Montana Tech Fall 2021 MNews

MNews Fall 2021

CONTENTS FEATURES

The Experiences that Make Montana Tech Unique / 10

SHORTS 2

MNews Fall 2021

Defining Student Success / 14

At Montana Tech, learning isn’t just an abstraction, and it isn’t something done exclusively behind classroom doors, while seated in desks. Instead, learning is handson, and principles learned behind the desk are applied in the lab. At Montana Tech, learning often means getting your hands dirty.

Imagine winning the lottery. Does that make you successful?

As remarkable a fantasy as that is, success is not typically found through lucky numbers. Some days, we may feel a sense of success by making it to our scheduled appointments on time or finding that lost sock in the dryer, but those small successes fade quickly. For the most part, we feel we must climb mountains before seeing the astonishing view that success has to offer.

High-Wage, High-Skill, High-Demand / 18

The Helper / 30

In Butte-Silver Bow County and beyond, businesses need skilled employees, and at the same time, members of the community are seeking good job opportunities. The gap between is often opportunity and a lack of training.

Cory Sonnemann makes you want to step up and volunteer—even though it’s quickly apparent that it would be difficult to do as much as he does. Cory (Chemistry ’10) is a psychiatrist who works at the Montana State prison and Southwest Community Health, a foster dad, and one of the most decent human beings you’ll ever meet. He’s also working hard to found a southwest Montana chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Diggin’ In / 6

Launching Professional Development on Campus / 42

Catch up on the happenings at Montana Tech.

Recently, the Leadership and Experience Development (LEAD) Team launched its first Professional Development Day at Montana Tech. The LEAD team, with representation across Montana Tech, worked together over the summer to create and launch the event.

CREDITS Montana Technological University Chancellor Les P. Cook Publisher Amanda Badovinac

Ryan Lance: The Distinction of Leadership, and a Love for Montana Tech / 24 Montana Tech’s graduates are well known for a remarkable work ethic, for a practical approach to problem-solving that comes from rural Montana roots, and for their level of preparedness. Those attributes almost invariably lead to success in their chosen fields. Ryan Lance is Exhibit A. Lance, a 1984 graduate in Petroleum Engineering, has since 2012 been chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips, the world’s largest independent oil and gas exploration, development, and production company.

Writers Michael Barth Susan Barth Sherman Cahill Les Cook Jodie DeLay Bob Edwards David McCumber, The Montana Standard Clayton Moody Editorial Board Amanda Badovinac Stephanie Cook Jodie DeLay Lisa Sullivan Graphic Designer Brooke Benson Photographers Brian Powers MNews is published twice a year by Montana Technological University.

Exploring the World One Fault at a Time / 34 Dr. Yann Gavillot is truly a citizen of the world—or more accurately, a geologist of the world. He has lived and worked in such disparate places as Arizona, California, Oregon, France, India, Iran, Morocco, Thailand, Myanmar, and New Zealand, and he’s not done exploring yet. For now, he’s very happy to be exploring Montana.

From Hoop Dreams to Happiness: Determination, Persistence, and Commitment Pave the Way / 44 From a young age, Ivan Sljivar had an affinity for sport and adventure. Growing up in Belgrade, Serbia, a bustling city of 2 million people, the pace of life was fast, his ambition was big, and basketball was his game. After a cousin completed an exchange program in the USA, he decided to do the same.

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Greetings from the Chancellor Today, Montana Tech is a place of purpose, home to uncommon thinking, teaching, research, innovation, and ideas.

“Someday the School will be the pride of the city of Butte” proclaimed the Anaconda Standard when the cornerstone for the Montana State School of Mines was laid December 29, 1896.

The Montana State School of Mines officially opened on September 11, 1900, with curricula for two degrees: Mining Engineering and Electrical Engineering. Fast forward to 2021, with 60 degree programs ranging from certificates to doctoral degrees: our vision is to be the institution of opportunity and innovation.

While much has changed over time, the presence of a strong work ethic, hands-on practical experience, and hitting the ground running have long been part of our culture. Today, Montana Tech is a place of purpose, home to uncommon thinking, teaching, research, innovation, and ideas. By embracing Montana as our living laboratory and emphasizing the value of experiential learning and community building, we offer a world-class education as a premier STEM university. We prepare graduates for careers in industry, energy, healthcare, and professional fields. What we do matters, today more than ever.

We are at both an interesting and an opportunistic time in our history. In May 2017, the designation of Special Focus FourYear University was given to Montana Tech. In May 2018, the

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Board of Regents approved a new formal name for us, Montana Technological University. A program prioritization initiative occurred in 2018 resulting in a refinement of program and degree offerings. I assumed the chancellor role in July 2019, and since this time we have hired other senior leaders as well as key faculty and staff. We’re also creating additional opportunities for our students to work on campus as both colleagues and peers.

Over the past 26 months, Montana Tech received approval for a second Ph.D. program in Earth Science and Engineering. Civil and Mechanical Engineering received official accreditation; the university launched a new brand, messaging, and marketing campaign; a new strategic plan framework was developed; a master planning effort is underway; the institution’s first strategic enrollment plan was implemented; we dedicated the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratory Power-Systems Lab; and two new collegiate sports teams were introduced. This fall, our dining hall opened for students after a $1 million renovation. The Lesar Family Nursing Simulation Center is set to open for the spring semester. Enrollment of first-year and transfer students increased this fall by 8% and the number of students living on campus is up over 11% this fall with over 360 students.

In September we recognized three alumni, James Fraser, James Tangaro, and Kendell Tholstrom, who have led

incredibly successful lives and have had distinguished professional careers. We also awarded alumnus Ryan Lance with Montana Tech’s first Chancellor’s Award of Distinction. This award recognizes individuals who exemplify the most outstanding personal and professional accomplishments who have brought distinction to Montana Tech through their life’s work and accomplishments.

At the end of October, we were honored to receive a $7M gift from Sherry and Dave Lesar for the Nursing Department. The donation, the most significant gift in the history of the university, will grow and sustain the nursing program’s quality and impact the students, faculty, and curriculum. The gift will be used to name the Nursing Department, the Sherry Lesar School of Nursing. We are very thankful for the vision of Sherry and Dave and cannot wait to see how lives are enhanced by their generosity.

We look forward to continued progress in the year ahead as we finalize our strategic plan; complete a comprehensive campus lighting upgrade; complete the hiring of a new Dean of the School of Mines & Engineering and a Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs/Dean of Students; make strategic investments using our CARES funding; launch Esports; complete accreditation of 10 programs; and begin the process to upgrade our steam heating system, which hasn’t changed much since our founding in 1900.

In the pages that follow, you will hear from Clayton Moody, a current student, and his definition of success.

You’ll be introduced to a team focused on professional development and building a healthy campus ecosystem.

Tech is making a huge impact on workforce development and this will become evident. You’ll learn about whalebacks and anticlines from Dr. Yann Gavillot and other things that make Montana Tech distinct. And your heart will grow two sizes when you read about psychiatrist Cory Sonnemann, a Montana Tech Chemistry graduate who is not only making an impact in his profession, but is a foster dad who is changing the lives of two lucky kids.

Much like when we opened our doors in 1900, Montana Tech remains deliberately distinct. Although it was 125 years ago, The Anaconda Standard may have said it best.

Les P. Cook Chancellor Montana Technological University

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GAME ON The Montana Tech Esports club has been practicing, competing, and hosting tournaments this fall in their new space, the Games Lab, located in the HPER complex.

With the support of Digger Athletics and the Associated Students of Montana Tech, the club is building several competitive teams for the spring semester, and planning events open to all students and the Butte community. The club members have plans for full varsity teams for Fall 22 and are hungry to compete nationally.

IMPROVING GRADUATE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH Montana Tech, Montana State University Billings, and the University of Montana are teaming up to design, pilot, assess, and implement evidence-based, sustainable, and replicable strategies to improve graduate students’ mental health in STEM fields. The three universities were awarded a three-year, $500K grant, Mental Health Opportunities for Professional Empowerment in STEM (HOPES), by the National Science Foundation. The project is led by Montana Tech, which has graduate programs predominantly in engineering. MSU Billings brings special expertise in mental health interventions, and the University of Montana provides considerable experience in faculty professional development, along with additional STEM-related graduate programs.

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ENJOYING A WEEKEND TOGETHER Montana Tech students were able to enjoy time with their families in October for the university’s annual Family Weekend. Over 185 individuals from 10 states attended the fun-filled weekend featuring quality time along with adventures in and around Butte. The annual event is a great way to bring families onto the Montana Tech campus to showcase our beauty and all that is offered on and off campus.

9/11 MEMORIAL In September, Montana Tech hosted a 9/11 flag raising ceremony. Butte–Silver Bow firemen raised the flag on the 9/11 memorial on campus. The memorial was built by engineering students and dedicated on September 11, 2002. The flag, the same one raised during the 2002 dedication, was given by then-Senator Max Baucus, and flew over the U.S. Capitol. Montana Tech Mechanical Engineering alumnus Matt Kujawa led the effort in 2002 to build the memorial flagpoles. Kujawa and Montana Tech leadership were at the 2021 ceremony.

A FIRST ON CAMPUS For the first time, Montana Tech hosted a hands-on mine safety competition during homecoming week.

The event was held at the Montana Tech Underground Mine Education Training Center (UMEC) and the World Museum of Mining in Butte. The competition saw teams from Montana Tech, Colorado School of Mines, and South Dakota School of Mines. Professional mine rescue teams from Hecla and Rosebud Mining Company, along with personnel from Jenmar, assisted with the competition, developing and managing the mine rescue competition events. A speedy and safe rescue effort can mean the difference between life and death for trapped miners when danger strikes. Adequate training is essential, as rescuers must be available and ready to respond at a moment’s notice. Montana Tech’s mine rescue competition allowed participants to sharpen skills and test team members’ knowledge. Along with learning life-saving techniques, competitions provide the opportunity to make lifelong relationships. Montana Tech plans to host a competition in even-numbered years going forward.

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LACING THE LABYRINTH

CDL PROGRAM OFFERED AT HIGHLANDS Montana Tech launched a six-week CDL Program on its Highlands Campus in October. The program teaches students basic truck driving skills, introducing them to the field of heavy-duty trucking.

The program will emphasize safety equipment knowledge and State of Montana and Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) rules and regulations. Using a comprehensive curriculum developed by the Professional Truck Driving Institute, students will receive classroom and driving instruction that meets DOT and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) EntryLevel Driving Training regulation standards that address skills, theory/knowledge, tasks, and the duties required of entry-level commercial vehicle drivers. The program meets the needs of students with no prior knowledge or experience in truck driving interested in getting a Class-A CDL License.

The program has been designed to follow the new regulations and is listed in the FMCSA training provider registry that will be live in February 2022.

To learn more about the program, visit https://www. mtech.edu/highlands/workforce/.

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Big Sky Lace Guild of Southwest Montana members Toni Seccomb, Janice Lucon, Una Schlaebitz, Linda Nutter, Vicki Blackketter, and Susan Smith appear next to their labyrinth, which is displayed in the Big Butte Room on the Montana Tech campus. At its most basic level, the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are.

The Guild designed and made the labyrinth with Milanese-style bobbin lace. The project took over ten months to complete, as only one person could work on it at a time. They worked on the labyrinth about 4 to 6 hours a week at the Main Stope Gallery.

The Big Sky Lace Guild was started in Butte in the fall of 2015.

The Guild mainly does bobbin lace, but members also knit, crochet, tat, and make other forms of lace. They meet once a week on Sunday afternoons to work on current projects and learn from each other.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING OUR NEW FACULTY AND STAFF TO THE MONTANA TECH FAMILY. James J. Barrington, Physical Facilities

Ann Hanson, MBMG

Clifton J. Braddy, Student Affairs

Michele Hardy, College of Letters, Sciences, & Professional Studies

Robin J. Bullock, Environmental Engineering

Thomas Jungst, Highlands College

Joshua F. Cunningham, Physical Facilities

Joshua Kovnesky, Physical Facilities

Jessica Daignault, Civil Engineering

James LeProwse, Highlands College

Deepa S. De Silva, Biological Sciences

Angela Lueking, Research Office

Sushil Dhakal, Mechanical Engineering

Rachel Neal, Institute for Educational Opportunities

Joel Dietrich, MBMG

Sarah North Wolfe, Student Affairs

Sara Edinberg, MBMG

Abigail Parnell, Admissions

Patricia Ekberg, MBMG

Stacy Phillips, Nursing

Erick Engelsen, Information Technology

Brooke Samson, Highlands College

Kathryn Fitzgerald-McCormick, Academic Affairs

Brian Seaholm, Mechanical Engineering

Jim Freebourn, Computer Science

Megan Strickland, Admissions

Shauna Goodell, Student Affairs

Melissa Wanamaker, Institute for Educational Opportunities

Sierra Hancock, Career Services

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THE EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE MONTANA TECH UNIQUE

By Sherman Cahill

At Montana Tech, learning isn’t just an abstraction, and it isn’t something done exclusively behind classroom doors, while seated in desks. Instead, learning is hands-on, and principles learned behind the desk are applied in the lab. At Montana Tech, learning often means getting your hands dirty.

Nothing demonstrates that ethos better than the Orphan Boy. This mine was founded by Copper King William Clark and gifted, along with its sister the Orphan Girl (now part of the World Mining Museum), to Montana Tech in 2010. In 2012 it was opened up as a living laboratory for students to put what they’ve learned to use.

I asked Scott Rosenthal, Chair of the Mining Engineering Department and instructor of the Practical Underground Mining class, how far you’d have to go to get a similar experience. “Well, Montana Tech has the only on-campus underground laboratory and teaching center in the U.S.” “I believe Freiberg in Germany has an under-campus lab,” he added.

The Orphan Boy now functions as a lab to support coursework, as well as a research facility. Professor Rosenthal elaborated on just a few of its uses: “The Geological Engineering department uses the facility for mapping structure and weathering of the rock; Safety Health and Industrial Hygiene (OSH) have had mine safety classes visit the underground mine, and performed joint research with Mining Engineering in noise monitoring, dust monitoring, and hand-arm vibration assessment; Metallurgical and Materials Engineering have collected mineralized material for a mineral processing lab; and Mining Engineering uses the facility for ventilation and geomechanics labs as well as research in the area of controlled blasting, near-field blasting vibration assessment, and explosives performance.”

The Orphan Boy has additional uses, too, as the only existing mine in town that still displays the veins of ore and minerals for which Butte is justifiably world famous. Students from all around the

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world, including West Virginia University, British Columbia Institute of Technology, and the University of Montreal, have come to observe practical mining in action. Then there’s research: in 2010, following a feasibility study, the Department of Energy awarded Montana Tech a grant to install heat exchangers in the Natural Resources Building as well as in the 300 gallons of warm water contained in the shaft. The water in the mine now provides some of the heat for the campus building.

The presence of the Orphan Boy is a tremendous boon to Montana Tech, and to Butte, Montana. Other schools have to be content to learn about mining from books and whiteboards, but in Butte, they can do it from the privileged vantage of hundreds of feet underground.

This may be a bit of cultural bias and hometown pride speaking here, but I seriously doubt that you’d get a better practical education in hard-rock mining if you learned to speak Deutsch and shipped off to Freiberg.

Or maybe you know a prospective student who isn’t interested in getting their hands dirty. No matter—we can go the other way entirely. How about they spend some time learning in the cleanest room they’ve ever visited? No, not the dorm rooms, alas. We’re talking about the Nanotechnology Lab, a space kept so spotless that it’s certainly the cleanest lab of its sort in Montana, if not the whole Pacific Northwest. The lab has to be that clean, not to mention temperature and humidity controlled, to perform ultra-delicate fabrications of microscopic components. The tiny machines crafted there will end up on satellites, in consumer electronics, and wherever else a tiny, tiny bit (at least when it comes to size) of Butte ingenuity is needed.

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If you think you’re beginning to detect a pattern, you’re right. Montana Tech has long been known for a practical, participatory approach to education fostered in the rough and tumble streets and mineshafts of the Richest Hill on Earth. If you ask me, it’s no coincidence that Montana Tech rests in one of the largest historic districts in the country. After all, copper harvested from the ground in Butte, America helped to light the world.

Now Montana Tech, with its focus on STEM and a demonstrated and long history of teaching responsible use of natural resources like petroleum, metals, and minerals, is continuing to light the way.

They’re recognized as world experts in Restoration, an emergent field that combines industry with ecology. Alums who graduate from Montana Tech with a certificate in Restoration are much sought after in mining, of course, but also in fields like transportation, production, and energy, where they help to design and implement responsible and cost-effective solutions that are also sustainable. In addition, they focus on reestablishing native vegetation and restoring damaged landscapes, something that Butte knows a little something about—there are still those Butteians who remember a time when the hills around our fair city weren’t as green and verdant as they are now. A time when, before its own successful restoration, nothing much would grow in Butte.

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (or MBMG for short) is another benefit to Montana Tech. Founded in 1919 as a nonregulatory state agency, the MBMG provides education and outreach and important research and technical assistance on the sound use of the Treasure State’s natural water and mineralogical resources. Ever since the beginning, the MBMG has been vital to Montana Tech.

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John Metesh, the director of the MBMG since 2012 and involved with the MBMG for another 23 years before that, points out that, “when considered as a whole, with state appropriation for our core programs and outside funding, the MBMG comprises about half the roughly $10 million of research conducted at Montana Tech each year.” The MBMG is frequently involved in studies of the environmental impact of mining, and is instrumental in helping to establish best practices in the field.

The MBMG, like Montana Tech and Butte itself, is always improving—they have recently begun providing direct support to a new doctoral program in Earth Science and Engineering that Metesh says, “incorporates efforts of existing degrees at Montana Tech and the MBMG. In addition to undergraduate and graduatelevel engagement, the MBMG has several areas of research that may directly support the new program that includes geology, hydrogeology, and geochemistry.”

Best of all, for those Montana Tech students who may be dining on Top Ramen and Cliff Bars, the MBMG employs a lot of people, including graduate and undergraduate students, in positions from data entry to full-time research professionals.

While mining is and probably always will be the backbone of the school, students at Montana Tech can find experiential learning in other fields as well. Tech’s Nursing program, to take a representative example, is estimated to grow by 50% following the construction of a state-of-the-art 5000-square-foot $1.7 million Simulation Lab. The innovative facility can be flexed and shifted to

accurately replicate the conditions of hospital, office, and home settings and will feature an actual working nurse’s station and medication room. Montana Tech’s nursing program is already amazingly effective, with 100% of students getting a job upon graduation and 80% securing employment before graduation, but the Lesar Family Nursing Simulation Center, scheduled to open in January 2022, will make it even more competitive.

Incredibly, the Nursing Simulation Center and the Orphan Boy aren’t even the only innovative, world-class experiential laboratories on campus—last, but certainly not least, are the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Power-Systems Labs, four high-tech laboratory spaces, constructed in part thanks to a $1.5 million donation by the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, that give students safe ways to experiment with electricity while working towards the ultimate goal of researching and designing products that protect and control the power grid. It’s an absolute game-changer for Montana Tech, since there are very few schools in the United States with power labs as sophisticated as these.

The field of ensuring the flow of safe energy, not to mention the parallel field of maintaining the power grid in the face of natural, solar, and cyber-security-related events, will only make jobs in that sector more important. Energy companies are going to look for hires that have extensive, practical experience in addition to a foundation in theory, and the SEL Power Labs at Montana Tech are going to guarantee that Montana Tech graduates have a heads up on the competition.

Look, the simple version is this: Montana Tech is one of the most unique institutions in the country. Students encounter unheard of hire rates after graduation, and go out into the world armed with real-world experience to augment their theory and book learning.

Heck, even just the physical plant of the school itself, perched on a hill overlooking one of the prettiest views in the whole state (which is tantamount to saying ‘the world’) and offering quick, easy access to dozens of hiking trails, streams, and natural wonders, is exceptional. And, of course, there’s Butte herself, as historical, beautiful, and friendly a big little town as you can find west of the Continental Divide.

Sure, students might get those hands dirty, get a little Butte soil in their eyes, have to don some of those little white lab booties on their feet, might even have to put on some gloves or monitor some very high voltages, or the heart monitor of a simulated patient.

Don’t worry. The students like it that way.

You might say that, like Butte, Montana Tech is full of rugged individuals. Or at least people who see the value in a little hard work.

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DEFINING STUDENT SUCCESS

By Clayton Moody

Imagine winning the lottery. Does that make you successful? As remarkable a fantasy as that is, success is not typically found through lucky numbers. Some days, we may feel a sense of success by making it to our scheduled appointments on time or finding that lost sock in the dryer, but those small successes fade quickly. For the most part, we feel we must climb mountains before seeing the astonishing view that success has to offer.

As students, we’ve likely been told that to become successful, we must go to college. This can be an arduous journey and an immense investment. Certainly, struggling up this steep mountain should lead to success. After all, success only comes at the end of difficult roads, correct? Absolutely not. Suffering is not a prerequisite to success.

Believe it or not, finding success can and should be an incredibly enjoyable experience. After all, it is far easier to make our dreams transpire if the process is filled with the excitement to show up and give our best efforts each day.

Keep this in mind as I describe three attributes of Montana Tech that lead to true success.

First, allow me to introduce cross country and all-conference track and field athlete, Becca Richtman. During Tech’s inaugural track and field season in May 2021, Becca won the Steeplechase event at NAIA Nationals. For her, success began with gratitude

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as she acknowledged Chancellor Cook, Montana Tech, and the community of Butte for “adding track from scratch.” As a studentathlete, she defines success as “putting Montana Tech on the map to being elite.” She says this happens through the great sacrifice of “putting in the work.” To fellow students, her success shines through her passionate dominance in competition, and through her humble attitude and friendly character in class.

Those of us who remain off the field admire our athletic peers for elevating school pride and for their diligence in the classroom. We can also learn from their dedication to fitness. It is indisputable from a multitude of scientific research that exercise helps to improve mood and brain function. According to an article from Brain Sciences (2021) by Kohei Aga et al., “exercise may be

The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want. ­—Ben Stein

considered a simple but useful strategy for improving these cognitive functions. It may also have important therapeutic potential in psychiatric contexts.” For these reasons, there are often flyers throughout Tech notifying the student body of active opportunities. Montana has exceptional recreational hobbies to be exploited and students are invited to partake in this easy access to adventure. Additionally, the HPER is open from the early morning to late into the evening for any student, night owl or early bird, to have the availability to exercise. All of these components generate a healthy and vibrant campus ecosystem.

Second, Montana Tech’s campus infrastructure is geared to inspire students. There is even a gorgeous new building that includes success in its name. The Student Success Center, or SSC, is built so students can glance up and plan their dreams with a spectacular view of the Highlands mountains. More broadly, this building and the campus provide an environment for all students to flourish, creating innovative opportunities among a community of individuals striving for excellence.

Our third attribute: Montana Tech currently offers 60 academic programs. The underlying common denominator is the commitment of faculty and staff to help instill in every student a desire to undergo a transformative experience. Everyone works together to empower students to meet the changing needs of

society by becoming collaborative problem-solvers and innovative leaders capable of trailblazing to advance science, technology, and engineering. This is proven through the applied experiential learning encouraged across campus. As of this semester, construction is underway for a nursing simulation center. Facilities such as this one and other labs throughout Tech give students a pragmatic education that allows them to grow beyond the covers of books and thrive in the workforce.

Crossing north through the top-of-the-line labs in the Natural Resource Research Center and Engineering Lab/Classroom Building, and out the back door, we find Sarah Raymond, Director of Career Services, in the University Relations Center. Sarah understands that a one-size-fits-all definition does not work for success. Instead, to establish a path for success, she quotes Ben Stein: “The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.” Sarah does a remarkable job of helping students define what they want. To help reach that goal, in cooperation with the faculty at Montana Tech, she provides knowledge and skills to students.

After that, she says, “The responsibility is on the students to show up and be present. Students who are focused and driven can find exponential growth.”

There are books claiming that success comes from a few simple steps to get rich quickly. Thankfully, the reality of success doesn’t flow from the pages of books, as we all know how quickly a book can empty our wallets!

Let’s be real. Most of us go to college at least in part to become the highest quality employee or businessperson possible.

That’s the reason we chose to come to Montana Tech. Here, we become marketable and outright priceless employees. There are companies worldwide ready to shred a pile of resumes just to pick up that one invaluable Tech graduate. These companies know that if they can adopt a Tech alumnus, they will have an apprentice they may one day entrust to take over the company. That is a sweet scenario, and it is just as likely for one of our students to be the mastermind behind an invention to solve one of the world’s significant problems, the entrepreneur of a business that employs others, or a healthcare provider who saves and nurtures lives.

These are great and common outcomes for Tech alums.

Many of us wish for a clear-cut path toward success. At Montana Tech, there are foundations to help us on our way—ample opportunity for physical exercise and adventure, infrastructure that inspires, faculty and staff who challenge and support, and an outstanding career services office to help us hit the targets we set for ourselves. In the end, success is reaching our fullest potential so that we can better help others. Most importantly, we can be encouraged through the obstacles along the journey and find ourselves with mesmerizing opportunities by surmounting mountains of success. Here at Tech, success is the triumphant ability to use our achievements to positively impact the world.

Clayton is a senior studying Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. He serves as a Student Prospector and is engaged in many additional campus activities.

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MONTANA TECH HAS RECEIVED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GIFT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY. THE $7M GIFT FROM SHERRY AND DAVE LESAR WILL NAME THE NURSING DEPARTMENT AS THE SHERRY LESAR SCHOOL OF NURSING. The Lesar’s transformational gift will grow and sustain the nursing program’s quality and impact the students, faculty, and curriculum. Funds from the endowed gift will be used to provide student scholarships, professional development opportunities for faculty, leadership training, and advanced degrees, including a plan to offer a Master’s degree in nursing education in the next five to seven years.

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Alycia Holland Photography

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HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-SK

By Jodie DeLay

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KILL, HIGH-DEMAND

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While past training has primarily focused on providing individuals with certificates and two-year degrees, we understand the future is dependent on skilled workers in the trades, technology, and health care arenas. ­—Karen VanDaveer, Interim Dean of Highlands College

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In Butte–Silver Bow County and beyond, businesses need skilled employees, and at the same time, members of the community are seeking good job opportunities.

The gap between is often opportunity and a lack of training.

Karen VanDaveer, Interim Dean of Highlands College since 2020, has been actively exploring how to bridge that gap and how education and industry can creatively partner to provide a skilled workforce necessary for today’s economy.

Traditionally, working within higher education can take months and sometimes even years to develop formal degree programs, whereas industry moves very quickly. With the help of $750,000 from the Montana Legislature during the 2021 legislative session and in anticipation of a federal infrastructure bill, Montana Tech and Highlands College are shaking up normal conventions and setting foundations for new paths ahead.

Brooke Samson, a long-time educator, new to the area but not new to building relationships, was recently hired as the Director of Community Relations and Industry Partnerships for Highlands College. Brooke embraces a proactive approach seeking

opportunities to fill industry needs with a suite of educational offerings ranging from credentials to certificates to degrees.

Samson is working closely with the Highlands Industrial Advisory Board, industry partners, and Highlands College personnel to identify collaborations that will benefit students, businesses, and the community. Highlands College and industry partners will work together to create innovative, high-skill, high-wage jobs in highdemand fields.

Her focus is on making this happen.

“We have a growth mindset about partnerships,” says Samson.

“Growing and expanding our pool of skilled workers can work differently than it ever has.”

The key to achieving the goal, according to VanDaveer and Samson, is identifying opportunities that allow them to create partnerships with industry and the community. Highlands College has the background and infrastructure to develop curricula and offer certification and credentialing, value, and transferability options.

Industry partnerships can provide equipment and the opportunity to practice and learn in unique, specialized environments. Another avenue available is to provide short, practical courses that introduce youth and adults to high-level skills needed for quick access into the workforce.

As an example, Highlands teamed with local businesses to find a solution to a shortage of skilled commercial drivers. As a result, the college purchased the Professional Truck Driving Institute curriculum, hired a full-time instructor, and began offering a six-week Certified Driver’s License (CDL) course in October. The

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I truly believe that our people are our most valued resource and employee development is an aspect of the job I find most fulfilling. Creating this synergistic partnership with Highlands College is a first step towards delivering a workforce development program that will provide opportunities and value for our employees, our business, our community, and Montana. The power of this partnership is rewarding our employees with skills and qualifications that are transferrable and recognized throughout the State. ­—Rob Scargill, CEO of Sandfire Resources America Inc.

impact will be immediate, will fill critical employee shortages, and will meet trucking industry needs.

One of the most successful partnerships to date is Highlands College’s one-semester Pre-Apprentice Line program. This intensive course prepares students for high-demand careers in the installation, construction, maintenance, and repair of electrical power line systems. The Montana Utility Industry reports a need for 40–50 new apprentice positions annually.

The program is an ongoing collaboration between many stakeholders including the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Northwestern Energy, the Rural Electric Association, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Montana Co-op Association, and the National Electrical Contractors Association. Since its creation the Pre-Apprentice Line program is in high demand and continues to grow.

Another example of this sort of symbiotic partnership is Highlands College’s recent work with Sandfire Resources America. Together they are focused on the development of an innovative learning pathway for the Black Butte Copper Mine project in White Sulphur Springs, Montana. The goal is the creation of a robust training program that includes credentials, certifications, and a pathway to an AAS degree in Mining Technology and beyond. Black Butte Copper plans to employ around 240 people and the hope is that locals will be able to fill many of these positions.

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Rob Scargill, CEO of Sandfire Resources America Inc., shared, “I truly believe that our people are our most valued resource and employee development is an aspect of the job I find most fulfilling.

Creating this synergistic partnership with Highlands College is a first step towards delivering a workforce development program that will provide opportunities and value for our employees, our business, our community, and Montana. The power of this partnership is rewarding our employees with skills and qualifications that are transferrable and recognized throughout the State.”

The training program with Sandfire will be rolled out in phases beginning with the creation of a position in early 2022 that will oversee the development and implementation of the employee training program at the Black Butte Copper Mine. Phases two and three will include the creation of the AAS in Mining Technology and a BAS in Business with a Mine Management option.

VanDaveer is confident that this new approach to industry partnerships will be successful. “While past training has primarily focused on providing individuals with certificates and two-year degrees, we understand the future is dependent on skilled workers in the trades, technology, and health care arenas. We are optimistic this new focus and pivot to embrace innovation will provide not only success for Highlands College but also new career and economic opportunities for our community.”

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RYAN LANCE:

The Distinction of Leadership and a Love for Montana Tech

By David McCumber, The Montana Standard

Montana Tech’s graduates are well known for a remarkable work ethic, for a practical approach to problem-solving that comes from rural Montana roots, and for their level of preparedness. Those attributes almost invariably lead to success in their chosen fields.

Then, in 1977, his father got a chance to cap his Air Force career in a leadership role at the 341st Strategic Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, and Lance was able to go to Great Falls High for all of high school. He played football and golf, and did very well in school.

Ryan Lance is Exhibit A.

But along the way, his father, driving through Butte, decided to stop and see Montana Tech. He looked around, met the registrar, and came away impressed.

Lance, a 1984 graduate in Petroleum Engineering, has since 2012 been chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips, the world’s largest independent oil and gas exploration, development, and production company.

One constant in his 37-year career: His loyalty to his alma mater in Butte.

On September 24th, Lance was presented with Montana Technological University’s first-ever Chancellor’s Award of Distinction. It’s the highest honor Tech bestows, in recognition of an alumnus or friend of the university whose outstanding personal and professional accomplishments and community service have brought distinction to the school.

“There is no one who better exemplifies Montana Tech’s success at preparing our graduates to assume leadership in advancing science, engineering, and technology to benefit society,” Tech Chancellor Les Cook said.

It would be hard to imagine anyone more deserving of Tech’s highest award—and yet it’s a relationship that almost never started.

Ryan Lance’s parents are from small Montana towns—his father from Ryegate, his mother Wolf Point. So as his father’s career as an Air Force officer progressed, taking the family all over the place, Montana was always “home.” In the summers, Lance said in an interview Thursday, the Lance kids would often go back to his mother’s family farm in Wolf Point.

Both his mother and his father were Montana State University alums. His older siblings went there. So he just assumed he’d pursue an Engineering degree from Montana State.

“He said, ‘Ryan, you really need to go look at Montana Tech,’” Lance recalls. “So four of my buddies and I—five of the top 10 in the 1980 graduating class—decided to go over and look together. We all wanted to be engineers of some sort, we weren’t sure what variety.”

“In a day and a half, we fell in love with the place.”

Lance said that “once I got there, it really felt—more than at Bozeman or Missoula—that I was a person, not a number. There were only about 2,000 students, and the freshman class in the Petroleum Engineering department had only 35–40 kids.

“Tech had an amazing professor named Gustav Stolz,” Lance said.

“He was in charge of outplacement for Petroleum Engineering, and he was incredibly connected in the industry. He got all of us internships and jobs. He got me a job roughnecking in the summer and I fell in love with the industry.”

“One great thing about Montana Tech was that the professors mostly came from the industry,” Lance said, “and they had this incredible marriage of the theoretical—book smarts—and knowledge of the real world. They’d teach us what the book said, then they’d close it and say, ‘Let me tell you how it really works.’

And that’s still unique to Tech to this day.”

For Lance, the hard part about choosing Petroleum Engineering was knowing that to advance in a petroleum career, he would have to leave Montana.

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“You kind of knew there weren’t many opportunities in Montana,” he said, “So Tech Petroleum alumni get scattered all over. But the fact is that nearly 50 percent of the petroleum engineers hired in the business over the past decade have come from this little school.”

Because of antitrust concerns, the federal government stepped in and forced BP to divest itself of the Alaska assets it had taken over in the Atlantic Richfield deal. So they were sold to Phillips Petroleum.

Then, in 2002, Phillips merged with Conoco, creating ConocoPhillips.

He said the respect the Tech diploma carries is terrific.

“Tech graduates come prepared to work pretty hard,” he said.

“And they do.”

When he graduated in 1984, Atlantic Richfield offered him a job on Alaska’s North Slope.

For Lance, who loves the outdoors, it was perfect. “I spent six years from Anchorage on the North Slope for Atlantic Richfield. It was the best job in the world. I thought I would never leave—I had all the toys, boats, snow machines, four-wheelers, three-wheelers, you name it.”

“They kept trying to move me, and I kept turning them down.

Finally, one day they asked me where I might be interested in going if I absolutely had to work somewhere else. I mentioned Bakersfield, California, and the next day I had a note on my desk to see my supervisor. I was being transferred to Bakersfield.”

It worked out pretty well for him. He met his wife, Lisa, there, and got married.

They began to travel—a lot. Houston and Midland, Texas, Singapore, and another couple of stints in Anchorage.

During his third and final time in Alaska in 2000, British Petroleum bought Atlantic Richfield, so he suddenly became a BP employee.

But not for long.

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By that time, Lance was stationed in Houston, running the lower 48 part of the company for Phillips.

Then, in 2011, citing a desire to create more shareholder value, the company spun off the “downstream” or refining part of the business, Phillips 66. ConocoPhillips then focused exclusively on the “upstream” part of the industry—exploring, developing, and producing crude oil and natural gas across the globe.

The following year, Lance was tapped to run ConocoPhillips.

It’s a challenging time for him and the company, coming out of COVID, with slowly improving commodity prices, increased regulatory pressure, and investor apathy toward the sector.

But it’s not all gloom and doom. It’s just a huge challenge. He sees demand for fossil fuels continuing to increase in the short and medium term until the 2030s, when he expects demand to decline slowly.

Now, Lance sees three imperatives for his company: “First, we have to affordably and reliably meet the demands for transitional energy,” he said. “A billion people today don’t have access to affordable energy, and that is inhibiting development.”

“Secondly, our business has not done a good job providing adequate returns on and of capital. We’ve destroyed value. We are committed to provide significant returns to the shareholders.”

“And finally, we have to do it sustainably. To get to net zero emissions by 2050, we have put a plan in place. For the last couple of years, we have had a Paris-aligned climate risk strategy,” Lance said, adding that recent acquisitions made by the company “put us on a trajectory to cut our emissions intensity.”

Those acquisitions include Concho Resources, a pure-play Permian Basin shale production company, purchased for a total of $13 billion, and Shell Oil’s Permian Basin assets, purchased for $9.5 billion. The two deals make ConocoPhillips a huge Permian Basin player, which was previously a hole in its portfolio. The Permian is one of the lowest cost-of-supply basins in the world, and also among the lowest in greenhouse-gas emission intensity.

“Montana Tech students benefit daily from the contributions of Ryan and his wife Lisa,” said Tech’s Les Cook. “They were instrumental to completion of the Living & Learning Center and have regularly contributed to the Annual Fund, the Petroleum Department, the Digger Turf project, and student scholarships. In addition to being a major donor, Ryan’s leadership and passion for Montana Tech as a former member of the Foundation Board of Directors was instrumental in the successful fundraising and completion of the Natural Resources Research Center. It’s fair to say that all Montana Tech students are better prepared for the future through the Lance family’s leadership and generosity.”

Lance has been involved in other ways as well.

“I brought Governor Bullock and Clay Christian (the Montana University System’s Commissioner of Higher Education) down here (to Houston) to help them understand the special place Montana Tech occupies in our industry. I hope I gave them an appreciation for what the school has done for the industry.”

He also lobbied them to do exactly what was ultimately done—to take Tech out from under the umbrella of the University of Montana, and make it a standalone, special-focus institution.

“It had to be done,” he said. “Being under the University of Montana was untenable.”

He said the school “has to continue to build our research and doctoral programs, to build on the special formula Tech has to continue to grow.”

He said that he and his wife would continue to play a significant role in Tech’s future.

“We’re not done giving back to the school. There are more things we hope to do. We want to be consistent with Les’s vision for the school and where he wants to take it over the next five to ten years. We are waiting to understand and figure out where we can help faster and quicker. We want to make sure that Tech preserves its special place in the State and within our industry and other industries,” he said.

Lance said his continuing involvement with his beloved alma mater was a given.

“You won’t get rid of me that easily,” he said.

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2020 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDEES Montana Technological University honored three alumni with the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award at a ceremony on Friday evening, September 24. The 2020 Distinguished Alumni are Kendell V. Tholstrom, James Fraser, and James Tangaro.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to alumni of Montana Tech, who established a professional career of at least 20 years, of which 5 years have been in a responsible capacity, and who has either contributed outstandingly to the furtherance of his or her profession and/or has been an outstanding contributor to Montana Tech.

Kendell V. Tholstrom ’68, ’71 Kendell (Ken) V. Tholstrom spent 42 years in the petroleum industry in various engineering and management positions with Getty Oil Company, ARCO, and Terra Resources. He was the V.P. and General Manager of Presidio Oil Company for 10 years in Denver, and cofounder and V.P. of American Oil and Gas Company in Denver until it sold to Hess Corporation in 2010.

Ken graduated from Anaconda High School in 1963, where he was student body president and co-captain of the football team. While at Tech, he was the junior class president and named an All-Conference football player for 4 years. Ken is a member of the Montana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame. He is a great supporter of the university. He has served on the Petroleum Department’s Advisory Board, the Montana Tech Foundation Board, and established the Tholstrom Family Endowed Scholarship for Anaconda High School studentathletes. Ken and his wife Claudia Samuelson are retired and live near Park City, UT. They have 8 children, 31 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandson.

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James Fraser ’75 Jim has over 40 years of significant upstream experience across the USA and Canada. Jim began his professional career with Marathon Oil Company. He worked for several public companies, most notably over 20 years with Burlington Resources in various management, exploration, operations, and engineering roles, and key successful exploration programs. He was V.P. of Operations for Chesapeake Energy’s Southern Division. Following his time at Chesapeake, he was Senior Vice President of Talisman Inc.’s North American Shale Division. Jim turned to the private sector in 2012, starting his own consulting company working on shale projects across North America, South America, and Europe before becoming co-founder, CEO, and President of private equity-backed RimRock Oil and Gas in 2016.

Starting with an entrepreneurial spirit and from ground zero, the RimRock team operates in North Dakota with a corporate office in Denver. Jim and his wife Amy have been generous in their support of Tech and Jim served on the Montana Tech Foundation Board. They have been married 38 years, and they have four grown children and eight grandchildren.

James Tangaro ’88 James Tangaro is the Refinery Manager for Marathon Petroleum Company’s refinery in Anacortes, Washington. He has 32 years of experience in the petroleum industry, progressing through many assignments that led him to manage refineries for the past 9 years.

Before the Anacortes assignment, James was the Vice President of the Kenai Refinery, and Director of Business Operations for three refineries and marketing areas. He spent 14 years at a Salt Lake City refinery, where he was an engineer, the Environmental Health and Safety Manager, and the Operations Manager. James grew up in Butte, Montana, and attended Butte High School and Montana Tech. James married Michele (Riley) Tangaro 35 years ago as she was earning a degree in Accounting from Montana Tech. After they graduated in May 1988, they moved to Lafayette, LA, to start their careers. They have moved seven times since then, but Butte will always be home. James and Michele have been generous in their support of Tech by providing opportunities for local students. They have two daughters, Rachel and Ashley, ages 34 and 30.

Congratulations Orediggers!

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THE HELPER

By Susan Barth

Cory Sonnemann makes you want to step up and volunteer—even though it’s quickly apparent that it would be difficult to do as much as he does. Cory (Chemistry ’10) is a psychiatrist who works at the Montana State prison and Southwest Community Health, a foster dad, and one of the most decent human beings you’ll ever meet. He’s also working hard to found a southwest Montana chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). He finds a way to help wherever he is, however he can.

Cory grew up in Billings, the only child of a pharmacist and a retail counselor. In high school he didn’t have any particular idea what he wanted to do, but he knew he wanted to play football in college. His choice was to walk on at MSU or U of M, or play at Montana Tech with a football scholarship…which sounded a lot better. He decided to major in Petroleum Engineering.

After a year he realized neither football nor Petroleum Engineering was for him. Fortunately he connected with a mentor, Dr. Marisa Pedulla, who gave him the opportunity to participate in research

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projects in microbiology, and encouraged him to present at national conferences. Cory credits Dr. Pedulla with putting him on the path to medical school.

The other major influence during Cory’s Tech career was Big Brothers Big Sisters. Cory volunteered as a Big Brother to a 12-year-old Butte boy named Dylan. “It’s a unique situation,” Cory said, “but he lived with me and my roommate for a while, while I was going to Tech. Then I ended up taking him to medical school with me. I was a single dad in medical school.”

That’s right: Cory not only took in his little brother, but when he moved to Yakima, Washington to start medical school at Pacific Northwest University, he took the boy with him (with his family’s permission). “I did my full 10 hour day or whatever it was while he went to high school,” Cory said. “Then after school, he’d come back to medical school and wait for me to be done. Then we’d go back to our one-bedroom basement apartment in Yakima. We did that for two years. He was a successful baseball player there. And then when we came back to Montana, he felt comfortable moving back with his mom. It was fun. He’s all grown up now, and doing good. And it shaped the way I wanted to do things, how I want to influence communities for the better.”

“Cory had decided that he wanted to not just be a doctor, but a psychiatrist. And he wanted, someday, to bring those skills back to Butte, where they were—and are—badly needed.”

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Cory had decided that he wanted to not just be a doctor, but a psychiatrist. And he wanted, someday, to bring those skills back to Butte, where they were—and are—badly needed.

After those two years in Yakima, Cory did the rest of his rotations in Montana, in Billings, Butte, and Miles City. He worked in mental health where possible, though he also did a stint of OB/GYN, delivering babies. Then it was decision time on where to go for residency. He interviewed at eight or nine places, including Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, and Elmira, New York.

The last one wasn’t love at first sight. “I remember thinking as I got on the plane in Elmira, ‘I’m never going to come here,’” he said. “Then I got a call from the program director that I was really high on their list. So I thought, well, I’ll just deal with Elmira, New York. Now I love Elmira.”

Elmira is similar to Butte: people sometimes have a bad first impression, but grow to love the place. “Those are the two communities I love the most,” Cory said. “They’re the ones that struggle the most with socioeconomic factors and such. But there are plenty of opportunities to help. That’s probably why I enjoy them so much.”

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With a recommendation from Dr. Pedulla, Cory received a prestigious National Health Service Corps scholarship, which pays for the full cost of medical school, but requires one year of practice in an underserved community for each year of school paid for.

He went to Elmira as a resident, with one year in internal medicine and the rest in psychiatry. His favorite part there was ACT, or Assertive Community Treatment. “You just jump in a car and find people who need help,” he said. “You find them on the street, give them their medicine, and give them help directly. It was so cool.”

The doctors in New York were so impressed with Cory that they made him generous offers to stay there, including heading up clinical outpatient services at the University of Rochester. But Cory had made a commitment to himself to come back to Montana, where he felt he was most needed.

Right before he was going to leave, Cory made another critical connection: he took in two brothers, Alex and Jordan, who were in foster care. He really bonded with the boys, but he had signed a contract to come to Montana, so he had to leave them behind, still in foster care.

Destigmatizing mental health and making it okay to talk about it is the biggest thing. People don’t feel they can say anything when they’re not feeling well—it’s a mentality here. I think we can shift the culture, but it has to be done in a Montana way. ­—Cory Sonnemann

“We did video visits every week for a year,” he said. “And then, eventually, social services said they weren’t going back with their family. They’ve been through a lot, and they didn’t have any good options for the boys. So they called me, and I flew out and picked them up.”

Cory brought the two brothers, now 10 and 11, to Montana, and is in the process of adopting them formally, again as a single parent.

Though he doesn’t exactly have a lot of spare time—after all, he has two very demanding jobs—they make it work. “We’re pretty happy,” he said. “We like hanging out together.”

Cory likes both of his positions in southwest Montana, but particularly enjoys his work at Montana State Prison. “At the prison, I’m getting the opportunity to help people who suffer from severe mental illness. Most of them haven’t been able to get help before coming to prison. Something like 40% of inmates there suffer from mental illness. I have time with the prisoners to talk about their problems and get them set up with services for when they leave so that they can be successful.”

Cory is also the driver behind trying to bring a NAMI chapter, which focuses on peer support, to southwest Montana. “We already are working on getting our first event organized, a Family and Friends Information Support Group. There are people being trained as facilitators, but the ultimate goal is to have a group that’s open to anyone and everyone who has experienced mental illness. They can come together and just bounce things off each other. Mental health professionals can’t be there every time there is a crisis, so peer support can really help.”

When asked what would make a difference in mental health in Montana, Cory was quick to answer: “Destigmatizing mental health and making it okay to talk about it is the biggest thing. People don’t feel they can say anything when they’re not feeling well—it’s a mentality here. I think we can shift the culture, but it has to be done in a Montana way.”

If anyone can do it, Cory can—he’s a Determined Doer in the classic Montana Tech style. But the rest of us need to follow his example, and help each other as best we can.

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EXPLORING THE WORLD ONE FAULT AT A TIME

By Susan Barth

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Dr. Yann Gavillot is truly a citizen of the world—or more accurately, a geologist of the world. He has lived and worked in such disparate places as Arizona, California, Oregon, France, India, Iran, Morocco, Thailand, Myanmar, and New Zealand, and he’s not done exploring yet.

For now, he’s very happy to be exploring Montana.

Yann was born on the small French island of La Réunion, off the coast of Madagascar. His French father was a doctor, and his American mother taught English. They met in North Africa, and settled to raise their family in Réunion. Yann first became interested in geology at eight years old, when one of his science teachers took the class on a field trip to the nearby active volcano.

From then on, combined with his interest in the outdoors, Yann knew what he wanted to study.

When Yann was eleven, the family moved to the south of France, and lived there for several years. Unfortunately, when Yann was sixteen, his father passed away—and his mother took the family to live near Phoenix, Arizona. It was quite a culture shock. Yann did not speak much English, and he was used to a small village with a Mediterranean climate, far from the desert heat and sprawling population of Arizona. It was a struggle to adjust. The saving grace was access to the outdoor recreation and spectacular geology that Yann could investigate. He chose to attend the University of Arizona in Tucson for its strong geology program, and thrived there.

“When you study geology,” Yann said, “one of the capstone courses is to take a geology field camp. The one at U of A wasn’t offered during my senior year, so my professor suggested I go to Indiana University’s geology field camp…which is held in Montana.

The field station is right there by Cardwell and Whitehall. I really loved it. When you come to Montana in the summertime, everything is just magical.”

He met his wife, Joanna, at that field camp. Joanna is originally from Poland and attended Indiana University, also studying geology, and later got a Master’s degree in Art History. They fell in love in Montana.

Yann had decided that he wanted to be a structural geologist and field mapper, spending as much time out in the field as possible.

After graduation he went to UCLA to get his Master’s, and he and

Joanna were married while living in Los Angeles. He also set out on his first major international project, in the High Zagros Mountains in Iran. “I like traveling,” Yann said, “and I like going to places that are not as well understood, and off the beaten path.”

Zagros is famous for its whaleback anticlines, landforms that resemble the shape of a whale, created by compression and folding of bedrock strata. Yann studied the structure and tectonics of the region, using various techniques including lowtemperature thermochronology. He made two trips there, the first with colleagues and the second on his own, as American citizens couldn’t get permission to reenter. Yann is a dual citizen, and could go with his French passport, so he ended up leading the project. He wrote his Master’s thesis on the Zagros project in 2008.

Yann then got into the PhD program at Oregon State University, in Corvallis. “It was a big change, again,” Yann said. “UCLA was multicultural, within a huge and diverse city, and fun in many ways. In contrast, Corvallis is a small college town. Food choices were more limited. But we realized we had the proximity of the outdoors all around us without the traffic—it was so green, and everyone values outdoor activity. And the people were so friendly.

I’m really glad we went there.”

Yann also wasn’t done with international projects yet. For his PhD program, he was offered the opportunity to do research on Himalayan tectonics in Pakistan. This research was spurred by the major 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, which killed over 100,000 people, and made 3.5 million homeless. The geology and earthquake hazards were not well understood. Yann switched his disciplines from tectonics and structural geology to an earthquake hazard-focused study, using neotectonics and tectonic geomorphology to determine the age, fault geometry, and deformation rates to better understand earthquake potential.

He also learned how to navigate in challenging intercultural situations, often by himself.

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It is a dream job. This job allows me to do a lot of fieldwork, and I get paid to map! It is perfect in many ways. ­—Dr. Yann Gavillot

The political situation in Pakistan became too dangerous, so the project was moved to just over the border in the Kashmir region of India, with nearly identical geological features. Again, Yann went twice, once with other colleagues in 2008 and then alone in 2010, for about six weeks each time. He was looking at active tectonics and earthquake history of the thrust belt in the Himalaya, and needed to walk the remote countryside to map and collect samples for age dating. In order to get permission, he’d often need to visit the village headman and explain his requests over a meal or tea. “You have to connect with the villagers,” Yann said.

“You’re walking through their land, through their homes.”

He did get arrested at least once, when locals saw his laptop and thought he was a spy.

“It made the project really interesting,” Yann said. “But there’s a plus side—if you want to trench somewhere, you can often talk to the villagers and negotiate directly with them, while getting to know the local people. In the U.S., you have to go through more bureaucratic processes, permitting, and reviews and that takes a lot longer.”

After the last trip, Yann was finishing up his PhD, with about a year to go, when he saw a job he couldn’t resist, at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at the Headquarters office in Paris. The Young Professionals Programme recruits talented people in different fields from all of the UN member countries. Yann applied for the Earth Sciences program, working on collaborative projects in geohazards, Earth Sciences, geoheritage, and sustainable development for UNESCO. In many senses, it was a dream job. He was back in France, facilitating projects promoting geological heritage and outdoor recreation, working with all sorts of people all over the world. He loved a lot about it. But there were a few problems. One, he’d intended to finish his PhD while there, but he didn’t have time.

He ended up taking a year’s sabbatical from the job, going back to Oregon, and finishing his PhD. Two, he really missed handson geology, fieldwork, and leading research projects. Three, he and Joanna had their first child in Paris, and she was expecting their second…and they really wanted to raise their family back in Oregon, not in Paris.

In a bold move, Yann left his extremely secure, high-benefits job in 2015, to go back to Oregon. At first, he questioned that decision.

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He applied for several postdoc grants as a courtesy faculty at Oregon State University, and started to develop and teach various international geology field camps in Morocco, the French Alps, and New Zealand. He was awarded postdoc funding in 2017, working on a project collaborating with the USGS in California studying earthquake hazards in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. During this time he also helped to instruct international field schools in earthquake geology in southeast Asia, continuing his exploration of different cultures. But he was always looking for a permanent geology position.

Then he saw the position at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, only 30 miles away from the place he had enjoyed so much as an undergraduate almost 18 years before. The MBMG was looking for a structural geologist, with an emphasis on geohazards, and a requirement to spend part of the time in the field mapping. It was like it had been made for Yann. “It is a dream job,” he said. “This job allows me to do a lot of fieldwork, and I get paid to map! It is perfect in many ways.”

Yann was hired in September 2020, and has quickly made the position his own. He’s been successful in getting grants from the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, which is funded

by the USGS. His most interesting project so far has been one similar to what he was doing in Northern California, except on the Bitterroot Fault in Southwest Montana. The MBMG is working with the USGS and the Bureau of Reclamation to investigate the fault and earthquake history in the Bitterroot Valley, particularly near Lake Como. Some of the tools used with this project include the use of drones, trenching, SONAR, and LiDAR, among other techniques, to profile the faults, to find out fault and earthquake history of the Bitterroot Fault. It’s early in the research, but they suspect the fault crosses the lake, and that there’s evidence of recent earthquake activity in the geologic record. This research is critically important to assess the hazards of earthquakes, as well as flooding management.

Yann also is working with students on a project to create a landslide hazard susceptibility map, and fault and landslide maps for various counties in Montana. There’s no end to the hazards projects he sees in the future, helping to keep Montana safer.

But in the end, he’s thrilled to get his boots back on the ground mapping soon too. After all, he’s still got a lot of Montana to explore.

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Jon Giesbrecht Photography

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ENDOWMENTS An endowment is a forever gift, a way to ensure that your support for the places and organizations you care about most, like Montana Tech, lives on forever. When you establish an endowment, or contribute to an existing

THE GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING

Your company’s match. Your endowed fund can be built using matching funds that may be available to you as an employee or retiree.

one, you create a lasting legacy that reflects your values.

Time Is on Your Side

Through an endowment, you can ensure your annual our mission of changing lives through education.

Whichever approach you choose, we will work with you to meet you and your family’s philanthropic goals through a solution that offers the best fit. Endowments can be built over several years.

How an Endowment Works

Help Students Achieve Their Dreams

When you make an endowed gift, only a portion of your gift will be spent each year. The balance is invested, allowing the gift to grow and to live on in perpetuity. Endowments offer a stability of funding that is critical to our ability to help students achieve their educational goals. An endowment at Tech can be established with gifts totaling $25,000, a goal that can be met over time.

You can change lives and help Tech students achieve their dreams.

How? By establishing an endowed scholarship or contributing to an existing scholarship fund. Please see the story by Bob Edwards ’79 about his experience setting up a new endowed fund with several classmates.

support of Tech continues and we are always able to meet

Funding Your Endowment Many donors don’t realize that an endowment is within their reach and how satisfying it can be to establish an endowed fund, watch it grow over time, and experience its impact. There are many ways to fund your endowment without using cash. Some allow you to establish your gift now, while others won’t go into effect until after your lifetime.

Appreciated assets. Using an appreciated asset like stock that you have owned for more than one year may allow you to eliminate capital gains tax on the asset’s appreciation.

Donor advised funds. Many families have chosen to establish a donor advised fund to better plan their charitable giving. A grant to us from your donor advised fund can be used to build an endowment.

Life insurance. Name the Montana Technological University Foundation as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, or make us the owner of a policy you no longer need.

Retirement plan assets. Consider naming the Montana Technological University Foundation as the beneficiary of your retirement plan assets. After your lifetime, the funds will go to establishing your endowment.

A gift in your will or living trust. Your gift can be a specific amount or a percentage of your residuary estate.

Even with our remarkable value and return on investment, the dream of earning a degree can move out of reach for deserving students. A scholarship can help ease the financial barriers students face and put a degree back within their reach.

Flexibility Is Important As an institution, our goal is to offer the appropriate level of financial aid for any student who wants a Tech education. This aid comes in many forms, including support for tuition, fees, and room and board. Our priority is to generate greater levels of support that can meet a student’s need in any of these areas and that we can offer aid to any student pursuing any of our degree programs.

A Heartfelt Gift When you want a gift to reflect the admiration and respect you have for the recipient, material objects just don’t measure up.

Creating a named endowment for your loved one is the perfect way to honor the person far into the future.

Make Us a Part of Your Legacy Ensure your support for our mission lives on for generations to come. For more information about setting up an endowment or any of these giving vehicles, contact Michael Barth, Executive Director of the Montana Technological University Foundation, at 406-496-4233 or mbarth@mtech.edu.

The information in this publication is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.

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Endowed Funds Established Since the Spring ’21 MNews Thank you to the donors who established these new endowments.

Al Winters Mining & Geological Engineering Endowed Scholarship Eastern Montana Engineering Endowed Scholarship ’97–’99 Men’s Basketball Scholarship Haley Beaudry Engineering Scholarship Fund Rod and Mary Lee James Endowed Scholarship Ernest Charles “Chuck” & Estella Richards Memorial Nursing Endowed Scholarship Kyle Fadness Endowed Scholarship Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Department Endowment Class of ’04 Endowment Dan & Paula Riley Endowed Scholarship Make a gift any time.

Foundation.mtech.edu/give

Endowments Receiving the Greatest Number of Gifts in 2021 Butte Endowed Scholarship Fund Haley Beaudry Engineering Scholarship Fund Montana Tech Natural Resources Golf Tournament Endowed Scholarship Houston Alumni Chapter Endowed Scholarship John ‘Jocko’ & Gaye Evans Endowed Scholarship 40th Anniversary Environmental Engineering Endowed Scholarship Class of ’04 Endowment Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department Endowment Dr. Tom Finch Endowed Memorial Scholarship Tyler Kniepkamp Endowment Fund

The Genesis of the New “Eastern Montana Engineering Endowed Scholarship” (EMEES)

By Bob Edwards ‘79

We hear and read about it all the time.

No other schools in Montana, and not many in the country, can make the claim (and honestly back it up). But Tech does, year in and year out.

What am I talking about? The best value Montana university. Having often heard about the claim, I recently did my own due diligence, and sure enough, after an hourlong Google search, I convinced myself that it’s true. Tech ranks with the best.

After graduating in Environmental Engineering in 1979, I went to work for Exxon (hadn’t merged with Mobil yet), for their coal mining affiliate in Gillette, WY. I retired 33 years later, after additional stops in Australia, Illinois, and Canada.

“Enjoying the ride” (most of the time…) included over 15 different assignments, from engineering, to operations, project management, Total Quality Management, Human Resources, and more.

I credit Montana Tech and Exxon for allowing me to retire when I chose to.

But to be honest, I didn’t recognize Tech’s contribution so much early on. After all, our paychecks were coming from Exxon.

My contributions to Tech were haphazard.

It wasn’t until retirement that I began giving regularly and more generously. And it wasn’t until more recently that it sank in what an incredible impact my four years in Butte had on my and my family’s lives.

So…it was time to give our annual Tech contribution for 2020, and what do you know, an idea sprung forth! I had become a regular Tech contributor, and had learned a bit about endowed scholarships, through giving to both the Thomas Finch Memorial and the Waring-JamesAppleman Excellence in Environmental Engineering scholarships.

The actual idea was to create an endowed scholarship for engineering students from eastern Montana. I’m from Miles City originally, and have

several Tech graduate relatives and friends, also from the eastern half of the State. A few years previous, I’d met Luke Meyer, who works for the Tech Foundation. Luke was able to educate me on how to go about the process of setting up a new endowed scholarship.

It was time to reach out to my relatives and friends who are Tech alumni, to see what they thought of this whole idea. Most expressed interest, and many decided to commit financially immediately, as part of the founding funders of this new scholarship. Having received their permission, I want to publicly thank Tom Peterson, Mark Shumway, Steve Curry, Doug Hardesty, Larry Jannsen, and Ron Dickson for making this idea become a reality. We collectively are happy to report that we’ve committed $45,000 over the next five years. We’re hoping others living in eastern Montana, originally from eastern Montana, or who just like the idea of it, will be motivated to consider this new scholarship when you make your future contributions to Tech.

When you’re retired, you have to identify meaningful ways to spend your time.

Working on this new endowed scholarship is one of the most fun and rewarding ways I’ve found to spend my time so far!

Greetings to any and all friends from Tech who might read this article. As we all know, it’s hard to stay in touch with everyone we’d like to. Please reach out to me if you are motivated to do so.

If you are interested in helping students from eastern Montana pursue a Montana Tech education, please consider a gift to the EMEES today. You can support online at https://foundation.mtech. edu/give/ and choose “Designation: Eastern Montana Engineering Endowed Scholarship” or send a check to the Montana Technological University Foundation, 1300 W. Park St., Butte, MT 59701, memo: EMEES.

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LAUNCHING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON CAMPUS

By Charie Faught

On Tuesday, August 17, the Leadership and Experience Development (LEAD) Team launched its first Professional Development Day at Montana Tech. The LEAD team, with representation across Montana Tech, worked together over the summer to create and launch the event. The work included a formal process of speaker applications, utilizing our network of contacts and professional associations, and event planning. The focus of the event was “Creating an Inclusive Campus Ecosystem.” The theme was in coordination with the strategic goal of a Healthy and Vibrant Ecosystem. The goal of the day was to have speakers, both local and national, who would set the stage for the upcoming year.

Guest lectures included two well-known and experienced keynote speakers: Dr. Sonja Ardoin and Dr. Tobin Miller-Shearer. Dr. Ardoin led two sessions, one on becoming a more student-ready campus, with a focus on first-generation college students, and the second with a similar theme, with a diverse student population in mind. The topics were in alignment with her specialty, which is the study of social class identity, college access and success for rural and first-generation college students, student and women’s leadership, and career preparation and pathways in higher education and student affairs.

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Dr. Miller-Shearer gave both a keynote speech and two breakout sessions. The keynote was on the topic of Dismantling Racism: From Theory to Practice. The discussion was both personal, as part of his experience as the Director of the African-American Studies program at the University of Montana, as well as historical in nature.

The event also featured breakout sessions with speakers from Montana Tech and experts from the state of Montana. Each was designed with a particular audience in mind, but with open registration to both faculty and staff who were interested. Sue Schrader and Glen Southergill, faculty members at Montana Tech, led a breakout session on Exploring Bias on the College Campus. Mike Jetty led two humorous and informative breakout sessions on the Essential Understandings (Regarding Montana Indians), which is an initiative led by the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Rich Janssen led a session on Working with The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Lastly, the formal event also had a breakout session with Kat McCormick, Leslie Webb, and Sarah North Wolfe on the topic of Excellence through Student Success.

The event also included social elements. During the breaks, trivia rounds were held, with teams of up to four individuals participating. The winners were announced at the social hour that capped off the event.

Overall, feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive. The LEAD Team is excited to present new opportunities for the coming year, as well as have another day of Professional Development next year. Thanks to all who contributed and attended the events!

Pictured are some members of the LEAD team. Left to right: Casandra Welsh, Tristan Sewell, Steve Gammon, Charie Faught, Jodie DeLay, Kat Fitzgerald-McCormick, Janet Friesz, Stella Capoccia, and Colleen Fink.

LEAD TEAM MEMBERS: Stella Capoccia, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

Brian Kukay, Professor, Civil Engineering

Jodie DeLay, Chief of Staff

Michelle Morley, Director of Associate of Science and Workforce Development

Charie Faught, Associate Professor, Nursing Colleen Fink, Executive Assistant to the Provost Kathryn Fitzgerald-McCormick, Director of the Center for Academic Innovation Janet Friesz, Registrar Steve Gammon, Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Sarah Raymond, Director, Career Services Hilary Risser, Professor and Department Head, Mathematical Sciences Scott Risser, Professor and Department Head, Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Tristan Sewell, Assistant Director, Financial Aid Casandra Welsh, Budget Analyst II

Madeline Gotkowitz, Research Division Chief, Montana Bureau of Mines & Geology

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OREDIGGER SPOTLIGHT

From Hoop Dreams to Happiness:

Determination, Persistence, and Commitment Pave the Way

By Jodie DeLay

From a young age, Ivan Sljivar had an affinity for sport and adventure. Growing up in Belgrade, Serbia, a bustling city of 2 million people, the pace of life was fast, his ambition was big, and basketball was his game. After a cousin completed an exchange program in the USA, he decided to do the same.

The small farming community of Hilmar, CA became his home for his senior year in high school. There he excelled academically and as a member of the Hilmar High Yellowjackets varsity basketball team and the Slam-N-Jam AAU traveling team.

His coaches recognized his talent and connected him with Mr. Spinks, a college recruiter.

“I owe a big thanks to Tony, Danny, and Dave, my high school coaches, for all their help and support at the beginning of my USA journey, enabling my basketball and educational dreams to come true,” said Sljivar.

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In 2007 Ivan was awarded a basketball scholarship at Montana Tech. He did his research and ultimately accepted sight unseen.

He had enjoyed the small, tight-knit community with familyoriented values that he found in Hilmar, and wanted the same for college. Butte turned out to be just the right fit.

“I felt at home whenever I walked into the HPER arena and saw the Serbian flag, added for me, next to the USA flag,” he said. “I felt at home when Nedeljka or Ruza from the Serbian church made home-cooked meals for me. These are just a couple of the kind gestures from the Butte community that made me feel like part of the family.”

Academically, Sljivar looked to Margie Pascoe, who was his international student advisor. “I owe her a big thanks. She believed in me and my dreams. As did Sarah Raymond at Career Services. They were always very patient with me and all my questions strategizing how to stand out to employers as an international student.”

And stand out he did. During his time at Tech, Sljivar completed four internships. The first was in Butte, the second in Pittsburgh, the third in Franklin, and the final in Missoula. The variety of

internships helped him hone in on the career path he wanted to take. In Butte he worked on an energy management system for a motel and obtained general job experience. Pittsburgh offered a large corporate environment where everyone had very specific tasks. In Franklin, VA he worked at a chemical plant with about 60 people where everyone knew each other, there was a family-like environment, and it was easy to collaborate across departments.

His final internship in Missoula was also at a much smaller company with a very cross-functional work environment that allowed him to participate on different teams and get to know a variety of people.

In addition, while at Tech, Slijivar always worked on campus, starting as a custodial assistant in the gym as a freshman and ending by being a graduate teaching assistant for the Mechanical Materials lab in grad school.

“I learned something new with each job I had,” he said, “especially how to prioritize my time and tasks, how to quickly get relevant info, and the importance of having good relationships with people.”

While at Tech, Sljivar was also a member of Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Club, where he served as president and conducted undergraduate research. He was an active member of the Serbian Orthodox Church. As a member of the Oredigger basketball team, he earned Academic All-Conference three times and was named NAIA National Scholar Athlete as a junior and senior.

All these activities required Sljivar to have incredible discipline.

“Determination, persistence, and commitment make anything possible,” he said. To manage his time and all his responsibilities, Sljivar used a calendar and a block system for his obligations.

“I recommend this versus creating a list of tasks,” he explained.

“Lists can lead you to spend too much time on one activity, leaving none for others, whereas blocks, and good communication, help you split your time among all your requirements.”

have made a big difference in my life. Without a scholarship, I never would have been able to go there as an international student. That is why giving back, in my own way, matters to me.”

“When Cliff, Brent, and I started the Bakersfield Alumni Chapter in 2015 it was an ambitious goal to connect and engage Tech alumni in the area while giving back to the community and our alma mater. I am very proud of the chapter and that it has established an endowed scholarship fund to help a high school student from the Bakersfield area or California attend Montana Tech. We all feel a sense of contribution towards making a difference in someone’s life, which feels great.”

Sljivar has since passed the duties of leading the Bakersfield chapter to another great alum. Family has always been of primary importance to him, never more than recently, as he and his wife Jelena welcomed daughter Lana. “Being a parent means you always have your hands full. It made me admire my coworkers who have been juggling these roles for a while. It’s definitely one of the most challenging and rewarding things in life. It also increases my appreciation for my work as it helps me provide a good life for my family.”

What started as a goal to keep playing basketball ultimately led Sljivar across the ocean to a new country, a great education full of opportunities, and the kind of life he always dreamed of. Now he’s passing the opportunity to the next generation through the endowed scholarship fund, and maybe eventually to Lana. “Montana Tech has allowed me to achieve my dreams and I’d recommend it to high school students from anywhere in the world.”

Other keys to successfully managing a very busy schedule? Sljivar said he made sure to get enough sleep, and during his limited free time he treasured hanging out with friends, playing table tennis, and Skypeing with his family back home. “I lived by the motto, ‘everything that I can do today, I will not leave for tomorrow.’”

Since leaving Montana Tech, Sljivar has gone on to a successful career in Bakersfield, CA, where he relishes being an innovator constantly looking for better ways to get things done. “Working on various projects with people offering different perspectives to the same problem and different ways to approach it definitely contributed towards my sense of curiosity and ability to professionally challenge the status quo in my engagements after Tech,” he said.

One characteristic of Sljivar’s that stands out is his gratitude. “I want to thank all the people who mentored me and supported me during my time in Butte,” he exclaimed. “Tech and Butte have a truly special place in my heart. My Tech education and experience

During his time on the Montana Tech campus, Ivan was a member of the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). In 2011, his team, which included Chris Iba and Ed Battleson, placed 2nd at the Student Design Competition “H2Go.”

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In Memoriam

We extend sympathy to the families of the following alumni who have passed away over the past few months.

1950s Joe Harstead ‘54 BS Petroleum Engineering Donald A. Hendricks ‘58 BS Mining Engineering Wilfred E. Nagel ‘50 BS Metallurgical Engineering

1960s George M. Bronson ‘63 BS Petroleum Engineering Lalit (Kumar) Parekh ’64 BS Metallurgical Engineering

1970s Haley Beaudry ‘76 BS Mathematics, ‘76 BS Mining Engineering Patrick J. Driscoll ‘78 BS Environmental Engineering Gary L. Matkin ‘73 BS Mathematics

1980s Thomas A. Brown ‘87 BS Petroleum Engineering Neil J. Eurick ‘83 BS Society & Technology Brian D. Hohn ‘89 BS Petroleum Engineering Joseph L. Perrick ‘84 BS Petroleum Engineering John J. Peters ‘88 BS Business Administration Barbara W. Stephen ‘89 BS Computer Science Richard F. Wiebe ‘86 AS Associate of Science, ‘88 BS Society & Technology

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1990s Terry C. Peterson ‘92 BS Occupational Safety & Health/Science & Engineering Kathleen Winscot ‘92 M Mining Engineering Joella M. Campbell ‘93 BS Society & Technology Betty J. Nordstrom ‘99 AAS COT–Information Processing

2000s Brad D. Evans ‘09 BS Professional & Technical Communication Margaret D. Martell ‘04 BS Occupational Safety & Health/Applied Health Science

2010s Patricia B. Crowl ‘15 BAS Business/Management Option Heath L. McCloskey ‘13 BS Metallurgical & Materials Engineering

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