AURORA BOREALIS SPRING 2023

AURORA BOREALIS

NORTHERN ALUMNI FOUNDATION

SPRING 2023

Our Journey Together

Dear Alumni and Friends,

MSU-Northern hosted its annual Scholarship Award Ceremony in the Student Union Building on Friday, March 31, 2023. Chancellor Kegel and faculty announced that 299 students would be receiving academic scholarships totaling $300,360 for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters.

That’s up dramatically from the previous year, when 247 students shared $247,485 in awards. The total amount does not reflect any federal grants or loans, state aid, or athletic scholarships. Students learned about the source of each scholarship as it was presented, and many of the donors were on hand to personally greet the recipients. It was an inspiring event to be a part of.

MSU-Northern also provides more than $200,000 each year for athletic scholarships, nearly all of which is raised each year by volunteers with the Northern Lights Athletic Scholarship Foundation. It is possible that total scholarships (academic and athletic) for the upcoming school year will top $600,000, setting a new record.

As we finish out the school year, the MSUNorthern Foundation is proud of its continuing mission to find the funds necessary to grow our endowments and generate more scholarship revenue for students. We’re so proud of our 16,000 alumni and their incredible generosity, and we were grateful to represent them when distributing these much needed—and much appreciated—funds for students.

Sincerely,

Al Garver

The Montana State University - Northern Alumni Foundation engages alumni and friends of the University, enriches student experiences and provides ethical stewardship while supporting the University’s strategic goals.

“We Love Northern Ball” Returns in Full Strength

More than 210 guests attended the 2023 “We Love Northern Ball” in the Armory Gymnasium on Saturday, February 11th, 2023. The evening began with a cocktail hour at 6:00 p.m. and scores of guests stayed until the dancing was over at 11:30 p.m.

“It was such an incredible evening, many didn’t want the night to end,” said Melanie Skoyen, Outreach Coordinator for the MSU-Northern Foundation. “Even after the music ended, some people stayed and talked until 12:30 a.m.!”

Everyone in attendance agreed that this year’s Ball met its goal of creating an “experience” that justified the cost of a $100 ticket. Guests entered on a red carpet and received a complimentary digital photo by Jim Potter. They made their way to the tables, which were exquisitely decorated in black and gold. They enjoyed a drink while perusing the live and silent auction items. Since the Ball’s theme was “In the Mood,” music from the Glenn Miller Orchestra filled the room.

At 7:00 p.m., the festivities began, by serving an appetizer (baked brie with prosciutto) and a marvelous wine (a Soave from the Guerreri Rizzardi Vineyards in Italy).

As the main course was being served (beef tenderloin with puff pastry and a red wine sauce, paired with a Martino Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina), six big-ticket items were auctioned off. The items included: a steel wood-fired pizza oven made by the MSUN welding faculty; A five-course dinner and bourbon-tasting for eight people; a guided fishing trip for two to a lake in Saskatchewan; a stunning Emilee Luke photo of the night sky over the Bear Paw Mountains; a Fort Peck Theater summer package; and a ski package to the Teton Pass Resort near Choteau. The live auction items garnered a total of $7,050.

After dessert (tiramisu with an Orange Blossom Rosé from Willamette Vineyards in Oregon), the event recognized Wabtec as the Executive Sponsor. Wabtec proclaimed its matching pledge of $10,000 for the evening. In order to encourage guests to give, it was announced that each donor would earn a chance to win an $800 Pit Boss pellet barbecue donated by North 40.

A video of a student testimonial was played, telling how much scholarships meant to them and thanking people for their generosity.

As pledges were being collected, two inspiring songs were played, when the music stopped, $9,550 in matching grants had been collected and announced to the audience. Two people then came forward to write checks for $450 and $50, making the final matching tally of $10,050. The winner of the BBQ was announced and that family was thrilled.

With most of the fundraising complete, the Ball shifted into entertainment and dancing mode with the introduction of the band. J.K. and the Northern Lights was an eight-piece swing jazz ensemble made up of musicians from Billings, Montana. The leader of the band, Jack Klein, served in Iraq with the MSU-Northern Executive Director Al Garver, who was serving as MC for the Ball. The band paid tribute to the Big Bands of the 40s and 50s, with seven of its songs from the Glen Miller Orchestra. The band started with Miller’s signature tune, “In the Mood,” and absolutely nailed it. The crowd was instantly in love with the music and guests filled the dance floor for the first 30-minute swing-jazz set.

The second song the band played was the Glenn Miller hit, “String of Pearls.” To accompany the song, the foundation announced the final fundraiser of the evening: The Rose Raffle. Glenn Miller wrote the song for his wife when they were young and struggling and he couldn’t afford an actual string of pearls for her. Before the song was performed live, the audience was shown a gorgeous string of pearls donated by J.M. Donoven Designs in Havre. When the music started, people could buy a long-stemmed rose for $20. The 75 roses sold quickly and when the song finished, the winning ticket was announced and the winner of the pearls was elated.

When the band took a break, the dancing continued with a mix of the best dance tunes from many eras. Five members of the Northern Rodeo team came forward to start a line dance to Brooks and Dunn’s, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and the crowd piled onto the dance floor to join them. When the revenues and expenses were tallied a week later, the “We Love Northern Ball” set a new fundraising record of $60,255.

The “We Love Northern Ball” was created by the local Soroptimist group in 1984. Fifty-seven local organizations and businesses worked together for two months to plan the event. On Valentine’s Day, 1985, the first “Ball” was held. Everyone in the community participated. The Girl Scouts handled the coat check, Boy Scouts helped with cleanup, the Bacchus Club set up a non-alcoholic bar, the Tavern Association set-up the regular bar, students helped Loendorf’s Florist make corsages, R & R Studio set-up for “Ball” pictures, Roger Barber was Maître D and coaches and students were the waiters and waitresses. COVID 19 hit just after the Ball in 2020, and the event was absent in 2021 and 2022. Thirty-nine years after its formation, it returned with renewed vigor on February 11th, 2023, and the assurance that it will continue to be the university’s signature annual event.

“My only regret about the entire evening,” said Al Garver, laughing, “was not getting a video of Chancellor Kegel dancing to Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk. That would have been priceless.”

FOUNDATION COMMISSIONS DON GREYTAK PRINT

In September, 2022, the MSU-Northern Foundation Board voted to approve funding to commission a Don Greytak pencil art piece that would depict life at Northern. Don, now 86 years young, agreed to take on the project. Don began by having a meeting with the foundation staff to determine exactly what he would depict. The goal was to capture three timeless elements every Northern alumnus would instantly recognize. After several meetings and numerous photos taken by Don, everyone agreed that the three elements should be Cowan Hall (the most iconic and recognizable building on campus), the Goose (a 1940 convertible used in every parade), and a homecoming king and queen.

After Don had worked up several generic sketches, the staff agreed on one that clearly depicted those three. But there was one more request to add a fourth timeless element, by having Chancellor Greg Kegel driving the Goose. When Don requested archived photographs of a homecoming king and queen so he could render them accurately, the photos also had Chancellor Kegel in them. In November, Don began drawing in earnest, and by December he came to show the completed work. It was perfect and required no modifications.

By this time, the foundation staff knew they wanted to unveil the print at the “We Love Northern Ball” on February 11, 2023. The plan was to recognize Don for his work and have Chancellor Kegel and his wife, Sherry, unveil it in front of an excited crowd of people. Then, the first five numbered prints (in the limited edition of 500 prints), would then be auctioned off.

The key to this was keeping the drawing under wraps until that night. The only people allowed to see it were the University Relations office (since they had to photograph it to show on the screen at the Ball) and the frame shop at Ben Franklin that mounted it. Once people knew the work was finished, many wanted to see it but were told it was to remain secret until the Ball.

When Greg and Sherry Kegel unveiled the print, entitled “Homecoming”, on stage in front of 210 people, the reaction was largely positive. It was Sherry who recognized the driver as her husband, exclaiming, “It’s the Chancellor driving the Goose!” The crowd then gave Don Greytak a standing ovation for his work. When the first five numbered prints were auctioned off, the first one sold for $2,200. While the next four sold by lesser amounts, within 10 minutes the auction was over and had raised $7,200 for scholarships.

The foundation will now get to work selling the remaining prints in the limited series for $50 each. The prints are 11x14 inches and can be purchased at the Foundation office in Cowan Hall. People can also order a print via mail. Visit msunfoundation.org for details.

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Don Greytak grew up as a Montana farm boy, making his living as a rancher, a pilot, a designer-builder of horse and stock trailers, and a metal sculptor. Since 1978, the self-taught artist has worked as a full-time pencil illustrator, taking his inspiration from the richness of his Montana high plains roots. He has the extraordinary ability to capture what is real and to find the spark of humor in down-to-earth situations. His multi-dimensional subject matter includes farming, ranching, airplanes, trains, classic and antique vehicles, rodeo and family scenes. Each piece shows people at work or play. Each tells a story, conveying an emotion, not merely the visual details of stationary objects. The work comes alive and you will find yourself entering the scenes with your own personal recollections. The offset lithograph prints are done in an edition of only 500, individually hand-signed and numbered by the artist, making them truly limited editions. Because the originals are done in graphite, all the prints are black-and-white images. Many of his originals are for sale, both online and in the Old City Library Gallery in Havre, Montana. His originals sell from $750-$5,000. His website is dongreytak.com

From Left to Right: Chancellor Greg Kegel, Sherry Kegel, Don Greytak and Al Garver.

Dear MSU Northern Foundation, I have just received a letter stating that I got a scholarship.

Dear Edwin D. Wagner scholarship committee, I am writing to thank you for the generous scholarship that I received. This money will help me out tremendously in affording school and reaching my goal of becoming a physical therapist. Again, thank you for your generosity and support; I look forward to continuing my academic and athletic career here at MSUN.

Dear MSU-Northern Foundation, Thank you for selecting me for the MSU-Northern Foundation scholarship, as well as the Lula May Clay Endowed Scholarship. These will allow me to focus more on my academic studies. It was an honor to be selected. Thank you.

Central to our mission is to grow the number of perpetual gifts that support MSU-Northern. Planned gifts are a vital part of the philanthropy that helps increase opportunities at Northern and provide stability to our scholarship offerings. By helping to reduce the financial burden faced by students today, they can focus on earning their degree. If you would like to learn more about planned giving, but don’t know where to start you can set up a meeting with Al Garver, Executive Director of the Foundation.

Learn more at: msunfoundation.org/planned-giving-options

I am grateful for this and I will put it to good use!

BUILDING UP

Planned Gifts

An Endowment is a donation of money or property to the Foundation that is invested. The resulting investment income is used for the designated purpose of the donor, usually in the form of scholarships.

An Annuity is a transfer of cash or appreciated property to the Foundation. In exchange, the Foundation pays the donors fixed payments for the rest of their life.

A Trust is a transfer of cash or appreciated property which funds a charitable trust. The trust sells the property, tax free, and provides the donor with payments for life or a term of years.

WHYIGIVE...

I love to know I’m making a difference!

It gave so much to me and continues to do the same for so many others!

Class of 1972

CREATING A SCHOLARSHIP

1

DETERMINE HOW TO FUND

YOUR SCHOLARSHIP

Such as through a planned gift or by a yearly contribution.

2 3

DECIDE ON YOUR SCHOLARSHIP’S CRITERIA

Be sure not to make your own qualifications too narrow, or else we may not find a qualifying student.

CONTACT THE FOUNDATION

To establish your new scholarship.

NEW SCHOLARSHIPS

Byron & Lisa Ophus Endowed Scholarship

Darlene Sawyer Pugh Endowed Scholarship

Mary Nault Memorial Scholarship

Class of 1984

I would not be where I am today without my education.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without my education.

Class of 1996

Class of 1996

Northern treats students as individuals and those graduates receive great jobs!

Class of 1970

Natalie Patrick Endowed Scholarship

Rose Marie McCann Memorial Scholarship

Stanley and Allie Russell Endowed Scholarship

LIMITED ADDITION PRINTS STILL AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

You can still order your “Homecoming” print today! Visit our website www.msunfoundation.org to order prints and have them shipped to your door.

We also have prints available at our office on the 3rd floor in Cowan Hall. Prints are $50 each and an additional $10 for shipping. You can also mail your check in the contribution envelope to order a print.

DON’T LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS YOU BY

Chancellor Greg Kegel and his wife Sherry, unveiling the Don Greytak print, “Homecoming”

Aurora Complex News

AURORA COMPLEX NEARS FINAL APPROVAL IN LEGISLATURE

The Montana Legislature has been in session for four months. One critically important piece of legislation to MSU-Northern is Amendment 005 to House Bill Five. House Bill Five is an appropriations bill that includes Long-Range Planning items, such as major capital expenditures for state owned buildings. Amendment 005 was put forth by Senator Mike Lang (R-Malta), to provide $25 million to MSU-Northern to fully fund Phase II of the Aurora Complex.

In January of 2023, MSUN Chancellor Greg Kegel hosted a dinner in Helena with the members of the Long-Range Planning Committee to discuss the innovative efforts to grow student enrollments in coming years. One of the most significant drawbacks to recruiting and retention of students at Northern is not having a recreational place to gather. The Student Union Building amenities are 50 years old and the bowling lanes there haven’t worked in years.

The Aurora Complex would provide world-class health and wellness opportunities for students, including a large and modern fitness center. Plans include a 400-seat Black Box theater and an indoor gymnasium that can be transformed into an indoor events center to host up to 1,000 people. The approved Complex would attract events to campus that will enrich the lives of students.

If House Bill Five is approved by the end of April, with the Aurora Complex contained within it, the governor could sign it into law in early May 2023. If the complex is approved, funding would be available on July 1, 2023. It would take an estimated one year for planning and two years or more for construction.

Founders’ Excellence Award

Kurt D. Johnson

He received a degree in Agricultural Business and had hopes of taking over the family farm. Instead, after college Kurt worked in the motel business for 25 years while starting his family.

Kurt is always there to lend a helping hand when it comes to Northern. He knows Northern was so good to him and he likes to give back. As a business owner he realizes the impact this college has on the community, “We help Northern get going and in return, they help us.”

Kurt Johnson, class of ’85 was born and raised in Cut Bank, MT. After high school he wanted to attend MSU-Bozeman, but a last minute decision put him at NMC.

Pam Veis, class of 1984 was born in Shelby, MT and graduated from North Toole County High School in Sunburst, MT in 1981.

The following year, she attended Northern Montana College, now MSUN, on a Presidential Scholarship where she earned her associate degree in nursing.

Following her graduation, Pam embarked on a 29-year career in community mental health as a Psychiatric RN/Adult Case Manager. She was one of the first mental health providers in Montana to be trained in the ‘strengths- based’

Kurt is very active in the Havre community and a true family man. Kurt is the current owner of Vic’s Place Lounge and Casino, serves on the board of the Northern Lights Athletic Scholarship Foundation, and continues to serve on the Northern Alumni Foundation as past Chair of the Board of Trustees. He is father to five children, grandfather to 12! We appreciate his hard work and dedication to MSU-Northern.

model of case management, which empowers individuals who suffer from serious mental illness to identify and leverage their strengths to guide their recovery.

She was instrumental in establishing the Hill County Mental Health Advisory Council and was selected by John Warner, former Montana Supreme Court Justice to serve on the Montana Mental Health Trust Board (2010-2015).

Pam’s passion and commitment toward the community are evidenced by her past and present service on various boards. From the arts to athletics, Pam and her husband, Gerry, are avid supporters of MSU-Northern.

Pam L. Veis

New Board Member - Adam Billmayer (‘95)

We are happy to introduce our newest Board Member, Adam Billmayer. Adam is a fifth-generation farmer in the Hogeland/Big Flat area and has been involved with his family farm since 1991. Adam is also a 1995 Northern Alum with a Bachelor of Science degree in Diesel Technology. We are grateful to have Adam serve on the MSU-Northern Foundation Board and join this amazing group of individuals that offer time, talent and energy with the sole intention of supporting MSUN’s goals.

Board of Directors

Jim Anderson ‘91

Rick Brown Arleen Rice ‘87

Karla Bolken ‘80

Shari Baltrusch ‘82

Marilyn Mclain Jodi Korb ‘87

Scott Geda ‘84

Matt Wertheimer

Stacy Mantle ‘00

Kurt Johnson ‘85

Kristi Peterson

Denise Ladenburg ‘84

Kaare Engebretson Pete Stiffarm ‘09

Sonny Obrecht ‘66

Michelle Burchard ‘00

Dick Snellman ‘72

We thank all of our trustees for volunteering their time and supporting the mission of the Foundation.

Remebering Dorothy “Gail” Rader

Dorothy “Gail” (McLain) Rader passed away on Monday October 10th, 2022, at the age of 85 of natural causes at Northern Montana Hospital. Gail was born on January 21st, 1937, to Joseph Donald and Dorothy Elizabeth McLain and was the eldest of two daughters, Gwen Anderson being the younger sister. Born and raised in Havre, she attended Havre High School and later became a graduate of the University of Montana and a graduate degree in psychology from MSU-Northern.

Gail and her husband Dr. William Rader, have championed numerous causes at MSU-Northern and the Havre community. Gail served for many years on the MSU-Northern Foundation Board of Directors. During her time there, she worked very hard to provide scholarship opportunities for MSU-Northern students and making a difference in the lives of countless young people.

Likewise, her work at both the state and local level of P.E.O. International, provided many opportunities for even more MSU-Northern students. Both she and Dr. Rader were active in all aspects of the Havre-Hill County Library, believing deeply in the power of literacy. Additionally, Gail has served on the Adult Literacy Board, worked as a tutor and is a past president of the PTA.

Gail also served her community on the Chamber of Commerce, the Hill County Bicentennial Commission, the Northern Montana Hospital Board of Directors, numerous real estate professional associations and the Havre/Hi-Line Community Concert Association. Most recently Gail received the MSU-Northern Founders’ Excellence Award for her unwavering commitment to the students and faculty. In 1979, Gail was inducted into Chapter V of The P.E.O. Sisterhood and later served as the chapter’s president twice and then as the Montana P.E.O. State President. She was a self-proclaimed “PEO convention junkie” and attended many of the annual conventions. Gail was also a mentor for new members and could answer any question about anything P.E.O.

Furthermore, Gail earned the Order of Merit from the Boy Scouts of America and was active in Troop 431, while guiding her two Eagle Scout sons. Along with Troop 431, she petitioned the state scouting officials to become the state’s first female Scout Master, that effort was unsuccessful. This did help pave the way for female Scout Master’s today, which is the case with her Grandson’s troop in San Francisco. She remained active and held numerous positions with the Havre Jaycee’s, the Hill County Republican Central Committee, the North Central Pachyderm Club, and the Havre Mainstreet Downtown Revitalization Committee.

In Memoriam

We at the Northern Alumni Foundation extend our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of those who have passed away this year. Names listed here are gathered from obituaries and notifications collected as of March 31,2023.

Dr. Smiley was a Professor of Education at MSU-Northern from 2008-2018. As a tenured professor, he was known for having an open-door policy for any student looking for assistance – whether they were working on a final assignment or requesting editing assistance. Dr. Smiley had quick-witted humor, fierce determination to promote literacy, and was driven by perfection.

1940s

Carolyn Kuhr Rhodes (‘41)

1950s

Richard DonTigny (‘51)

Roderic (Rod) Lucas (‘54)

Beatrice Kane (‘57)

Tony Jaconetty (‘58)

Gayle Ledgewood Faulstich (‘58)

1960s

Miles Garrison (‘62)

Hugo Anderson Jr. (‘62)

Russ Verbael (‘63)

Rose Marie McCann (‘67)

John Robert Murphey (‘67)

William Hedges (‘67)

1970s

Delores Helmbrecht (‘71)

Howard Stromberg (‘72)

Donna MacDonald (‘74)

Wanda Meland (‘78)

Steve Clawson (‘79)

Emory Champagne (‘79)

1980s

Keith Johnson (‘80)

Margit Jensen (‘83)

Wayne Day (‘88)

Jeanette Kranz (‘89)

1990s

Gail Rader (‘91)

Cynamon Burdick (‘93)

2000s

Troy Klunder (‘01)

Lisa Habeger (‘04)

Sharon Robertson (‘04)

Jon Hotchkiss (‘06)

Delores worked at MSU-Northern for over 30 years with her last years as the Admin to the Chancellor before retiring from the University. She was a very dedicated employee who served as the Executive Assistant under many Presidents/Chancellors and was always a true professional.

Frederick (Fred) Smiley Professor of Education

Delores Ball - Executive Assistant

Carolyn Kuhr Rhodes Class of 1941

Arnold (Arnie)Hokanson Friend of Northern