program as a whole as been the revitalization and reconstruction of the therapeutic riding major. Though the therapeutic riding major had been in existence for over a decade prior to her arrival, Hollis Edwards has revitalized the program and made it one of the most unique in the nation.

With those hands-on lessons, therapeutic riding students have the opportunity to become PATHcertified (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) along with obtaining their bachelor of science degree with a concentration in therapeutic riding instruction; this combination of certification and degree is rare and sets RMC apart from other schools – only four other schools in the nation offer PATH certification along with a degree. Hollis would like to continue to grow the therapeutic program even more. She hopes to expand the curriculum to include classes that help students not only teach lessons, but manage therapeutic programs. She’d also like to see RMC not only offer PATHcertification, but to become a premieraccredited PATH center; currently, students gain PATH-certification while at RMC, but must travel to Bozeman to undergo accreditation for certification. But regardless of majors or time, some things just don’t change – like RMC’s emphasis on student responsibility,

personal interactions, and excellent faculty. Having been an anchor of the program from 1990 to 2011, Dr. Ray Randall believes “what helps is that the students are responsible for the horses; they don’t just go in and ride in class and somebody else takes care of the horse. It’s critical that they learn how to take care of the horses and what is normal behavior and normal things that horses do, and then learning what becomes the abnormal. Being responsible for that is really important, because that’s what keeps those horses around.” “The thing that makes the Rocky program strong is that it’s a small program with faculty that are worldrenown…and our program isn’t so big that we can’t individualize and curtail a lot of things to the uniqueness of our students,” says Chris. And thankfully for Allison, there’s no shortage of successful RMC equine graduates ready to help. “In every facet of the industry there’s someone I can call as the internship liaison. Having those people in the industry is so nice for us because they know what’s going to come out, what that student will learn, and that they will be beneficial to their program during that summer or semester that they spend working with them.” With success like that, it’s not difficult to see another successful 25 years for the equestrian program.

No Horsin’ Around

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

CARINGCAROLE

instinct makes you want to coddle them, keep them close, and help them through.” Yet the end result of Peterson’s job is crucial. She practices tough love. “I focus on the kids getting ready for graduation,” said Peterson, who has been called a “personal degree-audit system.” “All the grades have to be in, posted, and all work complete. I am the last stop.” Over the years, Peterson has seen drastic changes in student record-keeping and assisted with transitioning to the first computer system in 1988. She learned on the job; as a result, Peterson has decades of experience to draw from when a difficult situation arises.

Carole Peterson is an institution all on her own. Few students leave Rocky Mountain College without shaking hands with Peterson, longtime Director of Student Records. Most receive hugs. Some have even called her “Mom.” Although her job is quite official – she is the final check before a diploma is issued – Peterson is the friendly face, the warm smile, that maternal type who gives a reassuring pat and helps a student work through tough spots. “I’ve had more than one student say ‘Carole Peterson is the reason I’ve been able to graduate from Rocky Mountain College,’” noted Brad Nason, RMC Dean of Student Life. “Carole’s that person who has a heart of gold. It super trite but it’s true – she has an incredible commitment to serving the students of Rocky. She is the one who will go quietly out of her way, above and beyond, to help a student file an appeal, drop or add a class, navigate all the bureaucracy of getting, and staying on course.” Peterson started her RMC tenure in 1976 – well before most of today’s students were born – in the business office, eventually becoming the right hand to then-President Bruce Alton. Her career has spanned the registrar’s office, community 11

Caring Carole

service, academic dean, and student records. Each change added to her in-depth knowledge base and deep caring that Peterson holds for RMC and its community of students. “I love working here,” she said. “It’s pretty personal at Rocky. We attract a lot of students from small communities, and we get to know a lot of kids, many on a first-name basis. In some ways, I do feel like these are all my kids.” Peterson recalls one student who, just prior to the Thanksgiving break, was distraught, very homesick, and wanted to quit school to go home. “You give a hug, say ‘hang in there and come back,’ and she did,” Peterson said. “I was there when she needed a shoulder. That mothering

“We switched from manual as much as we could, but going paperless is not as easy as it sounds,” noted Peterson. “No system is perfect and there’s still manual manipulation. Today’s students are so tech-savy and that can make things challenging because some things still take time.” “Carole brings this incredible history, wealth of knowledge, and continuity to the Student Records office,” noted Nason. “That’s so important to having students graduate in the shortest amount of time possible. Carole has an institutional memory that cannot be duplicated through computers and books.” “There’s a lot of stuff stored up here,” noted Peterson as she pointed to her head. And it’s delivered readily, cloaked in caring.

WORLDSAWAY

GROWING UP, YOU SEE PICTURES OF PLACES LIKE THE COLOSSEUM AND THE SISTINE CHAPEL BUT YOU CAN’T REALIZE WHAT IT REALLY IS UNTIL YOU SEE IT IN PERSON.

Worlds Away

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

addition to preserving their personal memories. Severson posted this, in addition to photos, about her time in Italy: Art is so different to see in person; to see the scale of the work is something you cannot tell from a book and so it is very special to see it right there, in front of you! “I see the students change throughout the trip,” Moak notes. “The ultimate goal, my hope is that they will be transformed, that they will grow and mature and open their eyes to a greater world.” The trip starts with the students gathering in Rome and traveling to their home base, the Villa Pieve near Perugia in the heart of Italy. They are immersed in the Italian culture and language at the villa – its own campus of sorts. Classes included Italian music, art, art history, and travel photography. In addition, they dedicated another class to learning the Italian language, taught by native speaker, Catia Melani.

Basho, the great 17th century Haiku master said, “If you want to know about a tree, go to the tree.”

Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel but you can’t realize what it really is until you see it in person.”

Students at Rocky Mountain College who wanted to learn about Italian art, language, and culture took that saying to heart and spent eight weeks in Italy this past fall.

Mark Moak, RMC art professor who has lead 10 student trips abroad, including the past three to Italy, notes that this trip is for any major, not just art students.

But what they experienced went far beyond their expectations of a simple tree.

“We strongly believe in the liberal arts tradition,” he says and cites having students from the biology, aviation, and equestrian programs in addition to theatre, music, and art majors and minors. The mix of students from varying disciplines actually adds to the dynamics.

Becca Severson, an exercise science major from Plymouth, Minnesota, decided to join the trip to complete her art minor. And she was not disappointed. “Being in Italy while learning about Italy is night-and-day different than being in Montana and learning about Italy,” Severson says. “Growing up, you see pictures of places like the

Wolrds Away

“This is really a journey in selfdiscovery,” Moak adds. To that end, students are required to record their experiences in a blog throughout their trip. This promotes critical thinking and enhances their newly-learned photography skills in

Severson notes in her blog that six hours of classes daily were a departure from the 60-minute classes back at RMC but that most did not even seem like work. She adds that learning the Italian language was challenging but that Melani made the entire experience less stressful and fun.

Yet, a great deal of the learning happened outside of the traditional classroom walls. “This is not all about academics,” notes Moak. He details that life at the villa included cooking, conversing, playing games – everyday aspects of life in Italy. And that is where the lifelong lessons take root. “I have some students that I really worry about and I end up being pleasantly surprised with how they open up and embrace a new culture rather than fearing it,” he says.

Severson blogged about learning to make homemade pasta and tiramisu, which she notes is surprisingly easy, along with playing the Italian card game, scoba. In the middle of the session the group traveled to Rome and Florence for even more hands-on learning. “By traveling to the historic sites, we remove one obstacle – space – with only the obstacle of time remaining,” says Moak. “You can just see the students realizing that they are seeing what Michelangelo created or where

Julius Caesar was assassinated. It’s so great to turn them on to something they have only read about or seen pictures of.” For students like Severson the entire package was life-changing. “I gained so much on this trip, it’s worth so much,” Severson says. “To live and travel in a place so completely different, you are forced to grow. By traveling afterward on my own I learned to budget and gained confidence by getting around in a foreign country and meeting new people. That’s good for leadership and a greater understanding of cultural differences. Understanding others is applicable to any job in the future.” In a nutshell, that is Moak’s dream for his students being realized. “It’s so rewarding to watch a student transform,” he says. “They learn to maintain their own identity while getting out of their comfort zone and embracing something new. And they grow as a result. I feel that these students can become great citizens of the world and understand that while America is a great place, there are other great places, too.”

Worlds Away

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

PLANNINGFORTHEFUTURE

December graduates are ahead of the curve. At least if they make a plan and focus on long-term goals like Amelia Whaley has. Whaley, a Rocky Mountain College psychology major, graduated in December 2012. Although she had months before she was due to start graduate school, this high-achieving RMC alumna did not sit around on her proverbial laurels waiting for classes to start. She traveled a bit and took on a volunteer internship in Costa Rica. At Finca Bellavista, a sustainable treehouse community, Whaley worked as many as 60 hours each

week for three months, cooking, cleaning, bartending, and landscaping for treehouse guests. Although she was not paid, the dividends, Whaley noted, were huge.

“I really wanted to improve my Spanish, and I wanted to travel a bit,” Whaley said. “This was something new – it ended up being a great time for personal growth.” Living in rustic surroundings with limited electricity, hot water, and internet access rejuvenated Whaley before she embarked on her next adventure: pursuing a dual master of arts in psychology and juris doctor at Duke University’s School of

Psychology and Neurosciences and School of Law. It’s important to have a plan, stresses Lisa Wallace, Director of RMC’s Office of Career Services. “Placement isn’t necessarily always strong at the beginning, and some industries are cyclical,” noted Wallace. She points to the education field, which tends to hire in February through May, or accounting, which tends to start the interviewing process in November, as examples. “Graduating students have to find a niche,” said Wallace. “With a liberal arts education, you are prepared for many fields. But it’s not enough to get good grades. You have to be actively engaged in the education process and know where you want to be.” Wallace goes on to highlight some of the steps along the way: declaring a major; considering a research project; and completing an internship. RMC’s Office of Career Services can help students and alumni through the process, with access to services for the rest of their lives. “Career Services is here for alumni forever,” she emphasized. A recent Wall Street Journal article backed up Wallace’s words and spoke to the potential problems of

Planning for the Future

“Small schools like Rocky are awesome for so many things. I really think one of the best benefits is the access to profs. I wanted to do a research project and an internship that Rocky didn’t offer, but as soon as I said what I wanted, I had help, even across departments – English, aviation, psychology. Everyone at Rocky was incredibly accommodating to help make what I wanted possible.” Wallace noted that RMC has the tools to help make graduates standout.

choosing too narrow a major, and thus, not being easily employable or adaptable to the job market should the economy and trends change. Instead, the article argues, liberal arts-rooted degrees combined with internships or job experiences during college are the best routes for finding employment following graduation. For Whaley, RMC’s similar-minded approach and Career Services helped tremendously as she explored possible career options.

“In Career Services we can help students find part-time work, oversee community work study programs, and arrange internships,” she said. “A greater percentage of RMC students complete internships than those attending public institutions. In the classroom, students have the opportunity to customize their projects to what they are interested in – that really is the Rocky difference.”

Whaley, who secured an intern investigator position with the Colorado Public Defender’s Regional Office the summer before graduating, noted that RMC’s Career Services was easy to work with even though her internship was out-ofstate. “They were really flexible and approved my Colorado internship easily,” she noted. “It was truly one of the best experiences in my years as an undergrad. The Public Defender’s office is not a normal place for a psych major to intern but I was able to take what I learned in my psych classes and use it in the legal world. At the same time I thought I wanted to be a public defender and my internship solidified that – it’s so important to have that opportunity, to see it before making such a big decision for your life.” Whaley transferred from a larger school in Washington for her sophomore year, and explains why she thrived RMC. Planning for the Future

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

PAYINGITFORWARD

If you learned that your employee was making derogatory comments or sharing personal information detrimental to you, the employer, on Facebook, would you use that in any way with your employee? That is one of the discussion questions on the application for the Winston L. Cox Scholarship application.

For Dick Cox, entrepreneur, business owner, and fund administrator, the answer boils down to one thing: ethical business practices. Originated as an honor to his late father and created with a $100,000 gift from Bill Daniels, a close family friend and pioneer in the cable TV industry, the Winston L. Cox Scholarship promotes Daniels’ and Cox’s belief that the theory of capitalism works if it is kept aboveboard and honest. Applicants must have a 3.25 or higher grade point average, be majoring in economics, business administration, or accounting, and have completed at least one business course by the end of their freshman year. In addition, applicants must write an essay, in 500 words or less, discussing their philosophy of ethics in business. Yet this is not an ordinary scholarship. “We personalize the deal,” says Cox, who personally reviews each application and then interviews each student. As he scans the list, he adds, “I remember almost all of them. In fact, I’ve become good friends with many of them.” 17

Paying It Forward

He goes on to rattle off names and what that alumnus is now doing for a career.

Therein lays the differentiating factor. By offering their lifetime of business knowledge and experience, Cox, along with his wife Cheri and their two sons, influences the methodology of future businessmen and women. “What better thing can you do than help form their attitudes and careers, to have an influence on their thoughts?” says Cox. “Over the years with these kids I’ve discovered that there’s a general mistrust of capitalism. They think of corporate failures like Enron and the Exxon disaster, and I’m trying to turn that around. They have to keep their nose clean and make good choices. That’s why we go into those discussions.” Since its inception 34 years ago in the 1980-81 school year, the scholarship has awarded 245 students a total of $333,500 while the original endowment continues to grow. Individual awards range from $500 to $2,500. “This is a magical story,” says Cox. “I learned the value of endowments very early on. Bill Daniels was a very giving man; he was my mentor and the best friend a man could have. I learned so much from him.” Cox goes on to talk about some successful business habits he employs, such as awareness. “Be aware of what is going on around you. What is that success? How did

that happen? How did that company get from point A to point B?” says Cox. “And anticipation is a good habit. If you sit and think about how things have gone in the past, you can almost predict what will happen in certain parts of your budget.” Cox practices and teaches the critical-thinking skills that RMC promotes. And he shares his “little gems” with whoever asks. Yet Cox needs nothing in return. His passion for education, for paying forward the wisdom that was shared with him is payment enough. He prefers to stay in the background rather than “lead the parade” because he can accomplish more. “I want the story to be about encouraging donors to get connected because it’s fun and rewarding and inspiring,” Cox emphasized. “The more time you spend with these students, the more you will connect. I’ve learned so much from them.”

SEEDSTOSOW

in four different research projects at RMC. “I can’t even tell you how thankful I am that I have been able to participate in research,” he says. “It’s a new frontier, something in which you are all on your own with guidance from an advisor. I especially like the critical-thinking aspect – you take a situation that no one has and apply what you already know to what you are seeking. If it doesn’t work, you go back to the drawing board. I hope to apply that to becoming a physician.” Jensen anticipates six to 10 project grants will be awarded each funding cycle.

Plant a seed, nurture it, and it will grow. Simplified, that is the intention of the new Science Education Enhancement and Development (SEED) Program at Rocky Mountain College. Funded by a non-traditional endowment grant from Dr. John Jurist, the SEED Program seeks to foster a culture of discovery and critical thinking in the natural sciences and mathematics. “It is consistent with our liberal arts model where we have no dissolutions about being a research-driven school,” says Dr. Phil Jensen, RMC associate professor of biology and director of undergraduate research programs. “We want to provide the most educational and exponential value for our students.” Jensen goes on to explain that at larger universities most undergraduate research involves students working under a graduate student, who works under a professor.

from Colstrip, Montana, arrived at RMC she had already worked as an emergency response technician (EMT) and knew she wanted to pursue a physician assistant (PA) career. But she did not really have any thoughts about the research behind today’s medical advancements – that is, until she was accepted into the RMC research program. “The research program slowed me down to see all the possibilities,” she says. “The process of research has taught me to be a more critical thinker; I look at my work differently now, even though I still want to be a PA.” Jensen points out that the SEED Program will be a more reliable funding mechanism. Brennan Zotovich, a senior biology major who plans to move on to medical school, has been involved

The entire program is intended to play to the strengths of RMC’s existing science education process and to fill some perceived gaps. It might be used to fund travel support for a student seeking research experience at a national laboratory; the acquisition of items that clearly enhance education in science that are not met in the traditional classroom or laboratory setting; or small student stipends for specific research projects during the summer. “SEED will solidify what we have in place and provide even more opportunities for students who seek them,” he adds. RMC science students are trained in research via a three-semester sequence; by the time they are halfway through their sophomore year, the concepts have taken root and they are almost autonomous, Jensen says. “The beginning biology classes set the backbone for the technical skills,” says Zotovich. “With research, you can use what you learn and transfer it to the real world. This opportunity is so enticing and so valuable.”

Undergraduate research at RMC breaks that model. “Here we involve students directly in the process to develop the core work,” says Jensen. “The student is in the driver’s seat.” When Kayla Baisch, a biology senior Seeds to Sow

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

FALLINGINTOSUCCESS Fall is always an exciting and busy time on campus: a new semester begins; students return to campus; prospective students start taking tours; and athletics return. This fall, Rocky Mountain College experienced an unprecedented season of success as nearly all the athletic programs enjoyed fruitful seasons and postseason runs. Not only was RMC making waves across Billings and Montana, but the nation as well, as volleyball, football, men’s soccer, and men’s cross country made national tournament and championship appearances. For Bobby Beers, RMC’s athletic director, “this fall has been insane.” Though he admits that he never envisioned this level of success from so many teams, for Beers the phrase “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” certainly rang true this fall, which is impressive considering RMC’s talented athletes – including NAIA Player of the Year Oliver Gore (men’s soccer) and numerous AllAmerica honorees. Beers functions on a platform of cooperation and camaraderie with his coaches, with all of his coaches sharing ideas and encouraging the others along to success. And with that camaraderie comes a sense of pride and ownership for the coaches. 19

Falling Into Success

“They’ve taken ownership [of their programs]; they have a sense of ‘we,’” says Beers. “I don’t know that I do much more than create a platform for idea sharing.”

8-3, with one loss coming from a retroactive forfeit due to a selfreported eligibility error and two nailbiting losses to Carroll College.

Clearly, that idea sharing has worked – especially in football.

For Armstrong, the biggest assets to this year’s team were continuity, consistency, and the senior class.

Mired in over a decade of noncontending seasons, this year’s team put together the most successful season for RMC since 1999. With recently named Frontier Conference Coach of the Year Brian Armstrong at the helm, the Battlin’ Bears put together an impressive record of

“The continuity of the staff is a huge deal, and for football, we had a pretty large senior class – 15 – which is a big class for us … a pretty special group of guys. The majority of them had been here for at least three years, and so again, there was that consistency there. Them knowing what to expect

accepts it not as an individual award, but a staff award, recognizing the work and effort his staff puts into preparing the team alongside him. Recognizing players as studentathletes, both Armstrong and Beers state that the success this fall has as much to do with the institution as a whole than an individual athletics program. “Kids have a pride in their institution and believe not only in the team they play for, but the school they play for, and the name on the front of the jersey and the side of the helmet is as important as anything,” says Armstrong. Beers couldn’t agree more. and what we expected of them, and they did a great job.” And a great job they did. Even after a retroactive forfeit to Southern Oregon University due to an ineligible player, the team came back stronger and continued their winning ways.

“We need to celebrate the entire campus’ success through the platform that we have on Saturdays in the fall, through Thursdays and Saturdays in the spring, to make sure we make the entire campus relevant.”

“In any season, if you’re going to be successful, you’re going to have some adversity. I thought our guys were resilient and came to work with a positive attitude. More than anything, they didn’t let what they couldn’t control affect them, and they just really focused on what they could control. I’m super proud of them for that – I thought they did a great job.” Despite a first-round playoff loss, Armstrong views the season as a success; the team met its preseason goals of making the playoffs and the full potential of the team was realized – something Coach Armstrong places a lot of focus on. “Anytime you set a goal, as lofty as it might be, and achieve it, that’s very gratifying. I also think there’s a lot of power in that, too. That’s something we can definitely build on.” Not only did the team garner success this season, but Armstrong did as well – though he’s loath to accept it. Named Frontier Conference Coach of the Year for the second time (the first was in 2010), Armstrong Falling Into Success

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

AFESTIVALOFLESSONS&CAROLS

Rocky Mountain College is big on traditions. And one of the College’s longest-standing traditions, the Festival of Lessons and Carols, is no exception. For many in the Billings area, the Festival is their “official” kickoff to the holiday season. It was performed twice on Dec. 8, 2013. The original Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (RMC uses eight instead) began in 1880 in England. Although no one is sure how long the Festival has been part of RMC’s legacy, Reverend Kim Woeste has 30 years of Festival records. However, she suspects it has been performed even longer than that. In the Christian tradition, Lessons and Carols tells the Biblical story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of the Savior. The readings are accented with classic holiday hymns, such as “O Come, All Ye Faithful” or “Angles We Have Heard on High.” The Festival has a multitude of meanings for RMC, its faculty, staff, and friends. “On one level the service is the winter music performance that showcases the amazing talents of Rocky’s students and faculty,” notes Woeste. “It also ties back to our church-related history and who we are as a college.”

A Festival of Lessons & Carols

Lessons and Carols has a longstanding reputation of being the premiere performance. “It’s a High-Church environment that is very moving and meaningful,” notes Woeste. “There’s something special happening with the Festival. There’s a melting, a blending with the student’s performances. It really does represent Rocky’s excellence in music, balanced with history and tradition along with how we honor and appreciate our students.” Travis Kuehn, a vocal performance major, has participated in Lessons and Carols for four years as a tenor in the concert choir and chamber singers. This year Kuehn was also invited to be a “reader.” “I was pretty excited to be asked,” notes Kuehn of the honor. “I thought I had something that I could share in the Festival in addition to the singing – that’s a really good feeling.” Many in the music department unofficially consider the Festival a rite of passage for students. “I hear from some students that this concert inspires them to join the choir,” Kuehn adds. Lessons and Carols is the most attended RMC music event of the year, typically attracting 200-300 to each service for a standing-room-only audience. “The Festival is a real collaboration

of all the entities of the College – the students along the faculty and staff,” says Kuehn. As a liberal arts institution, RMC promotes creative expression. While the lessons remain the same annually and the carols may vary a bit, the Festival is somehow different each year, notes Kuehn. “The different facets of my overall education, the knowledge I’ve gained has helped me with performances,” notes Kuehn “The social sciences like history and psychology are very applicable to art and make my performances better. Regardless of spiritual beliefs, we all have something

that we can take away from Lessons and Carols – there’s a universal hope that permeates the program. And that’s what Advent is all about. We find hope in the humanity that we share.” “Lessons and Carols is always an amazing service,” notes Woeste. “It is consistently excellent, year after year. But each year different musicians, singers, and readers are highlighted, showcasing the outstanding talents of RMC students and faculty. There are always students who rise to the opportunity, to come to the forefront and shine.” And that is a true Rocky Mountain College tradition.

A Festival of Lessons & Carols

An inside look at Jerry Wolf, RMC Men’s and Women’s Head Ski Coach