M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E RS I T Y A LU M N I A S S O C I AT I O N
2018
2018
COLLEGI A N 2018
5 Letter from the CEO 6 Year in Review FEAT UR E STOR IE S
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Haute Cuisine Artist and Designer Kelsey Dzintars
30 33 34 36 38 40
Golden Bobcat Pale Ale PintPass App MSU Women Timeline
Cowboy Cricket Farms Coalition Commanders Cinematographer Mark Vargo Three Bobcat Skiers Compete at Winter Olympics
An Eye on Photonics “Montana Home” Debuts This Fall Night Sky
ALU M NI
42 43 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 61 62 64 65 66 67 70 71
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Letter from Alumni Engagement Alumni Advocate Network Calendar Tailgates Homecoming Alumni Association Chapters Reunion Groups Class Reunions Alumni Scholarships What it Takes Awards for Excellence Eric and Molly Bowman Then and Now Cat Treks Blue and Gold Awards Class Notes Let’s Get Social 2018 Cat-Griz Watch Party Map
Fireworks light up the sky on campus during MSU’s 125th birthday bash.
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Vol. 95, Summer 2018
E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Kerry Hanson ’93, ’08 M, Kathleen (Kitty) Saylor ’82, Drew Van Fossen E D I T O R Kay LaFrance C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R Ron Lambert DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Kristen Drumheller ’99, MSU Office of Creative Services P H O T O G R A P H Y by Kelly Gorham ’95, Adrian Sanchez Gonalez, MSU Photography (unless otherwise noted) C O V E R G R A P H I C A fully renovated Miller Dining Hall is but one of the many advancements that have elevated MSU’s culinary services The Montana State Collegian is published annually by the Montana State University Alumni Foundation, P.O. Box 172750, Bozeman, MT 59717–2750.
Ron Aasheim ’73, Helena, Montana JoMarie (Phelan) Bliss ’95, Billings, Montana Teresa (Snyder) Borrenpohl ’10, Post Falls, Idaho Jane Kober ’86, Livingston, Montana Carol Nelson ’71, Kalispell, Montana Theresa Neuman ’90, Great Falls, Montana Jim Rodenberg ’73, Wolf Point, Montana Samantha Severin ’11, Seattle, Washington Denise Seilstad ’77, Denton, Montana Bobcat Club Representative Bret Forder ’00, Bozeman, Montana
W E B A D D R E S S msuaf.org
Retiree Representative Bob Lashaway, Bozeman, Montana
MSU Alumni Foundation President & CEO Christopher D. Murray
Student Alumni Association Representative ASMSU Traditions Chair
MSU Alumni Foundation Vice President of Alumni Engagement Kerry Hanson ’93, ’08 M BOARD OF GOVERNORS Chair Cory Pulfrey ’82, Bozeman, Montana Vice Chair Jean (Bennington) Sweeney ’76, St. Paul, Minnesota Norman Asbjornson ’60, ’04 HD, Tulsa, Oklahoma David Cameron, Great Falls, Montana Susan Carstensen ’85, Bozeman, Montana Kay Chafey, Bozeman, Montana Jill Cuniff ’87, Seattle, Washington David Hoyt, Alamo, California Jill Jarrett ’94, San Francisco, California Alan Kahn, Bozeman, Montana Helene (Almgren) Michael ’85, ’13 HD, Condon, Montana Robert Morrison ’77, ’78 M, Clancy, Montana Robert Narotzky, Bozeman, Montana Mary Ann Pearce ’76, Houston, Texas Rainey Peuse ’97, Bozeman, Montana Steve Rovig ’75, Seattle, Washington Jeff Sipes ’86, Lake Tapps, Washington Kendrick R. Wilson, New York, New York
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A LUMNI RELATIONS ADVISORY BOARD Chair Rainey Peuse ’97, Bozeman, Montana Vice Chair Ginny (Swan) Sullivan ’87, Missoula, Montana (Chair-elect) Past Chair Jeff Sipes ’86, Lake Tapps, Washington
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Greetings from Montana State University,
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Dear Alumni & Friends Welcome to the 2018 Collegian. For over 90 years the Collegian has provided a rich and vibrant connection between Montana State and its alumni and friends. This year marks two major milestones in the life of Montana State University. First, 2018 is MSU’s 125th Anniversary year. Back in February we kicked off our anniversary year with a two-day birthday bash, which included the unveiling of a new statue of Abraham Lincoln on the campus mall, a Ferris wheel, an ice-rink and a variety of fun winter-themed activities for all ages. The birthday celebration continues throughout the year spotlighting the accomplishments of each of the colleges and divisions. Second, 2018 is the final year of the largest fundraising effort ever undertaken in Montana, What it Takes—The Campaign for Montana State University. To date, over 39,000 alumni and friends have made gifts to advance MSU’s campaign to secure funding for the people, programs and places that distinguish our campus and our place in the region, nation and world. In addition to philanthropic gifts, there are hundreds of others who volunteer their time and talent to advance Montana State. We are grateful to you all. Your continued support is making a difference. These two 2018 milestones offer many points of pride for all of us. Everyday new stories emerge about how MSU faculty and students are changing the world through their research, creativity and outreach in communities here in Montana and across the globe: Faculty like MSU professor of Earth sciences, Cathy Whitlock, who was recently elected by her peer scholars to the National Academy of Sciences for her work impacting the fields of geology, geography and ecology over the past four decades. And students like Arianna Celis Luna, a graduate student researching bacteria in the development of antimicrobial treatments with a passion for sharing science with youth. Arianna was recognized nationally this year as a Cross Scholar for her commitment to teaching young children and inspiring them to become scientists. MSU continues to lead in so many ways by growing enrollment for ten years straight, expanding research efforts and collaborations with top-tier institutions nationwide, and in providing access and support to diverse students. MSU is ranked among the best colleges for veterans and as one of the top 100 minority degree producers with a variety of programs that are sought-after by Native students. Over the course of the coming months, I hope you find multiple ways to connect with MSU. Whether in person through an alumni chapter event near you, or through a visit to campus for a student athletic event, a lecture or performance, I trust your connection to MSU will be fortified by being around fellow Bobcats. And, if not in person, then I hope you can stay abreast of campus news and stories via President Cruzado’s Blue and Gold News email, the Alumni Association’s MSU Statements, or the award-winning Mountains and Minds magazine. So, kick back and enjoy this issue of the Collegian. I know you will be filled with tremendous pride as you read about the people, programs and places that make this university extraordinary. Thank your loyalty and happy reading. Go Bobcats!
Chris Murray President and Chief Executive Officer, MSU Alumni Foundation
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Year in Review Engineering college is renamed
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Montana State University celebrated the naming of its engineering college in honor of alumnus Norm Asbjornson ’60, ’04 HD, during a public reception in February. Asbjornson, who earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at MSU in 1960 and went on to found AAON, a NASDAQ-traded heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) manufacturer based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has given more than $55 million to MSU. His $50 million pledge in 2014—the largest single gift ever made to the university—became the cornerstone of the $70 million initiative to develop MSU’s South Campus, which will include a state-of-the-art laboratory and classroom space named Norm Asbjornson Hall.
MSU Robots Rock At the ninth annual Robotic Mining Competition at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the MSU Bridger Robotics Team overcame technical difficulties during a tense final round to become one of only six teams —out of 44 teams from around the country—to successfully mine simulated Martian ice.
The MUS Board of Regents confirmed the nominations of Patrik Callis and Mark Jutila for the MUS Regents Professor distinction during a meeting held at MSU.
Schools.com ranked MSU No. 5 on its annual list of the best American colleges for mechanical engineering, citing the program’s student-to-faculty ratio, tuition and degree options. POWDER magazine has called Montana State University one of the best colleges for skiers in the Mountain West.
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#msucollegian
Connie B. Chang, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Montana State University, recently received the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award for her research on assembling and studying biofilms.
PHOTO CREDITS
MSU achieves record high enrollment (again) 16,703
Major NSF award goes to MSU professor
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The career-guidance site Zippia has recognized Montana State University on a list of the top colleges or universities in each state where alumni are most likely to land jobs. Zippia reported a 90 percent job placement rate for MSU alumni.
The Montana State Bobcats defeated Montana 31-23 in their 117th meeting, the first Bobcat home win over their cross-state rivals since 2005.
MontanaPBS and Montana State University faculty, staff and alumni won Emmys for local productions at the 55th annual Northwest Regional Emmy Awards held recently in Seattle.
Major scholarships awarded Twenty-six Montana State University undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni were honored at a May 2 reception for receiving major national scholarships.
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Year in Review
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PHOTO CREDITS
MSU Professor, Cathy Whitlock, is among the newest members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors a scientist can receive
New executive director of the Museum of the Rockies Montana State University has hired Christopher Dobbs to serve as the next executive director of the Museum of the Rockies.
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Native American artists’ gallery
New Native American artists’ gallery transforms MSU student union building featuring five mural-sized pieces by five artists.
A statue of Abraham Lincoln made and donated by artist Jim Dolan recalls Lincoln’s importance to the land-grant act that gave rise to MSU’s establishment on Feb. 16, 1893. The statue was unveiled in February as part of MSU’s 125th Bobcat Birthday Bash.
PHOTO CREDITS
Montana State University students, with the Eclipse Ballooning Project, look up to the sky to watch the total solar eclipse in August 2017.
Daniel Jones was officially named the 11th head coach in MSU volleyball history.
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Forty of Montana State University’s top seniors and their faculty and staff mentors were recognized at the 36th annual Awards for Excellence event held on the MSU campus. Details on page 61.
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Awards for Excellence
Mark Ranalli, administrator and professor from Tufts University, will be the next dean of Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship.
Fundraiser with the Sioux Chef Sean Sherman, founder, CEO and co-owner of the company The Sioux Chef, delivered a public lecture as part of a fundraising dinner during his April 10–11 visit to MSU. Photo courtesy of Heidi Ehalt.
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Haute cuisine Campus culinary shift provides options, ambiance and farm-to-campus offerings to food savvy students BY SK IP A NDE RSON
Following an enlightened before dashing off to an philosophy that simultaneously afternoon study session? honors food, history, and “There’s been a culinary indigenous cultures, Montana shift here on campus,” said State University has Michael Kosevich ’04, significantly updated the associate director for Culinary culinary offerings for students, Services. “We’ve become faculty and staff—not to more skilled and detailedmention the venues. First oriented in what we offer. We and foremost, gone from emphasize farm-to-campus the name of the department foods as much as possible, responsible for feeding meals and our staff now has more each day is the word “dining.” chefs than line cooks. We’ve But transforming from “Dining had to do this because of the Services” to “Culinary Services” variety and complexity of the in recent years might represent foods we’re preparing—we only a superficial change—the have 1,000 new recipes. We’re real meat and potatoes (if you also doing it because students will) comes in the how the nowadays, in my opinion, are university feeds its patrons more food savvy than before. every bit as much as what it It’s no longer just meat and feeds them. potatoes—the students are The first students who willing to try new foods. And, attended Montana’s land-grant it’s fun for us to offer them institution when it opened different foods.” its doors in 1893 would But as much as things have surely be overwhelmed by the changed, some things have cornucopia of culinary options come full circle. In 1893, their counterparts experience artificial refrigeration was 125 years later. Do you think still a risky gambit. Not only a late-19th century student were such appliances large could envision washing down a and prohibitively costly, they tasty sushi roll with kombucha operated on toxic gasses such
as ammonia, methyl chloride and sulfur dioxide to deliver the coolness—and even small leaks could be deadly. Thus, “farm-to-campus” was very much a way of life. As such, it may be the students who graduated around the mid-1900s who would notice the most changes. “I am not an MSU alumna,” said KayAnn Miller, who manages the university’s Fork in the Road food truck. “But my mother and grandmother are! They graduated the same year, if you can believe that! Class of ’54.” Both ladies simultaneously earned undergraduate degrees in education from MSU, Miller’s grandmother attending summer school for years until, by happenstance, she graduated at the same time as her progeny. And both ladies likely would see vast differences in the food options offered on campus. “My mother originally ate in the cafeteria in Hannon Hall,”
The fully renovated Miller Dining Hall serves as many as 10,000 meals each day and features 11 serving stations, each with its own name and culinary style.
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One of the options available in Miller Dining Hall.
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#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
The Fork in the Road food truck is frequently parked on the mall near Montana Hall.
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Forge 406 features an open flame rotisserie and is but one of the nine culinary stations in the new Rendezvous Dining Pavilion
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The Rendezvous Dining Pavillion opened in August 2018.
Miller said. “There’s no longer a dining hall there. She visited campus a couple of years ago, and she was astonished at all the changes from her time. She said back then people would just go through the line with a tray and people put food on it whether you liked it or not. And that’s so far from where we are now.” One venue option that definitely wasn’t available in 1954 was the Fork in the Road food truck. The mobile kitchen opened in 2013 as part of the university’s effort to meet the expectations of students who prize convenience without compromising quality or selections. And in its short time on campus, staff have expanded its mission in a way that might make the late Anthony Bourdain proud. “Last fall, we changed the way we looked at Fork in the Road,” Miller said. “We really started thinking hard about the food experiences that students, faculty and staff could have on campus related to Fork in the Road. Most food trucks change their venue, but not their menu. That’s where we’ve distinguished ourselves.
She’s not kidding. It’s one thing to offer soup and grilled cheese one day and burgers the next. It’s quite another to offer selections from around the world that change on a daily basis. Call it Fork in the Road 2.0, serving global cuisine with a side of cultural exchange. “We change our offerings every single day,” Miller said. “We think of our menu as a World Tour. Each day is a different country, and each day we have two offerings from that country on the menu. It’s been really popular. We did a survey of students and they really want the World Tour to continue, but with new countries. So, this past fall, we started in Africa and went through the middle of the globe, including Egypt, Thailand and China. And in fall 2018, we’re starting in the northern hemisphere and will include Scandinavia, Russia, Canada and the Arctic. And we don’t just serve interesting foods; we talk about how food fits into the cultures that coincide with our menus.” This winter, Culinary Services also received some heavy-hitting
help from a James Beard award recipient about how to up its pantry game. While on campus for a book signing in February, Sean Sherman, a South Dakotaborn chef and Native American known as the Sioux Chef, visited with Culinary Services staff to discuss the virtues of indigenous foods. “He trained MSU’s culinary staff on how to build an indigenous pantry,” Miller said. “Doing that will help us introduce our students and others who dine with us to foods that historically have grown in this area.” Along with choices that feature foods and ingredients indigenous to Southwest Montana, the Culinary Services staff is also focused on sourcing a sizeable amount of foods and ingredients from local vendors. “Local purchases last year were around $1.6 million,” said Kara Landolfi ‘14, ‘16 M, farm-tocampus coordinator. “And we’ll spend around that amount again this year.” Culinary Services has even been purchasing livestock at 4-H fairs
and working with local processors to prep the meat for use in campus kitchens, Landolfi said. Another big step Culinary Services is making will commence this fall, when it unveils a new, standalone dining hall called Rendezvous. Located in the heart of campus, Rendezvous will be capable of serving 12,000 meals per day. “We went to other great schools with new dining facilities to see what they’ve done,” Kosevich said. “We went to Penn State, University of Georgia, University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado State. What we came up with is a great facility. It’s wide open inside and the graphics are really awesome. And the food will be, too.” Culinary Services will also continue to operate Union Market in the Strand Union Building, a campus staple in operation since 1956. Other campus food and beverage outlets include Miller Dining Hall, several coffee shops, pizza, sushi, concessions at Bobcat Stadium, an oncampus bakery and a catering department.
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Designer brings art to life and lifestyle to art BY A M A NDA EGGE R T
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#msucollegian
Top: “The Big Ditch,” Acrylic on wood, 20x16, 2017 Bottom: Winning poster design for MSU’s 125th anniversary.
The latter design was the result of a competitive poster contest Dzintars won last August. (Dedicated Collegian readers might recall the design from the cover of the 2017 issue of the magazine.) Dzintars said she was quite surprised when she learned she won—there were more than 1,000 entries—but her former professor Jeffrey Conger, who chairs the graphic design program in the School of Art, was not. “To be selected for the 125 anniversary celebration is a real honor,” Conger said. “Her design conveys Bobcat pride along with the heritage of the land-grant institution. It’s a classic style that’s contemporary—it’s old and new at the same time.” Dzintars has stayed in touch with Conger since she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design in 2009. Conger is impressed by Dzintars’ mastery of both traditional and digital mediums and her ability to conceptualize creative, big-picture ideas without losing sight of critical details. He also applauds her ability to create art in outdoor settings, whether that means pulling out a sketchpad on a mountaintop or working in watercolor alongside a river. “She makes a complex task look fun and easy. That whimsical manner translates into all of her work—it’s a lightheartedness that conveys to a wide audience,” Conger said.
JAMES ROSS
Lately, Dzintars has found an ever-flowing well of inspiration on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, where she guides multi-day rafting trips through one of the largest contiguous wilderness areas in the lower 48, Idaho’s Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness. “I don’t get to work on my painting a lot out there because I just don’t have the time, but I’ve realized that being on the river and staring at water all day, every day, for the entire summer has influenced me on a more subliminal level,” said Dzintars, who’s been a professional freelance
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
COUTURE COURTESY OF COUTURE
Kelsey Dzintars’ ’09 paintings and graphic designs have appeared many places you might expect—gallery walls, magazines, T-shirts, websites—and some you might not. In the past year, the award-winning artist has created a bold wildlife-filled topsheet graphic for a custom ski company named Arête, a vinyl wrap featuring playful trout imagery that graces a drift boat and a bobcat illustration appearing on cans of Golden Bobcat Pale Ale, a beer brewed to celebrate MSU’s 125th anniversary. designer since late 2015. A painting titled “Middle Fork Magic” features the vibrant colors for which Dzintars is known while also conveying the peacefully immersive nature of a trip through a stretch of country so stunning, remote and untamed it became one of the original eight rivers Congress bestowed a Wild and Scenic designation to 50 years ago this October. Dzintars decided to learn the ropes of raft guiding after going on a multi-day trip down the Middle Fork the summer of 2016 followed almost immediately by a once-in-a-lifetime excursion through the Grand Canyon. She became a licensed guide last July and now spends the vast majority of her summer within a stone’s throw of the Middle Fork, guiding Boundary Expeditions clients down ClassIV whitewater. “I never thought that I could split time between being a river guide and a designer. That’s something I never anticipated,” she said. “Somehow they all work together really nicely.” Among other ambitions like dedicating more time to painting and finding a more permanent display space for her work, Dzintars would like to create more art for social change. Working with nonprofits, particularly those dedicated to conservation, provides the Rapid City, South Dakota, native an opportunity to give back to the natural world that has proven so influential to her. She also gives back to her community by serving as an example to up-and-coming design students. Occasionally she joins Conger’s classes to critique his students’ portfolios, and they appreciate her enthusiasm and knowledge. “She seamlessly integrates lifestyle with creation of artwork,” Conger said. “That’s why she’s such a great role model for our graphic design students at Montana State—they’re all passionate about one thing or another, and oftentimes that’s the outdoors.”
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Cowboy Crickets Cowboy Cricket Farms taps into a growing global demand for protein BY A M A NDA EGGE R T
After attending MSU’s Bug Buffet, an annual feast of edible insects, MSU nutrition student Kathy Rolin came home and presented an idea to her husband James: What if we start a business farming insects for food? James, who’s been an entrepreneur since he started a website design company as a 16-year-old, thought it was a horrible idea. He felt confident an hour of internet research would demonstrate the numerous ways such a business would fail. Six months later, he hadn’t uncovered insurmountable objections, but knew it would take some inventive marketing to positively shape Americans’ perception of entomophagy, the practice of eating insects; and he knew the technology and infrastructure to support insect farming needed to catch up to demand. James’ research also yielded a growing market, both nationally and globally, for edible insects. In the year and a half that Cowboy Crickets Farms has been in business, the market has only been growing—rapidly.
According to a report released in April by Persistence Market Research, edible insects are expected to produce $723 million in global revenue by 2024. The report notes how little land, water and energy are required to farm edible insects compared to meat production, and how attainable the initial investment is. “Substantial increase in global population and decreasing resources are factors expected to drive demand for alternative food sources,” the report notes. “Insects can be found across the globe and they reproduce relatively quickly. Farming and harvesting of edible insects provide farmers entrepreneurship opportunities across all economies.” The insect of choice for Cowboy Crickets, Acheta domesticus, is an incredibly dense source of nutrition. Otherwise known as the common house cricket, it tastes similar to sesame seeds and is a highprotein source of iron, vitamin B12 and Omega-3 fatty acids. Kathy started the farm in 2017 to supply the key ingredient in one-pound bags of cricket
powder and protein-packed “Chocolate Chirp” cookies. But cricket sales to other companies and demand for their own products have been so great that the Rolins have decided to shift their focus to helping other farmers set up operations. With additional supply secured, they then handle the marketing, processing and distribution. “It’s been pivot after pivot after pivot,” Kathy said. “There’s huge demand [and] nobody’s meeting it.” Most of these partner farmers were introduced to the company through Cowboy Crickets’ YouTube channel. Three partner farms are up and running, two more are nearly operational and they’re currently on-boarding several others. They expect to quadruple the number of farms they support by this fall.
As they’ve built up their business, the Rolins have capitalized on a number of offerings and experts at MSU. Entomologist Florence Dunkel, who’s been putting on the university’s Bug Buffet for 30 years, serves as an advisor; Blackstone LaunchPad, an entrepreneur resource for MSU students, alumni and faculty, provided a small start-up grant and regular advisory meetings with the Rolins; and the Software Factory has helped them in their quest to introduce consistency, precision and a level of automation to their cricket farms through specially developed bins that monitor food, water, temperature and humidity. “They’re very enthusiastic entrepreneurs,” Dunkel said. “They’ve discovered the market, right there in Bozeman.” She added that between the two of
Producing one pound of crickets requires one gallon of water whereas one pound of beef requires 2,000 gallons of water.
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Producing one pound of crickets require one gallon of whater whereas producing one pound of beef requires 2,000 gallons of water.
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PHOTO CREDIT
The market has grown, both nationally and globally, for edible insects.
them, the Rolins have the perfect mix of skills. Cowboy Crickets has been so successful that it’s left James and Kathy little time to finish their degrees. Kathy, who was set to graduate this past May, is putting her degree in nutrition science on hold. James, Cowboy Crickets’ marketing manager, has hit the pause button on his marketing studies—at least in an academic setting. Educating the public has been a big component of James’ approach. In addition to hosting a Youtube channel, the Rolins attend entrepreneurial events, stock their products in four states, and lead educational tours of their farm. The company
Even in the brief time they’ve been operational, James has seen a swing in public perception, to the point where this March they sold 30,000 shares to interested Montanans in Cowboy Crickets’ initial public offering. was recently named a Small Business Champion by Sam’s Club and SCORE, a nonprofit that provides support for small businesses. Even in the brief time they’ve been operational, James has seen a swing in public perception, to the point where this March they sold 30,000 shares to interested Montanans in Cowboy Crickets’ initial public offering.
Kathy predicts support will only increase as sustainability plays a larger role in food systems discussions. Producing one pound of crickets requires one gallon of water whereas one pound of beef requires 2,000 gallons of water, she says. “In a 1,200-square-foot facility, we estimate that we’re producing the equivalent of ten cows.” Kathy added that globally, eating insects is a common practice. Although she never
would have predicted such a thing for herself, she’s proud of the role she’s playing to expand its presence in the U.S. “I’m excited that we’re at the forefront of helping create that change.”
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PHOTO CREDIT
2018
U.S Army Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk II (left), commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, and Iraqi Maj. Gen. Najm Abdullah al-Jibouri (right), commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation, walk through a busy market near the University of Mosul, Oct. 4, 2017. Photo courtesy U.S. Army.
L I K E FAT H E R , L I K E S O N
MSU alum leads international coalition in fight against ISIS BY MSU NE W S SE R V ICE
A Montana State University graduate who now serves as a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army was recently named commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, an international coalition fighting the Islamic State. Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk II, a three-star general who is a 1984 graduate of the College of Letters and Science, commands a coalition of 73 nations and partners. The coalition is tasked with defeating the Islamic State
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in designated areas of Iraq and Syria and ensuring conditions are favorable for subsequent operations, with a goal of increasing stability in the region. It’s a role he welcomes, despite the challenges and
complexity of the mission, which is unique, he noted, in that the coalition is working by, with and through local partner forces in Iraq and Syria. “Iraqis are liberating Iraqis, and Syrians are liberating Syrians,” Funk wrote. “The liberation of more than 33,000 square miles and freedom for more than 6.5 million civilians is the result of the power of 73 coalition nations and partners.” He added that “the mission also spans to defeating the
Islamic State’s ideology by supporting good governance and security, preventing the next version of ISIS from developing.” Funk, 55, was born in Fort Hood, Texas, and attended grade school in Roundup, Montana. He also attended Bozeman-area schools for four years. He graduated from Ft. Knox High School in Kentucky, then attended MSU, where he received a bachelor’s degree in speech communications and earned a Reserve Officers’
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— Butch Funk
Training Corps commission as an armor officer. Funk also has a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University and is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College. His most recent educational experience was as a War College Fellow at the University of Texas Institute for Advanced Technologies. Funk and his wife, Beth, have three children and one grandson. Funk has been deployed numerous times, leading soldiers in combat during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, twice in Operation Iraqi Freedom, once in Operation Enduring Freedom and now twice in Operation Inherent Resolve. Funk’s family and the desire to serve the nation motivate him in his work, he wrote. “I learned the value of service to this nation by watching my father, an MSU alum as well, as he served his country for over 32 years,” Funk wrote. “I am indebted to this country for what it has given me and my family and want to give back to a nation that has given us so much.” Funk’s father, retired Lt. Gen Paul “Butch” Funk ‘61, ‘72 M, ‘73 PhD, served in the U.S. Army for more than three decades and, like his son, is also a three-star general. A native of Roundup, the elder Funk has three degrees from MSU, including a doctorate in education and an honorary doctorate in engineering. Coincidentally, the unit of which Paul E. Funk II took command, the III Armored Corps,
is the exact same unit that his father commanded. Butch Funk said that having a father and son duo command the same corps is rare. Butch Funk added that he and his wife, Danny ‘72,—who received a degree in education from MSU—are proud of their son. “He is really a skilled professional and loves what he’s doing,” Butch Funk said. “Most of all, he cares deeply about the soldiers and their families. That’s really important.” Paul Funk II said that MSU provided him with fundamental life skills that have guided him
throughout his career. He is a proud Bobcat alumnus, he wrote. “The lessons that I learned, both in and out of the classroom, prepared me for my years in this people business that we call the Army,” he said. “MSU values are Army values; we believe in hard work, dedication and getting things done.” “My MSU speech communications degree gave me the skills needed to not only ensure what I say makes sense to an audience, but more importantly, the skillset needed to tailor remarks to multiple audiences,” he added.
Paul Funk II asked that people support and take pride in the men and women of the U.S. military. “Their energy and passion is contagious, and they are doing remarkable things in this fight as they work to protect the coalition’s homelands from the threat of ISIS,” he wrote. “They represent what is good and right in our world today, and I am honored to serve alongside them.”
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PHOTO CREDIT
“He is really a skilled professional and loves what he’s doing. Most of all, he cares deeply about the soldiers and their families. That’s really important.”
Montana State University alumni Lt. Gen. Paul “Butch” Funk (retired) and Sheila “Danny” Funk.
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Photo provided by Mark Vargo
2018
Cinematic storyteller BY E V E LY N BO S W E L L
After a career of viewing blockbuster movies from behind the camera’s lens, Mark Vargo embraces a new role teaching others. Cinematographer and special effects artist Mark Vargo ’77, Film and Television Production, has worked on dozens of major movies and television shows over the past 40 years. Filming in 35 states and 18 countries has introduced him to top movie stars and directors, as well as other cultures. He was nominated for an Oscar and inducted into the American Society of Cinematographers. He met his wife, Betty, on the set of a movie where she was the animal trainer for a thieving parrot. “Filmmaking is an exciting business to be in,” Vargo said. “It’s more than just work. You get to travel. You get to experience lots of things that other people outside the industry do not.”
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But now—after four decades in the film industry, working on some of the biggest movies with some of the best directors— Vargo said he considers teaching to be his highest calling. At age 64, he is devoted to passing along his knowledge to a new generation of filmmakers, whether that instruction be in the form of a book he is writing, one of the many video tutorials he has created or a classroom where he shares the lessons he has learned. “To be around forward-thinking, inventive, curious people has probably been the joy of my life,” Vargo said. “That’s part of the inspiration I want to impart to these kids.” Vargo has been a visiting professor in MSU’s School of
Film and Photography. After moving from Bozeman to Tallahassee, Florida in May, he is now teaching advanced cinematography to third-year film students in the College of Motion Picture Arts at Florida State University. “I have wanted to teach for many, many years and, though earlier than planned, this opportunity was too good to pass up,” Vargo said on his website (markvargo.com) where he advises his readers on such practical skills as filming with fire and tying the best knots for securing a camera. Vargo said he doesn’t know yet if he will miss working on the next big movie or TV show. His work on “Ghostbusters” led to an Oscar nomination for best
visual effects. “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Tin Cup,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and “NCIS: Los Angeles” are just a few of the films and television shows that have built his reputation. “Right at the moment, I don’t know,” Vargo said. “I get such a kick out of working with students.” Dennis Aig, an MSU film professor who has worked with Vargo both in film production and in MSU’s School of Film and Photography, said it’s obvious that Vargo has a deep dedication to MSU and his students. “When Mark was a visiting instructor at MSU, he would not only draw on his Hollywood contacts to arrange for Skype sessions with accomplished filmmakers, but he would also spend many hours meeting with
Mark Vargo’s movie-making career spans 40 years and includes films like “Patriot,” “The Green Mile” and “3:10 to Yuma.”
students about their projects,” Aig said. “His dedication to instruction and mentorship was exemplary.” “Professionally, Mark understands all areas of production so that the cinematography will contribute to the main aesthetic and thematic purposes of the project,” Aig added. “He knows that the director’s vision is often realized through the eyes of the cinematographer. He embodies the talents and skills needed to successfully carry out that core responsibility.” When students graduate from MSU’s School of Film and Photography, they join a network of professionals in Hollywood and elsewhere that has grown for almost 60 years, Aig said. “Mark is a great link between the academic world in which the students learn filmmaking and
the professional world in which they eventually will be working,” Aig said. He added that even one remark from Vargo can make a difference. “Mark’s comment at an alumni meeting about how our name at the time, ‘Media and Theatre Arts,’ did not show up when someone googled ‘film schools’ led to the change to the School of Film and Photography,” Aig explained. Vargo was born in Virginia, then lived in Florida from age 4 to 14. Now back in Florida after 50 years elsewhere, Vargo said he had no idea when he was growing up that he would become a cinematographer. He didn’t know anyone in the film industry. His father worked for the government. Vargo, in fact, was busy exploring the beaches, lakes and swamps of central Florida in
the 1960s. He was a Boy Scout working on badges. Growing up about 40 miles from Cape Canaveral, he saw every one of NASA’s manned missions from Project Mercury up to and including Apollo 8. “The fact that we took those chances and the guys really did have the right stuff, that was impressive to me,” he said. Vargo came to MSU because of its film program, but said he didn’t really know what he wanted to do with his life until his first year of college. He has said in the past that he was living in Virginia, working construction and attending a community college when he realized he wanted a different life. He wanted to leave the East Coast for the mountains. He wanted to attend a university he could afford. “I applied and was accepted and had a terrific four years,”
Vargo said of his time at MSU. “I graduated in 1977 with an amazing appreciation of the medium and a goal of making a go of it.” Once he graduated from MSU, Vargo got a job at Industrial Light and Magic in Seattle. Two years later, in 1979, he earned his first film credit as a visual effects artist for “The Empire Strikes Back.” The next year, he worked on “Return of the Jedi.” His career mushroomed from there and reflects the importance of taking risks and thinking big, Vargo said. “If you don’t dream, nothing is going to happen.” And yet, Vargo said, “It wasn’t necessarily fait accompli that I got where I am.” He said his career was “forged by good luck, hard work and a nose for opportunity.”
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2018
Bobcat ski team standouts compete on the Olympic stage BY A M A NDA EGGE R T
They were born in Estonia, Australia and the United States. They came to shoot targets between skiing segments, cheer on friends during breaks from competition and guide a visually impaired athlete in a series of cross-country races. One juggled university coursework while competing in her second Winter Olympics, another has been training with a professional team in Alaska and the third was headhunted to participate in the Paralympics as a guide after graduating in 2016. And all three are Bobcats. MSU ski team standouts Johanna Taliham, Jessica Yeaton ’14, and Sawyer Kesselheim ’16, traveled to Pyeongchang, South Korea, this past spring to compete in the greatest athletic competition in the world. “MSU has historically attracted high level athletes in our sport,” said Matthew Johnson, who’s coached two of the three aforementioned athletes during his tenure at the helm of MSU’s Nordic skiing program. “Collegiate skiers are kind of at the same level that a lot of Olympians are, when it comes down to it.” During the Olympics, Johnson would huddle around a screen with other coaches and athletes to tune into Taliharm’s biathlon races happening on the opposite side of the globe. Sometimes described as a “ski, shoot, repeat” event, biathlon is essentially a cross-
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country ski race interspersed with target shooting. Although it’s considered a niche sport in America, it’s well known in Europe. Taliharm, who hails from Estonia, likens biathlon’s popularity in Central Europe to football’s following in the U.S. Many of Taliharm’s European counterparts are professionals who fully dedicated themselves to training—Taliharm had to juggle coursework, practice with the MSU Nordic team, and preparations for her second Olympic Games. “That was kind of crazy,” she said. “I’m so thankful to all of my professors. I only took 12 credits, but I still missed a lot of school.”
Since MSU doesn’t have a biathlon program, Taliharm had to be her own shooting coach. In the rare unscheduled time she had, she practiced at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center’s range—a resource that helped draw her to Bozeman. Biathletes have to bring their body from maximum exertion down to steady calm and back up again—a combination of physical and mental discipline that Taliharm enjoys. She’s worked with a sports psychologist and practices visualizing the perfect shot. “You have to be completely, completely present in the moment,” she said. “You can’t think of hitting or missing [a
target], you have to think of what you are doing, how you are pulling the trigger.” Whatever Taliharm did, it appears to have worked. She posted a personal best when she finished the 7.5-kilometer sprint in one hour and 20.8 seconds. She finished 22nd in a field of 86 competitors. Taliharm will graduate on Dec. 15. She anticipates she’ll race in a World Cup event the very next week. During the Olympics, Taliharm had the opportunity to connect with fellow Bobcat Jessica Yeaton, who graduated in 2014 with a degree in exercise science. Born to an Australian mother and an American father and raised on three continents, Yeaton has dual-citizenship. After graduating from MSU, Yeaton returned to Anchorage to pursue a professional skiing career with Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center, an elite team that includes 2018 gold medalist Kikkan Randall.
“You have to be completely, completely present in the moment. You can’t think of hitting or missing [a target], you have to think of what you are doing, how you are pulling the trigger.” — Johanna Taliharm
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Johanna Taliharm
2018
Many of Taliharm’s European counterparts are professionals who fully dedicated themselves to training—Taliharm had to juggle coursework, practice with the MSU Nordic team, and preparations for her second Olympic Games.
Jessica Yeaton (left) and Johanna Taliharm found a Bobcat connection in South Korea.
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#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY SAWYER KESSELHEIM
Sawyer Kesselheim (left) and Jake Jake Adicoff teamed up to win silver.
Yeaton expected to tame some nerves in South Korea, but what she encountered was “another level of nervousness,” she said. The atmosphere was so high-energy that it was tough for Yeaton to calm down and preserve energy between events. She said she was also surprised by the level of support and camaraderie she found in South Korea. “I felt like I had friends from all over the world there,” said Yeaton, who was representing the Australia delegation. It’s common for cross-country skiing athletes to race in multiple events; Yeaton competed in five races, with her top result being a 12th-place finish in the 7-kilometer team sprint. Between races she enjoyed cheering on her Alaska Pacific teammates. Yeaton’s not sure if she’ll compete in another Olympics since it would likely mean
delaying her plan to become a physical therapist. But it’s awfully tempting, she said. “I think it was the time of my life.” Two weeks after Norway claimed the top medal count in the XXIII Olympics, the opening ceremony kicked off for the 2018 Paralympics. It was the second Paralympics Games for Jake Adicoff, who competed against other visually impaired athletes in Sochi, and a first for his guide, two-time AllAmerican Sawyer Kesselheim. Around the time Kesselheim graduated with a degree in exercise science in 2016, he was contacted by U.S. Paralympics Nordic skiing director Eileen Carey. She’d been asking around for Paralympics guide recommendations. “Sawyer’s name came up from three different people so I cold-called him. As soon as I met him, I knew
he was the right person,” she said. Leading up to the Games, Adicoff and Kesselheim attended multiple training camps and a World Cup race in Canmore, Alberta. By the time they arrived in Pyeongchang, Kessleheim was adept at reading Adicoff to glean his energy level and mental state. Kesselheim wore a bright orange vest and skied in front of Adicoff, whose sight is limited to about 10 percent vision in one eye. Kesselheim’s goal was to stay close enough for Adicoff to draft off him, but not so close that Adicoff had to slow his pace. “It is incredibly hard to race someone else’s pace and race strategy, and great guide athlete teams work as one unit,” Carey said. By the time they competed in their third event, the 10-kilometer classic, their team chemistry was peaking and they had their
strategy dialed. “Jake raced really smart,” Kesselheim said. “I think it was our best race as a pair.” It landed them a spot on the podium. They won a silver medal, contributing to the U.S.’s Paralympics-topping 36 medals. Next up for Kesselheim is an assistant coaching position at MSU and graduate classes in exercise and nutrition sciences. He’s thinking he might follow that with a career as a physician’s assistant. “Sawyer’s a really natural leader and has great interpersonal skills, so from the time he graduated, I started talking to him about assistant coaching whenever he’s ready to put away the race skis for a little bit and get out the waxing iron,” Johnson said. Kesselheim said he feels ready: “I think this experience is a pretty good segue.”
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PHOTO CREDIT
2018
A L U M N I O N TA P
Of barley, brewing and Golden Bobcat Pale Ale BY SK IP A NDE RSON
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You don’t have to mention to MSU alumnus Jeremiah Johnson ’04, (Business Marketing), that the title character of a 1972 film starring Robert Redford shares his name. Make no mistake, he knows. “I’m 40 years old, and literally since I started being able to remember people have asked me about my name constantly,” Johnson said. “They’ll say things like, ‘Hey, do you know there’s a movie named that?’ It’s been going on my whole life. My dad is a Robert Redford fan, so maybe there’s something to that. But, I’ve also heard my name was picked out of the bible. So, there’s no real clear story. Either way, not a week has gone my whole life that people haven’t commented on my name. I’ve had people insist that I show them my driver’s license.” Since it’s the name on his birth certificate (and because the film has largely been gathering dust for the past 40 years), the film’s producers aren’t likely to file a trademark claim forthcoming name of his brewery: Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co. As of press time, husbandand-wife team Jeremiah and Katie Johnson were finalizing the purchase of The Front Brewing Co. in Great Falls, Montana. In the meantime, they have assumed operational control with the blessings of the sellers, Linda Caricaburu and Brad Talcott ’79. One of the first things the Johnsons did was work with Montana State University to develop a beer that would commemorate the university’s 125th anniversary. “Our head brewer Tristan Bradford and I met with a group
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
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MSU’s 125th anniversary craft beer is but one of many successes for the Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Company. of MSU alumni and some of the university’s marketing team to taste ten of our beers to see what everybody liked and didn’t like,” Jeremiah said. “We definitely wanted to make a unique craft beer, rather than something that doesn’t stand out. We wanted to make something with a nice aroma and taste to it, which led us to Golden Bobcat Pale Ale.” Golden Bobcat Pale Ale is available statewide, and Jeremiah said sales are exceeding expectations. In fact, sales are so robust, he said, that he’s changing JJBC’s canning strategy. “You have to purchase printed cans in quantities of approximately 205,000—that’s how many fit into a 53-foot semi-trailer,” he said. “We’ve been using sleeves for Golden Bobcat up to this point. But next Friday, we’ll be getting our first shipment of printed cans for Golden Bobcat Pale Ale.” A pale ale is a uniquely American beer variety that is “highly aromatic and cleanly bitter from the use of American hops, with a crisp but fruity body [that is an] alternative to mainstream light lagers,” according to All About Beer Magazine. JJBC brews far more than just Golden Bobcat Pale Ale. It cans five other beers (and as many as eight more are available in kegs), using as many local ingredients as possible including filtered water from the Missouri River. “Honestly, canning six different beers is me being aggressive,” Jeremiah said. “A lot of craft breweries don’t can that many, since the cost of cans is a big expense. Brewing is capital intensive.”
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2018
He and Katie work with many MSU alumni directly and indirectly along the way. “Great Falls is in the heart of barley country,” Jeremiah says. “Great Falls is in the ‘Golden Triangle’ of the state that runs from Cut Bank to Havre to south of Great Falls. It’s rich in wheat and barley and is known as the Golden Triangle in the agricultural world.” Much of the barley used by JJBC — and most other brewers in the region, for that matter — is processed by the Malteurop plant in Great Falls. “We get our base from Malteurop, who gets almost all of their barley from the Golden Triangle. And many of those farmers went to the ag college at MSU,” Jeremiah said. “We use a roasted, two-row barley as our base barley. We could malt our
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own, but because of the amount we need that’s impractical at this point. But the case can be made that there’s a need for specialty malt plant in Montana. I mean, this is where it comes from to begin with!” Jeremiah should know. Not only is he becoming wellversed in brewing, he’s also an accomplished businessman. Prior to becoming a brewer, he was head business developer at the Great Falls Development Authority, a public/private partnership that cultivates industry in the city. “I worked on finance deals while I was there,” he said. “I helped put together incentive packages to bring businesses to Great Falls.” He helped develop the heavy industrial rail park, as well as the Great Falls Agritech Park.
“That was the best gig ever,” Jeremiah said. “I worked there for seven years, and had no idea what I was getting into when I started. I was able to learn quickly and met so many business people along the way. Then West Bank, LLC, hired me to market a mixed-use development called West Bank Landing in Great Falls.” One of the partners was the aforementioned Talcott, whose wife owned The Front Brewing Company. “Brad and Linda are great people,” he said. “They’ve been huge ambassadors for Great Falls for years. They started a brewery because they wanted to create a missing piece of the puzzle for Great Falls. Six years into it, they wanted to sell. That was their original intention. They started talking to me in
January 2017, and it just so happened that my wife and I had been talking about having an investment of our own.” While sales have been strong statewide, Jeremiah said there’s a market in particular that Golden Bobcat has had a tough time penetrating. “We sell a ton of this beer in Great Falls, Kalispell, Helena and, of course, Bozeman,” he said. “But we just don’t sell a bunch of it in Missoula. However, I did get an email from somebody there recently asking about it. So, maybe there’s hope!”
#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
PintPass B O Z E M A N A L U M ’ S S M A R T P H O N E A P P PAY S YO U TO G O TO C R A F T B R E W E R I E S A N D T RY THEIR BEER BY SK IP A NDE RS ON
Ryan Rickert ’06, doesn’t necessarily appreciate being counted amongst people who start multiple businesses, nor did he set out to become one. Truth of the matter is, he had already begun his journey down that road long before 2013 when he sat beside his wife’s hospital bed following a complicated birth that brought their first child into the world. The complications came on suddenly and unexpectedly, causing Maggie (Hartzheim) Rickert, a former MSU student, to stay in the hospital for a week. Once she was stable and their child, Berron, was healthy, Ryan’s friends hoped the new father could slip out to the parking lot long enough for them to toast him, Maggie, and their newborn son with a cold one. “Maggie had a Class IV hemorrhage and almost died,” Ryan told The Collegian. “She had to have surgery and multiple blood transfusions; it was really scary. A few days later—once she was healing and clearly out of the woods—I thought I could
duck out and meet them in a parking lot for a very quick beer. But when the time came, I just didn’t want to leave the room. I said to myself, ‘Man! I wish I could bank those beer credits!’ ” That right there, in the hospital at his wife’s bedside, was the spark that led him to create Text-a-Beer, a beersharing platform that eventually evolved into the PintPass app. “PintPass literally pays you to go to craft breweries and try their beer,” Ryan said. “There’s no membership or subscription fees involved. You just rate the beer you had and give your opinion on a scale from 1 to 10 about the ambience and service at the venue, and we’ll ‘drip’ $2 into your free account. It’s fast, it’s easy and the brewery doesn’t even have to sign up to participate.” Ryan says the app shares those opinions with the breweries and the Brewers Association, a national trade organization representing more than 5,000 small and independent craft breweries nationwide. “We’re the only app ever to pay you to have a beer,” he said. “The app is absolutely free with zero strings attached. There’s no
membership fee required. The only thing you pay for in the app is if you want to send a buddy a beer.” In that case, he said, a virtual MasterCard called Bento Card takes care of the rest via the PintPass app. If the recipient of the gifted beer doesn’t have the app, s/he will receive a message with a link to download the free PintPass app. PintPass works with MasterCard to facilitate the transactions when PintPass “drips” $2 of real, U.S. legal tender currency into a person’s PintPass account for each brewery s/he visits each day. And the user can return to those same breweries—or others—the next day and receive another $2 via the app. And again the next day, and so on. Thanks to Bento/MasterCard issuing the user a virtual debit card within the app, that money is available immediately to be spent on beer, food, merchandise or tips at any craft brewery in the U.S. The only catch? Location services enables PintPass and MasterCard to ensure the funds in the PintPass accounts are spent in one of more than 5,000 craft breweries across the country.
“This is a purposedriving initiative; I love the community created by craft beer breweries,” Ryan said. “It doesn’t matter your shade of skin or what your political preference is, or anything else. In this turbulent world, food and beverage bring people together. And I realized I could create a platform that fosters and encourages this.” The Sioux Falls, South Dakotaborn entrepreneur has brought several “sparks” to life since graduating MSU with a degree in marketing. He also created a “text-engagement experience” that offers attendees of sporting events chances to win prizes immediately. Ryan describes Stadium Experience as a “hyperengagement app” that is a “sales driver,” often for beer during a professional sporting event. It also offers in-game promotions for bars and restaurants nearby after the game and specials for Uber and Lyft for a responsible ride home.
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2018
PRE SIDE N T ’S COMMIS SION ON T HE S TAT US OF UNI V E RSI T Y WOME N
MSU WOMEN TIMELINE 1893 Founded as the Agricultural College of the State of Montana, MSU’s first class had three female and five male students.
1890s
1894 Hilma Sundell becomes the first librarian of MSU and Kate Calvin is the first female professor, broadening the education available to early students.
1910s
1911
Una Herrick serves as the first Dean of the College of Household and Industrial Arts until 1932 and later becomes the first Dean of Women. She encouraged women to develop skills that would help them be financially independent.
Una Herrick pouring tea for students. 1920s
1922 Harriette Cushman becomes the first woman poultry specialist with Extension Service. She leads the way in recognizing poultry as both a mainstay of home economies and an essential source of income for women.
1923 The first Women’s Day event is held. Started by Una Herrick, it features a “Blue and Gold Professional” and awards for outstanding female athletes.
1930s
Anna Sherrick
1937 Anna Pearl Sherrick becomes the founding director of the nursing programs at MSU. 1940s
1940 Mildred Leigh is the first director of the Strand Union, serving from 1940-1967. Leigh Lounge is named in her honor.
1941
Frances Senska begins teaching pottery, and in 1946 Jessie Wilber begins teaching painting, which they do until the early 70s. They found the School of Art along with Bob DeWeese.
1950s
1957
Caroline McGill, a doctor from Butte, helps to found Museum of the Rockies and serves as its first curator. 1960s
1965 Ellen Kreighbaum starts the Montana State Women’s Athletic Association intramurals program. She is the first faculty member to champion competitive women’s athletics on the Bozeman campus.
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An oil portrait of Dr. Caroline McGill is hung on a wall.
I N T H I S Y E A R C E L E B R A T I N G M S U ’ S 1 2 5 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y, T H E P R E S I D E N T ’ S C O M M I S S I O N ON T HE S TAT US OF UNI V E RSI T Y WOME N IS HONORING WOME N LE ADE RS, PROBLE M S O L V E R S A N D I N N O V A T O R S F R O M T O D AY A N D T H R O U G H O U T M S U ’ S H I S T O R Y. www.montana.edu/125women 1974
Citing the passage of Title IX in 1972, five women faculty sue MSU alleging gender discrimination. They win their lawsuit in 1976, leading to extensive promotions with accompanying salary increases and institutional changes.
1970s
1977
Ginny Hunt becomes the first Director of Women’s Athletics in the country. Helping MSU to lead the nation in women’s athletics, she is honored with the NACWAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
1978
Mary Lukin ’67, and a member of the Blackfeet Indian tribe, starts TriO and serves as the first program director until 2005.
1980s
1988 Cathe Curnow Neu ’69, is the first woman inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. 1989 The first students enroll in the newly created Women’s Studies minor. Michelle Maskiell, Assistant Dean of CLS and Associate Professor of History, chairs the founding committee.
Women participating in the Women Aware Conference at Montana State University.
1982 The Women’s Center is established, originally called The Women’s Resource Center. Its mission is to raise the status and awareness of women and our unique concerns and needs at MSU. 1986 Diane Hill, ’84 ,’87 M, is the first female student body president of ASMSU.
1990s
1999 Sharron Quisenberry is named the first woman College of Agriculture dean and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station director. 2000s
2006 The Women’s Faculty Caucus is founded to address concerns of women faculty as well as gender-specific issues across campus and beyond. 2010s
2010
Waded Cruzado becomes the first woman president of Montana State University.
2011
Susan Dana is the first woman Dean of Business, acting as interim dean until 2012. The President’s Commission on the Status of University Women is created to study, evaluate and advise the president on issues related to diversity and gender equity.
2018
2013 The first Chair of the President’s Commission on the Status of University Women, Anne Camper, is honored as the first woman Montana University System Regents Professor. Anne Camper
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PHOTO CREDIT
2018
An Optics Hub Bozeman has the highest concentration of optics and photonics companies in the nation, with MSU’s OpTEC at the forefront of optics research.
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#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
PHOTO CREDIT
Bobcat stadium turns laboratory for local photonics firm When a local high-tech company needed to practice its latest photonics technology on something resembling the giant radio dish at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory, it turned to Bobcat Stadium at Montana State University. “It’s the most dish-like thing we could find,” said Stephen Crouch ’12, of Blackmore Sensors and Analytics Inc., who visited Arecibo with two fellow employees in May to create a 3-D model of the famed radio telescope. The model could help Arecibo’s managers calibrate the telescope in the wake of a recent hurricane, Crouch said. On a mid-April afternoon, Blackmore’s binocular-like device swiveled on a tripod at the stadium’s 50-yard line, scanning the empty stands with a camera and a harmless laser—called a lidar sensor— whose beams of invisible light measured the distance to each point on the structure. “It’s accurate to within a few millimeters,” said Crouch, who is Blackmore’s chief technical officer. A laptop on the sidelines showed the results: a virtual reality-like panorama created by powerful software that combined the optical images with the laser-generated 3-D model. According to Crouch, the stadium was also a fitting location because of the ties between Montana’s land-grant research university and the growing company. Several
of Blackmore’s co-founders conducted photonics research at MSU as students or research scientists before going on to establish the company. Most of Blackmore’s 20 interns during the past two years have been MSU students. And today, nearly half of the company’s roughly 50 employees are MSU alumni. Crouch earned his master’s in the Department of Physics in MSU’s College of Letters and Science in 2012. He researched lidar in MSU’s Spectrum Lab, which was established in 1999 to advance technologies emerging from research at MSU, foster their transition to Montana companies and provide educational opportunities for students. The challenging research helped launch Crouch into a career in Bozeman’s thriving optics sector, he said. “The research that we’re doing here is training students and
giving them skills they can use to go out and start companies,” said Joe Shaw, director of MSU’s Optical Technology Center, or OpTeC, which includes the Spectrum Lab. “It’s exciting to see what’s happening at Blackmore,” said Shaw, who is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in MSU’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering. “They’re stepping into a market that’s developing really rapidly.” Earlier in March, Blackmore announced that it received $18 million in venture funding from the research and development wings of Toyota and BMW. The funding will help Blackmore scale up development and manufacturing of another lidar sensor that could soon be used in automobiles to detect obstacles and other vehicles.
According to Shaw, the funding infusion is almost certainly the largest in the history of Bozeman’s lasers and optics sector. “Blackmore is definitely pioneering a new path for the photonics industry here,” Shaw said. Besides creating precise 3-D models of huge objects like the Arecibo telescope, the lidar scanner could find a variety of other applications, Crouch said. For instance, in large mines it could be used to detect early signs of collapsing walls, so that workers and equipment could be moved to safety. At Bobcat Stadium, Crouch and his team practiced their routine and worked out minor quirks in the software. After years of developing the technology, seeing it in action “is really gratifying,” Crouch said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”
Several of Blackmore’s co-founders conducted photonics research at MSU as students or research scientists before going on to establish the company. Most of Blackmore’s 20 interns during the past two years have been MSU students. And today, nearly half of the company’s roughly 50 employees are MSU alumni.
During an April 9, 2018 test at Bobcat Stadium, Blackmore’s new technology combined optical images with a laser-generated 3-D model to produce a virtual reality-like panorama. Image courtesy Blackmore.
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PHOTO CREDIT
2018
Her home’s in Montana BY SK IP A NDE RSON
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“The show’s co-host Trecie Wheat-Hughes and I spot homes in the market [in Southwest Montana] that are diamonds-in-the-rough for potential buyers,” Jackie said. “I’m the construction expert, and Trecie is the designer who brings it all together in the end. We’re professionals and we know what we’re doing, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously—the producers say that we come across as ‘being real,’ and I don’t want to come across any other way!” The show’s producers are banking on Montana’s increasing popularity nationwide to draw in viewers when the show debuts in early 2019. “We’ll have wrapped up shooting all eight episodes of Season One by the end of this summer. Some of my friends have said they’re worried the show might add to the population boom,” Jackie said, laughing. “But anybody who watches Season One will also see how brutal this past winter has been. So, that might tamp down the boom that might have happened otherwise.” In addition to being a TV star, Jackie is also a successful real estate agent with PureWest Christie’s International Real Estate, and a wife and mother. The night Jackie would meet her future husband, she was pumping money into the jukebox at the venerable Eagle’s Lodge on Bozeman’s East Main Street a few blocks north of campus. She was a non-traditional student at MSU at the time who would graduate in 2011 with a
degree in liberal studies. That night, she was playing Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, and maybe some Hank III, she remembers. Her eventual husband, Jason Wickens, was drawn to her—and they both agree on this next point—for her musical tastes, as much as anything. “I was playing some really good tunes on the jukebox and [Jason] wandered up to see who was playing them,” Jackie said. That Jason appreciates old-school country tunes sung by the artists who wrote them reflected favorably in her eyes, too. Today, Jackie and Jason live in Bear Canyon just east of Bozeman, where their two pre-school children Nash and Nellie play in the creek that runs through their wooded mountainside property. Jason is a singer/songwriter who also co-owns and operates the studio where he and his business partner record the “Live from the Divide” syndicated radio program that features primarily roots, Americana and country artists. Jackie worked construction for several years before her career in real estate. “I had a lot of odd jobs, all of which taught me something along the way.” She is currently listed among the top 30 real estate agents in terms of dollars sold out of the 1,200 or so who work in Bozeman. This, she said, laid the groundwork for her eventual career in television. “I started at MSU in construction engineering and photography, then agriculture operations,”
she says. “The director of the program left before I graduated, so I jumped ship to work construction, doing concrete, tile and timber framing. I was also a sawyer at Big Timberworks in Gallatin Gateway. It was a great opportunity with lots of mentors there who were willing to teach.” Jackie returned to MSU and graduated in 2011, three years after she and Jason married, and one year before she would give birth to Nash, their first of two children. However, Nellie, now 2, made her arrival a week early—while both Jackie and Jason were at a taping of “Live from the Divide.” “[Singer/songwriter] Grace Askew was on the stage singing to a sold-out crowd when I said to Jason, ‘We have to go right now!’ ” Jackie said. “I knew I was definitely going into labor!” Other than the inopportune timing of the onset of labor, Nellie’s delivery was happily uneventful. “I’m a people person, and MSU attracts a lot of interesting people from all over the place,” Jackie said. “The university adds so much to the life of town.” “Live from the Divide” syndicated radio program airs weekly throughout portions of the Mountain West region, and is available for streaming online at livefromthedivide. com. “Montana Home” is scheduled to debut on HGTV in early 2019, at 9 p.m. MDT.
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
PHOTO CREDIT
Montana State University alumna Jackie (Darnell) Wickens ’11, is set to become HGTV’s newest rising star, with the renovation show she co-hosts, “Montana Home,” expected to debut in early 2019
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F E AT U R E D A L U M RYAN HANNAHOE is the executive director of the Montana Learning Center at Canyon Ferry Lake, the area’s premier science camp for kids and center for teacher training. Ryan graduated from Montana State University in 2012. Ryan’s work has been featured by NASA and the Smithsonian. His night-sky photography is on permanent display at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.
The Orion & Running Man Nebulae The Orion Nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas that resides in the constellation of Orion. This object spans 13 light-years across and contains over 3,000 stars. The nebula is located some 1,500 light-years from Earth and appears in the winter sky for observers from the northern hemisphere. Dr. Henry Draper became the first person to photograph this object in the year 1880, and his image of the Orion Nebula became the first deep-sky photograph ever taken. Image credit: Ryan Hannahoe & Salvatore Grasso Location: Mayhill, New Mexico
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B Y 2 016 -17, M S U ’ S E N R O L L E M E N T H A D G R O W N T O 16 ,7 0 3 S T U D E N T S (5 3 % M A L E , 47 % F E M A L E ) W I T H 3 , 1 8 0 D E G R E E S A N D C E R T I F I C A T E S A W A R D E D.
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
125 Years Later
From the Bozeman Courier newspaper, circa 1943
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Dear alumni, friends and fans, One of the greatest traditions on a campus of higher learning is that of commencement. Two-thousand MSU graduates this May cheered and celebrated this momentous occasion. At commencement ceremonies, I have the unique role of welcoming the graduating class to alumni status. During my comments, I let the graduates know they now belong to the impressive roster of MSU alumni and that being a Bobcat is not just for a few years in college, but is a lifetime adventure. While most certainly quieter, can you picture Montana State’s first four graduates—two women and two men—on their commencement day in 1896? They, like today’s graduates and their families, would have rejoiced with faculty and then college president Reid in great festivity knowing they were making history. Attending and earning a college degree is an incredible accomplishment. Worldwide, only seven percent of the population earns a college degree. In the United States, 66 percent of high school graduates nationally go on to college. That number is lower for rural states like Montana where about 60 percent of high school graduates enroll in college. For those students who continue on their educational path, many discover college is an uphill road. It takes a fair amount of determination and grit to stay on track, but the journey itself can be as valuable as the degree earned. Graduation day, a culmination of hard work, is indeed a marked achievement, no matter the year or institution. I will always be proud to be a graduate of MSU, and I celebrate with all of you. Thousands of new college graduates are entering our workforce or are choosing to continue in their higher education pursuits. Just think about the impact MSU graduates have had in our state, our country and our world, as well as the alumni of our sister institutions and their influence in creating a stronger Montana for over 125 years. Montana State alone has 122 years of graduates numbering nearly 125,000. Thank you for being part of this Montana State University legacy. We have a lot to celebrate, together! In blue & gold,
Kerry Hanson ’93, ’08 M Vice President of Alumni Engagement
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#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
ALUMNI ADVOCATE NETWORK
MSU alumni are raising their voices for higher education The coming year is of critical importance to higher education in Montana and to Montana State University. Alumni and friends are encouraged to take an active role as advocates and employ their powerful Bobcat voices to champion Montana’s colleges and universities. In November 2018, Montana voters will decide whether to support the 6-Mill Levy ballot measure which has been in place for 70 years. Access to and affordability of higher education, and the collective value of thriving colleges and universities in Montana, are central to the intent and purpose of the 6-Mill Levy. Because generations of Montanans have supported the 6-Mill Levy, it is not a new tax and reaffirming it does not create a tax increase. From January—April 2019, the Montana Legislature convenes, and as part of its agenda will determine the state’s level of support for higher education. MSU’s funding priorities for the upcoming legislative session include: •
Romney Hall academic teaching facility renovation
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Support of need-based student aid for Montanans
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Minimal inflationary adjustments to the university’s base operations budget
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Modest salary adjustment to help retain dedicated faculty and staff
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Meet MSU Alumni Advocate, Stephanie Parson ’98 · From Whitefish, lives in Kalispell · Bachelor of Science in Finance · Senior consultant, NBS, financial consultants for communities · Spouse, Chris ’98, director, Kalispell Small Business Development Center · Mother of 4-year-old daughter, Hailey · Volunteer, Alumni Association Flathead Valley Chapter · Life member, MSU Alumni Association
“I received a fantastic education at MSU and have so many fond memories of my time on campus. Because MSU has given so much to me, both professionally and personally, I decided to become an alumni advocate so I could give back to MSU and the Montana University System. Like many of my fellow Montanans, going to college was made possible, in part, by the financial support of the 6-Mill Levy. The continuation of the 6-Mill Levy will help sustain affordable higher education for future generations of Montanans.” —Stephanie Parson
For more information and to apply as a volunteer, visit msuaf.org/advocate.
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Calendar Make plans to join other Bobcats back on campus during MSU’s exciting 125th year, or look for an alumni event in your area.
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Convocation The annual welcome to the incoming class and a favorite community event. We encourage all alumni to join in celebrating the beginning of the 2018–19 school year by reading, “Justice, What’s the Right Thing to Do?” by Michael J. Sandel, a political and moral justice philosopher. Free and open to the public.
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Homecoming week Oct. 12--13, the annual gathering of Bobcats young and old.
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Cat-Griz Game Nov. 17, the 118th Brawl of the Wild in Missoula. Check in regularly for Bobcat Athletic opportunities throughout the year in all sports! msubobcatclub.com
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Lighting of Montana Hall Dec. 5. It’s become a tradition, and it’s almost always equal parts chilly and spectacular.
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MSU Celebrates 125 years A year-long celebration continues through December 2018. montana.edu/125
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Extraordinary Ordinary Women of MSU Nov. 2, 125 remarkable women of Montana State will be recognized.
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Awards for Excellence In February, outstanding senior students are recognized and, in turn, honor their faculty or staff mentor. A truly inspirational event.
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American Indian Alumni Breakfast Held in conjunction with the MSU American Indian Council Pow Wow.
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Women’s History Reception Annual award recognition for students who demonstrate excellence in diversity, equality and leadership.
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Commencement Class Reunions May 2–4, 2019, celebrating the classes of 1949, 1959 and 1969.
For details on these and many, many other events, visit us at msuaf.org/calendar.
Montana State matters; your Membership matters.
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As one of nearly 125,000 graduates, you are a part of a phenomenal community of Bobcats. Show your pride and support in MSU by joining the Alumni Association. Your membership supports alumni events near and far, outreach and communications to alumni and scholarships for students who are our future alumni! Complete the inserted envelope in this issue of the Collegian, or visit us at msuaf.org/join to learn more.
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A longstanding tradition, join us as we cheer on the ’Cats! Away Tailgates $20 per person. Includes tailgate, full meal, one
complimentary adult beverage and soft drinks/water. Children 18 or younger are $10 per person. The Cat-Griz tailgate will be free with a nohost bar and snacks. Homecoming Tailgate $25 per person. Includes tailgate, full meal, one complimentary adult beverage and soft drinks/water. Children 18 or younger are $10 per person.
#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Tailgates for Bobcat Alumni, Friends, Families and Fans
To ensure we can accommodate everyone, please RSVP in advance for all tailgates at msuaf.org/calendar.
BOBC AT F R I DAY N IG H T S A great reason to gather with fellow MSU alumni and Bobcat fans the Friday night before away games. See the schedule below for a list of locations with Bobcat Friday Night events.
GAMEDAY ISN’T COMPLETE WITHOUT A TAILGATE! SE P T E M BE R 7 Bobcat Friday Night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota 5:00 p.m./CDT 8 MSU Alumni Foundation Tailgate in Brookings, South Dakota 8 MSU @ South Dakota State 21 Bobcat Friday Night in Hillsboro, Oregon 5:00 p.m./PDT 22 MSU Alumni Foundation Tailgate in Hillsboro, Oregon 22 MSU @ Portland State
O C T OBE R 13 MSU Alumni Foundation Homecoming Tailgate 13 MSU v. Idaho in Bozeman 20 MSU Alumni Foundation Tailgate in Ogden, Utah 20 MSU @ Weber State 27 MSU Alumni Foundation Tailgate in Pocatello, Idaho 27 MSU @ Idaho State
NOV E M BE R 16 Bobcat Friday Night in Missoula 5:00 p.m./MST 17 MSU Alumni Foundation Tailgate in Missoula 17 MSU @ Montana
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2018
Each fall, alumni from across the country come home to Bozeman and MSU to see friends, celebrate Blue & Gold traditions, walk campus and watch the ’Cats at Bobcat Stadium. We hope to see you this year!
#msucollegian
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PHOTO CREDIT
Homecoming
UPCOMING EVENTS Homecoming Week 2018 All week: Museum of the Rockies new exhibits: Polar Obsession is a photography exhibition featuring striking images of the world’s polar regions from National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen. The images will take visitors underwater and across the ice, delivering a unique close-up of wildlife in the Arctic and Antarctic. Into the Arctic showcases over 50 original oil paintings plus three feature-length films documenting Trépanier’s expeditions to the furthest reaches of the Canadian Arctic, a biosphere so remote and untouched, that most of its vast landscape has never been painted before. Tuesday, October 9 7:00 p.m. Homecoming Bingo at the Rocking R Bar Wednesday, October 10 11:00 a.m. BBQ on Centennial Mall 8:00 p.m. Lighting of the M on Mount Baldy | Hike to the top to participate! Thursday, October 11 4:00 p.m. Jake Jabs College of Business & Entrepreneurship Homecoming Awards | Jabs Hall Room 207 7:00 p.m. MSU Volleyball vs. University of Idaho 9:00 p.m. Go ’Cats Lighting | Hedges Residence Halls Friday, October 12: Blue and Gold Friday All Day Coffee Cats at Renee Library, coupons available at the Alumni Foundation 8:00 a.m. President’s Homecoming Breakfast, presentation of the Blue & Gold Awards SUB Ballrooms A&B 10:30 a.m. College of Nursing Homecoming Awards | Leigh Lounge 1:30 p.m. College of Agriculture Homecoming Awards | Animal Bioscience Building, Room 138 3:00 p.m. College of Arts & Architecture Homecoming Awards | Helen E. Copeland Gallery 3:00 p.m. College of Education, Health and Human Development Homecoming Awards SUB Ballroom B 3:00 p.m. Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony | SUB Ballroom A 3:00 p.m. Honors College Homecoming Awards | Procrastinator Theater 4:00 p.m. College of Letters & Science Homecoming Awards | Leigh Lounge 4:00 p.m. Alumni Friday at the Rocking R Bar 5:00 p.m. Fraternity and Sorority Social | Rocking R Bar 5:30 p.m. Homecoming Pep-Rally | Downtown Bozeman Saturday, October 13: Bobcat Saturday 10:00 a.m. ASMSU Homecoming Parade | Downtown Bozeman 11:30 a.m. Homecoming Tailgate | MSU Practice Fields on Kagy Blvd., across from Bobcat Stadium $25/person 2:00 p.m. MSU Football vs. University of Idaho 7:00 p.m. MSU Volleyball vs. Eastern Washington For the most up-to-date information on events, go to msuaf.org/homecoming.
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ALUMNI CHAPTER VOLUNTEERS
CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
Inland Northwest—Spokane
CHAPTERS
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EVENTS
GUESTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS msuaf.org/calendar
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Alumni Chapters
• • • • • • •
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Alumni Association Chapters
Billings Area Boise Valley Columbia River Five Valleys (Missoula area) Flathead Valley Gallatin Valley Greater Twin Cities Area
• Houston Area • Inland Northwest
(Spokane area) • Mile High (Denver area) • Puget Sound (Seattle area) • Sleeping Giant
(Greater Helena area)
Call for Volunteers & Alumni Information Updates Volunteers: Help connect Bobcats to each other and back to MSU by volunteering on a chapter leadership team. For more information, contact Allison Hupp at allison.hupp@msuaf.org. Alumni Information Updates: Not getting invited to alumni events? It is probably because we don’t have your updated email and/or mailing address information. Visit msuaf.org/info to update your information and get connected!
Once a Bobcat, always a Bobcat Wherever you go, you will find MSU alumni and friends, and with a dozen chapters across the country, there is always something fun and exciting happening.
The Inland Northwest chapter gathered in May with MSU deans and faculty at Maryhill Winery Tasting Room for “Doig Country” a conversation about the literature, history and geography that Ivan Doig explored in his memoirs and fiction. • Terri Krohn ’75 (Chair) • Mary Ann Blair ’04 • Jackie Casey ’09
• Rob Hoyem ’86 • Mary Margaret Pratt ’88 • Jane Baldwin ’79
Alumni, Friends & Fan Events Alumni Socials 1 Alumni Leadership Forum Awards Reception 4 Boise Valley 5 Sleeping Giant Bobcat Family Activities 2 Boise Valley—Annual Bobcat Family Picnic 8 Columbia River—Parent & Student Party Athletic Support 3 Flathead Valley—Cat-Griz Watch Party 9 Houston Area—Gold Rush (Jill ’04 and Stephen Funk) Bobcat Business Showcases 6 Inland Northwest—Pinot’s Palette Paint & Sip Event (Jackie Casey ’09 and Jeff Hansen ’10) 7 Gallatin Valley—R-Bar MSU 125th Trivia Night 10 Sleeping Giant—Impacts of Engineering, Great West Engineering (Dr. Brett Gunnink, Dean of Engineering, Dan McCauley ’80 and Dr. Jerry Stephens) MSU Updates 11 Puget Sound—Doig Country “Imagining Montana and the West” (Steve Rovig ’75 and Carol Doig)
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Reunion events attract hundreds of alumni for weekends filled with dinners, dancing, rekindled friendships and memories. There is no better time to reflect on how MSU has impacted your life than during a reunion. The MSU Alumni Foundation is honored to partner with groups to host reunions for any affinity group. Here are but a few ways to follow your heart back to MSU. September 28–29
Phi Sigma Kappa | Classes of 1960–1975 October 12–13
Alpha Gamma Delta | Class of 1963 October 12–14
Alpha Gamma Delta | Class of 1978 October 12–14
Chemical Engineering | Class of 1973 October 13
Delta Gamma Reunion October 12–13
Pi Kappa Alpha—Gamma Kappa Chapter 90th Anniversary October 13
Sigma Chi Alumni Weekend October 12–13
Spirit of the West Alumni Band October 13
Spurs and Fangs | Class of 1971 For a complete listing of reunions, visit msuaf.org/reuniongroups. To host a reunion for an affinity group contact Jen Poser at 406-994-7203 or jennifer.poser@msuaf.org.
Pi Kappa Alpha—Gamma Kappa Chapter 90th Anniversary Celebration October 12–13 This fall, Pi Kappa Alpha will celebrate 90 years at Montana State during Homecoming weekend. Since its founding, over 2,000 members have been initiated and been part of a thriving brotherhood. At the 2018 Fraternity and Sorority Awards, the Pi Kappa Alpha Chapter received the Chapter of the Year award. For event information, please visit msuaf.org/pike18.
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2018
REUNION GROUPS
#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Spirit of the West Marching Band—We’re getting the band back together! October 12–13 The Montana State “Bobcat” Band was established in 1906 under the direction of Lou Howard. At the time, the band consisted of just under 20 members and would have performed at the original site for Bobcat football games at historic Gatton Field. Over the next few decades, the band transformed into a full-scale marching band and enjoyed many years of prosperity under the direction of Edmund Sedivy. After a several year period of inactivity through the early 1980s, the band was reborn under the leadership of Timothy Salzman as the “Spirit of the West” with an updated look and modern approach to marching. Despite a rapid transition of directors, the band found incredible success performing at the 2001 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, under the direction of Brad Fuster. Thanks to a dramatic university-wide recruiting effort, the “Spirit of the West” peaked at over 190 members in 2015. Through our very long and exciting history, the MSC/MSU Band has served thousands of student musicians who have had the privilege of working with dozens of directors including, Jonathan Good, Lisa Hunter, Patrick Carney, Dan Moore, Zane Douglas, Stephen Versaevel and Nathan Stark. In conjunction with Montana State’s 125th Anniversary, the Spirit of the West Marching Band invites band alumni to perform in the Homecoming Alumni Band. The Homecoming band will feature the firey trumpet sounds of Vince DiMartino, founder of the American Brass Band, and his son Gabriel DiMartino, lead trumpet of the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. For event information, please visit msuaf.org/band18.
“When asked about the ‘Spirit’ of the band, it is obvious to all who have known us that the band belongs to the members. The true ‘Spirit’ of the ‘Spirit of the West’ is found in every member and in every step we have taken over 100 years of marching and music.” —Nathan Stark, Director of the Spirit of the West
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#msucollegian
This May, we celebrated the MSC/MSU classes of 1948, 1958 and 1968 during Commencement weekend. Fond memories were rekindled and new ones made as class members shared stories, attended college activities, received their anniversary diplomas, met students on campus and enjoyed a wonderful weekend.
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
PHOTO CREDIT
Class Reunions
A special thank you to this year’s reunion committee who helped rally the classmates to attend the reunion weekend: Pat Robbins ’58 Mike Ferris ’68 Marcia (Anderson) Jarrett ’68 Mary Ann (Bailey) Lammers ’68
The 2018 reunion classes donated a total $418,856 to support student scholarships. Thank you to the classes of 1948, 1958 and 1968!
CLASSES OF 1949, 1959, 1969 REUNION WEEKEND Revisit your student days and come back to Montana State! We are excited to welcome back the classes of 1949, 1959 and 1969 for your 50, 60 and 70-year reunions! It is your time to catch up with old classmates, take a walk down the Centennial Mall and celebrate! Class reunions will be held May 2–4, 2019, in Bozeman. For more information on your class reunion visit msuaf.org/reunions.
May 2–4, 2019 1949, 1959, 1969 Class Reunions Get involved! If you are interested in serving on your class reunion committee, contact us. You can help encourage your classmates to attend the weekend. Please contact Jen Poser at jennifer.poser@msuaf.org or 406-994-7203.
“President Cruzado is a gem! Every time I hear her speak, I get so excited about MSU—and so very proud to be an alum and a Bobcat. The entire reunion was outstanding. The staff were so helpful and what wonderful ambassadors they were!” –member of the Class of 1968
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Alumni Scholarships Funded by alumni, these scholarships are awarded by the Montana State University Alumni Foundation to students who show excellence in academics and in campus involvement and leadership. For application information and/or to donate to these scholarships visit msuaf.org/scholarships.
Erica Casey
ALUMNI LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
Major: Nursing Legacy: Stacey (May) Casey ’92 & Todd Casey ’92 “Growing up, MSU was my dream school. I am so blessed to be able to attend MSU, and scholarships like this allow me to afford it.”
Sarah Hodgskiss
Major: Human Development & Family Services Minor: Business Administration Legacy: Beth (Brown) Hodgskiss ’83 & Lyle Hodgskiss ’85
ALUMNI LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
“Donors make it possible for students to continue their education past high school and to also stay involved on campus. I want alumni to know that their generosity will make a difference in my life and for others who will receive this scholarship.”
Serena Klopp
Major: Cell Biology Neuroscience & Art Studio: Metalsmithing Legacy: David Klopp ’85
ALUMNI LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
“I’m both extremely delighted and grateful to be receiving the Alumni Legacy Scholarship. I appreciate the value that the Alumni Foundation places in helping students continue their education at MSU. I hope in the future I am able to pay forward this opportunity to an aspiring student.”
Makayla Moorhouse
Major: Chemical Engineering Minor: Math Legacy: Karrie (Sherick) Moorhouse ’90 & Judd Moorhouse ’91
ALUMNI LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
“I am a third-generation Bobcat engineer from Minnesota. I am thankful to be receiving the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, so I can continue to learn and thrive during my college adventure at MSU.”
Michael Walsh
ALUMNI LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
Major: Agriculture Business Legacy: Mary Beth (Holzer) Walsh ’86 & Kenneth Walsh ’76, ’82 M
“Part of the reason that Montana State University is a world-class institution is because of the support that alumni give back to their alma mater. With the help of this scholarship award, I will be able to become more involved on campus and in the community. This will help me attain my career goal of returning home to manage the family ranch.”
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JAYNEE DRANGE GROSETH SCHOLARSHIP
Caitlin Holzer
Major: Psychology Legacy: Katharine (Albrecht) Holzer’86, ’89 M & James Holzer ’86
“This scholarship provides me with the support to pursue my dreams and eventually use my gifts in a way that will make the world a better place for all. I look forward to using this opportunity to learn and contribute to MSU for future generations of Bobcats.”
Darby Mackenstadt
Major: Organismal Biology Minor: Psychology Legacy: Heather (McKerrow) Mackenstadt’94, ’15 M
JAYNEE DRANGE GROSETH SCHOLARSHIP
“I am extremely grateful for the Jaynee Drange Groseth Scholarship as it will give me more time to spend with my extracurriculars such as CAP, the Voice Center and Alpha Omicron Pi. I am very passionate about every one of these organizations and cherish the short amount of time I have to spend with them here at MSU.”
Alexander Salois
JAYNEE DRANGE GROSETH SCHOLARSHIP
Major: Computer Engineering Legacy: Jennifer (Campbell) Salois ’92 & Charles Salois ’94
“This scholarship will allow me to become the computer engineer I have always wanted to become, all while being part of the Bobcat community.”
Daria Vinchesi
Major: Liberal Studies Minor: French Legacy: Brian Vinchesi ’80
JAYNEE DRANGE GROSETH SCHOLARSHIP
“This scholarship will allow me to be able to focus on my academics more with less stress about finances, which will ultimately aid me in achieving my goals of teaching in France after I graduate.”
Kelsey Moorhouse
HOUSTON AREA CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP
Major: Mechanical Engineering Legacy: Karrie (Sherik) Moorhouse ’90 & Judd Moorhouse ’91
“I am so grateful to have received a scholarship from the Houston Area chapter. It will allow me to take full advantage of the opportunities offered to me at Montana State, and I look forward to the next year!”
Kayla Haffner
MSU BOEING EMPLOYEE ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
Major: Engineering Legacy: Penny (Sandefur) Haffner ’86 & Robert Haffner ’88
“Both of my parents and my two siblings have attended MSU, so I am excited to follow in their footsteps and start my life here. Getting this scholarship has helped me financially, which is a large factor in my ability to attend college. It also encourages me to work hard so I can excel in my classes and get good grades throughout my first year of college.”
For application information for any of these scholarships, please visit msuaf.org/scholarships.
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Campaign enters the homestretch With four months to go in the eight-year campaign, the MSU Alumni Foundation is pressing on with the most successful fundraising campaign for education in the state’s history. As of June 30, campaign commitments have exceeded $370 million according to Chris Murray, President and CEO of the MSU Alumni Foundation. “We are simultaneously humbled and elated to have surpassed the $300 million goal and are so very grateful to our supporters for helping meet the fundraising objectives of nearly every campaign priority. However, there are still areas of need that compel us to persevere and to finish strong, hand in hand with so many inspiring donors,” Murray said. The campaign will conclude at the end of 2018 and Murray is optimistic the momentum of philanthropic support for MSU will remain strong going forward. “The generous support for Montana State continues to grow as more alumni and friends see and hear how the university is fulfilling its land-grant mission. They understand their gift can change lives and will further the many positive impacts MSU faculty and students are making in the world,” Murray said. Private support for MSU provides that margin of excellence that fuels the university to achieve its goals and to maintain its reputation for quality and distinction in higher education. “The loyalty and trust of Bobcat donors who make annual gifts coupled with those who make endowed gifts provide the university with targeted and stable sources of investment. Philanthropic resources are allowing MSU to be the very best it can be.”
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$370 million
To date, What It Takes—The Campaign for Montana State University has raised $370 million through gifts from thousands of generous alumni and friends.
#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
CAMPAIGN SUCCESS & HOMESTRETCH GOALS
Investing in PEOPLE $122 million given in support of students and faculty through scholarships, fellowships, professorships and chairs.
HOMESTRETCH GOALS • Scholarships to help keep undergraduate and graduate students out of debt • Faculty Endowments to provide faculty with funding for research and creative projects
Investing in PLACES $108 million given in support of buildings and infrastructure with classrooms, labs and studios to accommodate a growing student enrollment.
HOMESTRETCH GOALS • Athletics Academic Excellence Center will give studentathletes much-needed central space for studying • American Indian Student Center will be a place for Native students to gather and share tribal culture
Investing in PROGRAMS $140 million given in support of academic and outreach programs.
HOMESTRETCH GOAL • The Hilleman Scholars Program provides worthy Montana students with exceptional academic and financial support so they can realize their full potential
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2018
Fundraising Report* *as of June 30, 2018
2 0 17 – 2 0 1 8 ACADEMIC YEAR
Breakdown by area of support
PEOPLE $30.7 million
12,663
PLACES $2.1 million
DONORS
11,449
PROGRAMS $17.9 million
GIFTS TO MSU
$31.6 MM
SCHOLARSHIP DISTRIBUTIONS
This academic year, MSU distributed 5,308 scholarships for a total of $5,787,258 in student support.
TOTAL
Endowment by area of support* *as of March 31, 2018
ENDOWMENT
PROGRAMS
Donor dollars have grown the MSU Foundation’s endowment to $172.4 million.
$41,277,332 23.9%
PEOPLE
PLACES
$8,238,607 4.8%
PEOPLE (FACULTY)
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$21,227,134 12.3 %
(STUDENTS) $101,656,073 59.0%
#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Awards for Excellence celebrates 36th event Students and faculty winners since 1983 were invited back to celebrate as the awards event kicked off MSU’s 125th anniversary celebration. In a ceremony complete with Champ and a rousing drum corps, 40 of Montana State’s top seniors and their faculty and staff mentors were recognized by President Cruzado at the 36th annual Awards for Excellence hosted by the MSU Alumni Foundation. The annual event was especially moving this year, as all past alumni recipients and faculty winners with five or more past awards were invited to attend in celebration of MSU’s 125th anniversary. It was a fantastic event, witnessing the connection of the current students, alumni recipients, families and faculty and staff past and present. The program also recognized Ann Ellsworth (current faculty member with the most excellence awards) and John Hanton (retired faculty with the most ever awards). More than 400 attendees enjoyed the event before President Cruzado led a procession to Spirit Plaza for the opening ceremonies of the Bobcat Birthday Bash. Students are nominated by faculty in their college or department. The qualified seniors must have at least a 3.5 grade point average and demonstrated campus leadership and community service. Each student selects a faculty or staff member to be honored as a mentor.
MSU President Waded Cruzado welcomes retired faculty member John Hanton, who throughout his career, received the most awards of any faculty mentor.
College of Arts & Architecture Dean Dr. Royce Smith (back row, center) joins three student awardees with their faculty/staff mentors.
Honors College student recipient Cara Robertus (Chemical and Biological Engineering) and her selected mentor Dean Dr. Ilse-Mari Lee.
Dean Dr. Nicol Rae, top row, left, and Champ join a total of 11 students and their faculty/staff mentors from the College of Letters and Science.
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Eric ’01 and Molly ’01 Bowman in front of the iconic Owenhouse Ace Hardware store on East Main in Bozeman.
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BY SARAH LUDIN “Owenhouse Ace Hardware’s donations to MSU go way back over the store’s 139-year history, but the more recent donations began in 1998. The owners at that time, Lou Spain ’63, Phil Adams ’69, and myself felt that it was important to recognize the importance of MSU to Bozeman’s economy and to acknowledge that with donations that totaled $50,000 over the next several years.” –Larry Bowman ’69
I
n the office of Eric Bowman ’01, owner of Owenhouse Ace Hardware in Bozeman, there is a prominent procession of black and white photos on the wall, documenting past owners of the 139-year-old business. Eric is the latest in the Bowman family to own the store, which he took over from his father Larry Bowman ’69 in 2016. The history of the family and Owenhouse is important to Eric. He and his wife, Molly (Poehling) Bowman ’01, recently used what is called a charitable gift annuity to make a gift to MSU athletics—giving $53,000 to support the Owenhouse Ace Hardware Endowed Scholarship for Intercollegiate Athletics Fund. This most recent gift continues the Owenhouse tradition of giving back to the Bozeman community and giving back to Montana State University. Eric and Molly are perfect examples of how a gift to charity can be a great tax and retirement planning tool for people of all ages. The Bowmans were able to take advantage of the Montana Charitable Endowment Tax Credit (METC), which gave them a $20,000 state tax credit. The tax credit made it possible for them to make a larger gift to MSU with no more out of pocket for them. Though the gift is from Eric and Molly, Eric considers it a gift from Owenhouse. “From a business and tax perspective, it made sense to structure our gift in this way,” Eric said. “But I view it as a donation from Owenhouse back to the community. The reason we are able to make this gift is because of the people who
built the business before us and the continued growth of our business.” When asked about why giving back to MSU is important to them and Owenhouse, Eric said, “We take pride in the fact that MSU is growing, from the perspective of being alumni and being community members. The health of MSU reflects on the health of Bozeman.” The Fund to provide athletic scholarships honors the Bowmans’ love for Bobcat sports; attending games as a family is a Bowman tradition that Eric and Molly are continuing with their children. In addition, Eric has had student-athletes work for him and has been impressed with them as employees. “I admire the student-athletes’ ability to juggle school and sports and work. I am happy that the Fund can help them through scholarships,” Eric said. As alumni, giving back to MSU also reflects on the Bowmans’ personal history with MSU. Eric grew up in Bozeman, and that, coupled with the fact that he wanted to be near the best skiing in the country, influenced his decision to attend MSU. Molly, from Ketchum, Idaho, came to MSU on a Nordic ski scholarship. She and Eric met through mutual friends in 2000 and graduated together from MSU in 2001—Eric with a degree in mechanical engineering and Molly with a degree in biological sciences. Molly is now a fisheries biologist with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Bowmans live in Bozeman with their two young children.
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Charitable Gift Annuity Impacts MSU Athletics and Continues a Legacy of Giving
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
ERIC AND MOLLY BOWMAN
It’s never too early to start planning. In fact, the earlier the better. And charitable gift annuities are an easy way to leave a planned gift that significantly impacts MSU, pays you income for life and has potential federal and state tax advantages.
Charitable Gift Annuities The concept of a charitable gift annuity is simple. You make a donation and the MSU Alumni Foundation, in return, pays you a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life. The amount that remains helps shape MSU’s future. Funding your gift annuity with appreciated assets offers tax savings through an income tax deduction and potentially reducing or deferring capital gains taxes. You can choose to defer your payments like the Bowmans did, through a deferred gift annuity. If you are younger than 60 or don’t need your payments immediately, you can delay receiving payments until a later date, such as when you retire. Deferring your payments also increases the portion of the gift annuity that is tax-deductible. To learn more about the METC or making a charitable gift annuity, or other planned giving information, contact the Estate, Trust and Planned Giving team at the MSU Alumni Foundation: 406-994-4815 or visit plannedgiving.msuaf.org.
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Then & Now
Lillian Evers ’25
O
nce upon a time there was a young man named Leonard who became enamored with a fair maiden named Lillian. Leonard asked Lillian to marry him and she said, “yes!” The year was 1923 and both were students at the recently renamed Montana State College (MSC). They were married that December in Lillian’s AOII sorority house near campus. Leonard was a Sigma Chi member. Post-World War I was an exciting time to be on campus with more women than ever enrolling and encouraged to become reliable independent wage earners and efficient household managers after marriage. Agriculture and engineering curricula were advancing to meet the needs of growing industries. And new buildings were going up with Romney Gymnasium and Roberts Hall dedications in 1922 and 1923 respectively, and Herrick Hall under construction. Leonard Swan pursued a degree in agricultural education and received his diploma in 1924 while Lillian Evers studied applied business and graduated in 1925. The Evers-Swan union was the beginning of one family’s Bobcat legacy. Not only did each of their four children—Shirley, Lila, Miles and Lee— attend Montana State, but each of them married MSC graduates themselves covering a span of commencements between 1946 and 1960. Beyond their children’s generation, Lillian and Leonard’s marriage spawned two more generations of Montana State graduates as grandchildren married alumni sending the Evers-Swan’s great grandchildren to Montana State with the surnames of Schipf, Semansky, Sullivan, Pasha, Albers, Hanson and Cornelius. The latest alumnus in this family’s legacy, Cormac Sullivan, graduated in 2017. It remains to be seen if Cormac and his cousins will marry MSU grads, but odds are the legacy will carry on as Lillian and Leonard’s great-great grandchildren attend Montana State.
Lillian and Leonard had four children who all married Bobcat alumni. Lillian (center) is pictured here with two of her daughters, Shirley ’43 (left) and Lila ’49. Below, Lillian and Leonard’s son Miles ’50, and his wife, Doris ’50, are surrounded by their children and grandchildren. All but one pictured here are MSU alumni.
Bobcat parents and family members, You may or may not have attended Montana State, but because you have a student attending now, we consider you family. While your student is attending MSU, the Dean of Students Office and the Parent-Family Association will communicate timely campus updates, relevant resources available to you and your student and invite you to MSU related events in your area. You can help us out by making sure we have your current contact information by visiting montana.edu/parents/listserv/index.html.
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#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
CatTreks Adventures designed for those who have MSU in common and are eager to expand their cultural and intellectual horizons. Sandy Shores: Miami to Cuba January 2–13, 2019 | From $2,949 per person, double occupancy (airfare included from select cities) Experience Havana’s old-fashioned aesthetic, be enchanted by Cienfuego’s French spirit, uncover Santiago de Cuba’s rich heritage, relax on Punta Cana’s sugar-fine sands and take in Nassau’s wonderfully preserved architecture.
Radiant Rhythms: Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires February 10–23, 2019 | From $3,499 per person, double occupancy (airfare included from select cities) Take in Rio de Janeiro’s renowned sights and Búzios coastal attractions; explore vehicle-free Ilha Grande and Paraty; listen to samba music in São Paulo; relax at Porto Belo’s pristine beaches; view Rio Grande’s ancient architecture, Punta del Este’s glamorous waterfront and Montevideo’s contrasting architectural styles; and witness Buenos Aires’ wide boulevard.
Dazzling Down Under: Auckland to Sydney February 13–March 1, 2019 | From $6,899 per person, double occupancy (airfare included from select cities) Learn about the fascinating history of the Bay of Islands, discover the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, view Art Deco architecture in Napier, discover a thriving art scene in Wellington, stroll Colonialarchitecture-framed streets in Akaroa, look for sunbathing fur seals in Dunedin, uncover natural splendors in Burnie, encounter Melbourne’s chic galleries and boutiques and explore the origins of Geelong.
Cultural Crossing: Miami to San Francisco (featuring Panama Canal Transit) May 1–19, 2019 | From $4,299 per person, double occupancy (airfare included from select cities) Uncover the depth of Havana’s history, take in Colón’s verdant surroundings, taste fresh seafood in Puntarenas, lounge on the halfmoon beach as you watch surfers ride the waves in San Juan del Sur, explore Puerto Quetzal’s colorful country, view Acapulco’s beautiful bay, walk Mazatlán’s old town, see Cabo San Lucas’s beautiful rugged coast and learn about San Diego’s Spanish heritage.
Rhine Highlights: Amsterdam to Basel
Cat Camping in Wine Country: Yakima Valley, Washington July 17–21, 2019 | Tent sites $249, RV sites $299, Hotel accommodations $681 per two people Enjoy a weekend of wine tasting and camping with fellow MSU alumni and friends. Take advantage of accommodations that are right for you, including tent sites, RV sites that fit even the largest vehicles, or a hotel just across the street, all within walking distance of nine wineries. Your stay will include accommodations for four nights, a Bobcat welcome basket, a bottle of wine, two wine glasses, four wine tastings per person, coupons for local wineries and a trip to Barrell Springs Winery complete with tour, tastings and lunch. For more information, visit msuaf.org/catcamping19.
Inspiring Italy: Venice to Monte Carlo
July 9–17, 2019 | From $3,345 per person, double occupancy
September 1–12, 2019 | From $4,099 per person, double occupancy (airfare included from select cities)
On this luxury cruise down the Rhine, you’ll have the opportunity to not only marvel at fairy-tale landscapes, but also tour the Reichsburg Cochem Castle, explore the magnificent Rhine Gorge, experience a unique and sublime classical concert in the Baroque Palace of Rastatt and much more in our unforgettable, all-inclusive Enrich experiences.
Stroll through Venice’s winding alleyways to find hidden piazzas, relax in the scenic countryside of Umbria, see Saint Nicholas relics in Bari, take in imposing monuments in Crotone, view unrivaled panoramas of the Ionian Sea in Taormina, discover ancient wonders in Amalfi, visit Rome’s legendary sites, explore Napoleon’s influence on the island of Elba and visit Portofino’s sidewalk cafes and shops.
More information at msuaf.org/cattreks.
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Pictured, left to right: Hughes, Robert and Theresa Norotzky, Freund, Anne Banks
2017 Blue and Gold Awards The Blue and Gold Award is the most prestigious award granted by Montana State University. It honors individuals who have rendered great lifetime service or who have brought national or international distinction to MSU or the state of Montana. Candidates must have achieved prominence through a combination of his or her profession, family, country, world, university, philanthropy or humanity. Anyone can nominate an individual for a Blue and Gold Award. Recipients of the Blue and Gold Award are recommended by the MSU Alumni Foundation Board of Governors, to the President of the University. The 2017 Blue and Gold Award winners are: Anne and James Banks of Bozeman. The couple met at Stanford University and then moved to Bozeman in 1972 when James was an administrator of the ROTC program on campus and taught chemistry in the MSU College of Letters and Science. Anne has worked as a teacher. Over the years, James has volunteered for the MSU football and basketball teams as a timekeeper; Anne has volunteered as a docent at Museum of the Rockies and is involved in Wonderlust and League of Women Voters, among other organizations.
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Col. Beau Freund ’81 of Bozeman. Freund was commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1981 and entered active duty in 1985. His career has specialized in the operational aspects of medical defense and the impact of environmental extremes on soldier performance. He has served on and chaired NATO panels and has served as scientist, executive officer and chief of research plans and programs at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. A native of Glasgow, Freund has a bachelor’s from MSU in physical education and health K-12 and a master’s and doctorate from University of Arizona.
Lt. Gen. Patrick Hughes ’68, ’99 Hon. PhD of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Hughes is the former director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency and a native of Manhattan, Montana. During his military career that spanned 37 years, Hughes served as an enlisted combat medic, as an infantry officer and as a military intelligence officer, including battalion and brigade command. His major assignments as a senior officer were: commanding general of the U.S. Army Intelligence Agency, director of intelligence for U.S. Central Command and director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Hughes graduated from MSU with a degree in business and received an honorary doctorate in 1999.
Dr. Robert and Theresa Narotzky of Bozeman. Dr. Robert Narotzky is a neurosurgeon who practiced for 20 years in Wisconsin before relocating to and practicing for 12 years in Casper, Wyoming. He is now semi-retired and commutes to Casper from Bozeman. Dr. Narotzky has served as an adjunct clinical instructor at Casper College and is a frequent guest presenter in the WWAMI Medical Education Program at MSU. Theresa has worked as a nurse. Both have been supporters of the MSU College of Nursing, MSU Honors College and the WWAMI Medical Education Program at MSU.
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Kalli (Lister) Deschamps* ’67 M, Green Valley, Arizona, has
published a new novel, “Beyond the Mountain,” which is her latest in a series of novels featuring the struggles of a Montana ranching family. Larry Aasheim* ’69, Bozeman,
Montana, was recently named the winner of the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce’s Guy Sperry Award, which honors someone who has served both private enterprise and the community.
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Susan (Johnson) Wolff* ’75, Great Falls, Montana, was
named Great Falls’ 2018 Athena Award winner. The Athena Award recognizes professional excellence, community service and active assistance in supporting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. Gale (Tierney) Bacon* ’76,
Belgrade, Montana, was named Montana Librarian of the Year by the Montana Library Association. Bacon is the Belgrade Library Director. Roy Anderson ’71, ’75 M,
Montrose, Colorado, was elected Mayor of the city of Montrose. Harlan Patterson* ’77, Bothell,
Washington, has been appointed President of Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. Patterson is an experienced finance and administration leader within both the higher education and health
care arenas, able to effectively direct academic and strategic planning, policy development, new initiative feasibility analysis, negotiations, budgeting and finance, human resources and informational technology. Shirley Chesterfield-Stanton* ’76, Helena, Montana, will
be inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association hall of fame. Chesterfield-Stanton spent 40 years coaching track and field at Helena Capital High School, 38 as a head coach in the program, retiring in 2016. She also served as a gymnastics and volleyball coach, earning a rare feat of state championships in multiple sports—gymnastics in 1987 and 1989, and track and field in 1996 and 1997.
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James Maunder* ’82,
Missoula, Montana, was honored with the Jim Brands Award for his lifetime commitment to the public power industry and remarkable work in the areas of energy efficiency. The award was presented to Maunder at the Northwest Public Power Association’s 2017 Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference. Maunder has over 25 years in energy efficiency and in the utility industry. He is currently manager of member services at Ravalli Electric Cooperative. Karen Burnett* ’84, Sheridan,
Arkansas, is named Secondary Teacher of the Year. She teaches Pre-AP Biology, AP Biology and AP Environmental Science for 10th, 11th and 12th-graders at Sheridan High School. Gary Christianson ’85,
Issaquah, Washington, is the new Chief Operating Officer at Nohla Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical
#msucollegian M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Class Notes company focused on the development of universal, off-the-shelf cell therapies to treat cancer and other critical diseases. Christianson joins Nohla after serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Cascadian Therapeutics since 2007. Craig Collar ’85, Bothell,
Washington, the general manager and CEO of Snohomish Public Utility District, will retire this fall. Clark Hays ’89, Portland,
Oregon, has released the second in an alternative history book series—“Bonnie and Clyde: Dam Nation”—imagining an alternate history in which the two outlaw lovers are spared from their gruesome fates and forced to work for the government defending democracy and the working class. The book is the sixth book Hays has written and published with his wife, Kathleen McFall. Kellie Fontes ’87, San Diego,
California, has been appointed Senior Director, Human Capital and a member of the executive management team at IRRAS, a commercial-stage medical technology company.
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Tennille Uithof ’98, New York,
New York, attended the 69th Annual Emmy Awards with her nominated show “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” Uithof is an editor on the show. Daniel Minteer ’90, Walla
Walla, Washington, performed at the first annual Adam West day in Walla Walla. The engineer/ musician performed his song “Batman,” which is featured in his album Calling All Aliens. Miranda (Peters) Spaulding ’99, ’00 M, Helena, Montana,
was promoted to vice president, financial reporting officer at
Doug Cress Doug Cress ’85, Portland, Oregon, is the Chief Executive Officer at the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). Cress, who believes zoos have an increasingly important role to play, leaves behind his role of the past six years with the United Nations Environment Programme, where he was involved in initiatives to battle the illegal wildlife trade and encourage sustainable development to protect local ecosystems. Prior to his work with the UN, Cress worked for the Great Ape Project and then the Orangutan Conservancy, before joining the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) in 2011. PASA provides primate rehabilitation across the continent. Earlier in his career, Cress was a journalist with the Washington Post.
Opportunity Bank of Montana. Spaulding has been employed with the bank since 2013 and has more than 17 years of experience in financial reporting for public companies. She is a certified public accountant and a member of the Montana Society of CPAs. Fay Baker ’90, Bozeman,
Montana, died on April 12. Baker managed the University Village Apartments (the “birdhouse apartments”) near MSU campus, taking care of her “MSU kids” living in the apartment complex with patience and kindness for over 30 years.
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Matthew Sontheimer ’95 M, Lincoln, Nebraska, had his
artwork featured at the Darger HQ Gallery in Omaha, Nebraska. Currently an Associate Professor of Art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Sontheimer’s work is represented by the Talley Dunn Gallery in Dallas, Texas, and can be found in the permanent collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas; the New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, Louisiana and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York. Michelle (Todorovich) Dusbabek ’91, Coeur D’Alene,
Idaho, and her husband celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary.
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demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the architecture profession early in their careers. Hurlbert is founding partner and principal architect of COOP Architecture, a 13-person firm with offices in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Aberdeen, South Dakota. Hurlbert was Architectof-Record for three South Dakota AIA Design Awards in 2017 and is currently AIA SD Chapter President-elect. Danny Waldo ’03, Bozeman,
Montana, a teacher at Hyalite Elementary School in Bozeman, was named the 2017 Montana History Teacher of the Year, an award presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education in collaboration with the Montana Council for History and Civics Education. Sonya Iverson ’07, Benicia,
Sisters Kara Tripp ’06 and Lynae (Tripp) Axelson ’11,
Bozeman, Montana, own Damsel Fly Fishing, a company which makes women’s fly fishing accessories while also promoting education, community and adventure among women anglers. Sharon O’Kelley ’04 M,
Effingham, South Carolina, received the Award of Excellence in Teaching from Francis Marion University. O’Kelley is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Francis Marion University. Tom Hurlbert ’00, Sioux Falls,
South Dakota, received the 2018 Young Architects Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The award honors individuals who have
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California, founded the nonprofit Crossing Lines, which uses slacklining to help refugees gain confidence and build relationships. Iverson has worked with refugees in Lebanon, and the Crossing Lines crew is now organizing slacklining classes both for refugees and for others to teach refugees in Denver, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Michael Ruyle ’00 M, ’14 PhD, Bozeman, Montana,
has been named the new principal of Archbishop Hanna High School in Sonoma, California. Ruyle is currently an associate with Marzano Research. He previously served for 28 years as a teacher, athletic coach, assistant principal and program director in California. Matthew ’04 and Kaitlen (McCafferty) Hoffman ’04,
Belt, Montana, welcomed daughter Nora Jean Hoffman on July 11, 2017.
Rob Wudlick Rob Wudlick* ’10, Excelsior, Minnesota, is Chairman of the Board, Treasurer and Co-Founder of Get Up Stand Up to Cure Paralysis Foundation (GUSU). GUSU is a nonprofit organization in Minnesota working to unite, educate and support those dealing with Spinal Cord Injuries and to advocate for research and the restoration of function.
In April of 2011, Wudlick suffered a C4-5 spinal cord injury from a diving accident on a rafting trip down the Grand Canyon. Since that time, Wudlick has worked tirelessly to advance medical research and to advocate for the spinal cord injury community. He serves on the Minnesota State Council the for Spinal Cord & Traumatic Brain Injury Research Grant Program and is an Advocacy Advisor for many national spinal cord injury research organizations. Wudlick has helped to introduce spinal cord injury (SCI)/ traumatic brain injury (TBI) legislation to the Minnesota state capitol three years running and has helped secure $6 million for SCI research in Minnesota. “Seeing the research grants and then seeing the research carried out has been incredibly rewarding,” says Wudlick. “It took us four or five years to get the bill passed, and now, seeing the results come in, that’s pretty amazing.” Wudlick attended Montana State University, Bozeman, and has a degree in Industrial & Management Engineering. He has worked in engineering design, operations and development, and entrepreneurial endeavors and has over 10 years of professional boating experience on recreational whitewater and charter operations.
10s
Anita Ratcliff ’15, Bozeman,
Montana, was married to Peter Mathews on March 16. Peter is the son of Kevin ’85 and Lisa (Williams) Mathews ’85 of Helena. Anita is the daughter of Kendall and Russ Ratcliff ’85 of Helena.
Beau Sandland ’15, has
been recruited to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. Beau previously played for the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers. Katelyn Dynneson ’14,
Sidney, Montana, has been selected to represent the Montana Stockgrowers Association at the Young Cattlemen’s Conference this year. Facilitated by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, participants will travel with
Front row, l to r: Dr. Katie (Olson) Welch ’14 Dr. Anne Hutton ’14, Wisdom Dr. Kelsey Stoner ’14, Montana City Dr. Cassidy Briggs Dr. Thomas Wurtz* ’14, Dupuyer Not pictured: Dr. Brenee Peterson ’14, Havre
Montana’s inaugural veterinarians’ class graduates—May 5 at Washington State University in Pullman Montana’s new veterinary medicine program has proved to be a resounding success. Each of the 11 students selected for the first class of Montana veterinarians has now graduated and each has also passed during the last year the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE), a required national exam of 360 multiple-choice questions of clinically-relevant animal health problems. In August 2014, the 11 students began their veterinary medicine educations with their first year of study at Montana State University, Bozeman. As part of WIMU (Washington,
national attendees to Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C. Dynneson is a fifth-generation farmer and rancher in Sidney.
Idaho, Montana and Utah) regional program in veterinary medicine, the Montana students completed years two through four at Washington State University in Pullman. Montana’s participation in WIMU was approved in 2013 by the Montana legislature to provide affordable access to Montana students for veterinary medicine education. Reports at the time indicated that almost half of Montana’s practicing livestock veterinarians were older than age 55. Prior to 2014, there were no veterinarian education programs in Montana to rebuild and maintain the number of veterinarians needed,
She works full time on her family’s cow-calf operation. She serves as the secretary/ treasurer for the MonDak Area Stockgrowers and is a leader for the Richland County 4-H Jr. Leaders. She participated in the inaugural class of the Montana Stockgrowers Leadership Series and is the current vice-chair of the Young Stockgrowers. Jennifer Callison-Bliss ’16,
Tim* ’05, and wife, Raelee (Bishop) Rask ’10, Medicine
Lake, Montana, welcomed Claire Nicole Rask on January 15.
Peachtree Corners, Georgia, has been selected as a Woodrow Wilson Georgia Teaching Fellow by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. The highly competitive program recruits both recent graduates and career changers with
especially in underserved rural areas of the state. As requested by leaders in the Montana veterinarian industry, each of the 11 graduates had strong ties to the state of Montana. In the program, the students also had opportunities to work in veterinary practices in Montana during the summers or as clinical rotations during the school year. Of the 11 Montana graduates, eight had previously received their B.S. from Montana State University.
strong backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and math—the STEM fields—and prepares them specifically to teach in high-need secondary schools.
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42 acres for research and high-tech businesses in Bozeman
M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Back row, l to r: Dr. Katlyn Tomschin ’14, Wilsall Dr. Garrett Bronec Dr. Jessica Scherr Dr. Jared Hardaway ’14, Belgrade Dr. Lane Schmitt ’14, Chinook
Serving as the nucleus for Bozeman’s burgeoning high-tech economy, the MSU Innovation Campus offers workspaces for research and advanced technology companies interested in setting up shop in Bozeman and near the MSU campus. The first collaborative research park of its kind in Montana, MSU Innovation Campus meets the increased need for top-tier research and technology workspaces in one of the most desirable places to live and work in the country. The 42-acre campus will serve as a site to strengthen the research capability of MSU and expand the commercialization of technology related to MSU’s clusters of academic and research excellence: biotechnology, photonics, optics, biofilm engineering and cyber security. To learn more, go to msuinnovationcampus.com.
and Barb Trimbach of Bozeman. Jessie is employed at Bozeman Health, and Austin is the founder and manager of Trimbach Builders.
Austin Trimbach ’10 and Jessie (Agnew) Trimbach ’13, Bozeman, Montana, were
married September 23, 2017, at Chico Hot Springs Resort. The bride is the daughter of Dan and Val Agnew of Great Falls. The groom is the son of Bob *Life member of the Alumni Association Class Notes are compiled from public information and information received from our alumni and friends. To submit information, please send an email to collegian@msuaf.org or drop a line to the MSU Alumni Association, P.O. Box 172750 Bozeman, MT 59717-2750.
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Let’s get social The MSU Alumni Foundation offers opportunities for the Bobcat community to stay connected and engaged to each other and to Montana State. Follow us on our social media accounts, your connection to everything Blue & Gold. Let’s all get social! facebook.com/msu.alumni.association twitter.com/mtstatealumni instagram.com/msuaf Montana State University Bozeman Alumni group
From “Montana Monday” all the way to “MSU Friday Trivia” and in between Facebook keeps you updated on university news, alumni news, event information, membership benefits and more. A lot of information and a lot of fun; don’t miss it! Make sure you set your Facebook preferences so that you don’t miss content. First, like and follow the Montana State University Alumni Foundation Facebook page, then choose to see us first in your news feed: To use see first from your News Feed preferences (left column under your name): 1. Select EDIT PREFERENCES 2. Click PRIORITIZE WHO TO SEE FIRST 3. Select Montana State University Alumni Foundation page to see first. To use see first from a profile or Page: 1. If you’re not already following the profile or Page, click FOLLOW near our cover photo. 2. Hover over FOLLOWING or LIKED near our cover photo. 3. Select SEE FIRST
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Nevada Dayton Las Vegas Mesquite Reno
Alaska Anchorage Fairbanks Juneau
Oregon Bend Eugene Medford Portland Silverton
California Culver City (L.A.) Fair Oaks (Sacramento) Fresno La Quinta Orange County San Diego San Leandro (SF East) San Francisco Santa Rosa
Washington Bellingham Clarkston Everett (Lynwood) Kirkland Olympia Renton Richland Selah Spokane
Montana Billings Big Sky Butte Ennis Glendive Missoula Sidney Whitefish
Arizona Flagstaff Mesa Scottsdale Surprise Tucson Yuma
Hawaii Kailua (on Oahu) Kona
New Mexico Albuquerque
Colorado Colorado Springs Denver Fort Collins Littleton Grand Junction
Wyoming Casper Cody
118th Meeting MISSOULA Saturday Nov. 17, 2018
Texas Austin Richardson (Dallas)
Louisiana Monroe
Illinois Chicago Schaumburg
Wisconsin Madison
Missouri St. Charles
Minnesota Mendota (Minneapolis)
Tennessee Nashville
Indiana Indianapolis
Michigan Waterford Township
New York New York City
North Carolina Charlotte Cary
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Indicates volunteer needed. To volunteer contact: allison.hupp@msuaf.org M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Florida Villages
Massachusetts Northhampton
West Virginia Morgantown
South Carolina Greenville
Virginia Arlington (D.C.)
Pennsylvania Philadelphia Monroeville
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Georgia Sandy Springs
Ohio Blue Ash
Get party locations and the latest updates at msuaf.org/catgriz
Oklahoma Oklahoma City Tulsa
Kansas Overland Park
Nebraska Omaha
South Dakota Rapid City Sioux Falls
North Dakota Bismarck Fargo
2018 Party of the Year Great Falls, Char Ross, Coordinator
WATCH PARTIES
Utah Salt Lake City
Idaho Boise Ammon Twin Falls
118th Brawl of the Wild
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P.O. Box 172750 Bozeman, MT 59717-2750
STAY CONNECTED
Land a new job? Get married? Have a baby? Publish a book? Win America’s Got Talent? Even if you’ve just changed your email address, we want to know! Create or update your free online alumni profile at msuaf.org/update