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Kegel looks back, looks ahead at Northern
Balancing college and Olympic dreams: One athlete's story
Alex Ross aeross@havredailynews.com
BPT — Between grueling training sessions, travel for competitions, personal life and family obligations, how does a leading athlete excel in their sport and manage college at the same time? Adeline Gray, a three-time world c h a m p i o n fo r Te a m U SA i n Women's Wrestling, has not only been realizing her dreams in the gym, but also in the classroom. This year Adeline accomplished two of her biggest goals — graduating with a bachelor's degree and making her first U.S. Olympic team. For athletes to get to the elite level, it takes relentless drive and enormous effort — and a strong dose of confidence, too. But Gray's education was also important to her. She moved into the U.S. Olympic training facility in 2009 and entered college, but soon she found she was missing too many classes and needed more options and support. Attending a traditional university could not give Gray the flexibility and support she needed in order to balance a busy training schedule with her studies. She was having difficulties getting the teachers to work around her travel and didn't feel they were equipped to handle her unique situation. G r ay t r a n s f e r r e d t o D e Vr y University while training for the 2016 Olympic Games and graduated with a business degree with a specialization in project management in 2016.
As Greg Kegel begins his second year at the helm of Montana State UniversityNorthern as chancellor, the campus is seeing a frenzy of activity. Perhaps the most notable is the construction work being done. “We are across campus doing a lot of upgrades and renovation-type projects,” Kegel said. He said that on the southeast corner of the campus, walls are being taken out in the Metals Technology Building and breakout rooms constructed for the welding faculty. In the Farm Mechanics Building, a tool room is being added. Bathrooms in the dormitory Morgan Hall are also being overhauled. “So, what we are doing is completely gutting those bathrooms on those floors and putting in new showers, lavatories and ventilation systems,” Kegel said. The area in and near Kegel’s office in Cowan Hall is also undergoing renovations. Kegel’s office has been temporarily relocated to the conference room in Cowan Hall, as his office is getting new carpeting. The conference room will also be enlarged. Kegel said the wall that separates the conference room from the room that houses the office of his secretary, Rachel Dean,, will soon be removed, making for a more spacious conference room. A room next to Kegel’s office is also being remodeled to serve as Dean’s new office. He said the additional space will provide him with a space for meetings and to work with teams and will serve as a location for large meetings. Kegel said removing the wall will enlarge the existing conference room from about 12-by-20 to 24-by-20. “It still won’t be big enough,” he said. “I mean, I would love it to be bigger than it is, but that is all there is that we could come up with.” But beyond the bricks and mortar and sounds of electric saws, there are are other efforts afoot and promising trends, Kegel said.
Enrollment
Kegel said numbers show the population of full-time equivalent students has jumped by 50. Retention is also up 7 percent. “But even better news is we got a number of students who are on waiting lists that could push that number close to 100,” he said. He said that while there is no guarantee that they will attract those students, it does give the administrators reason for optimism. Kegel said he attributes the jump in enrollment to success with a retention and recruitment initiative he started when he first assumed the office of chancellor. He reached out to all employees and faculty members to help keep students enrolled, and help out in any way they could attract new students to the university, he said. He said he talked to each of the morethan 200 campus employees, asking them individually if they could ramp up efforts at recruitment. It was a request they readily granted, Kegel said. “In fact, the thing that was most consoling to me was the fact that when I did that, nobody complained,” he said. “They said, ‘Tell me what I can do, tell me how I can help, and we will help’ and they did.” Those employees took a variety of actions, he added. For example, Kegel said, one faculty member brought in different types of healthy food for students. “And I had one student tell me if it wasn’t for the hardboiled eggs, she might not have made it through the semester because she literally didn’t have money to buy food,” he said. He said those small acts made the difference. Faculty did more school visits for prospective students and made materials promoting the campus more widely available, he said. Others worked on beautification efforts throughout the campus. Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Montana State University-Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel poses for a photograph in his office, which is being remodeled.
"The DeVry professors immediately understood the support I needed and the university's study options are ideal for an Olympic athlete's lifestyle," Gray said. "To have DeVry in my corner supporting me, not just my education, and a l s o s u p p o r t i n g my a t h l e t i c dreams has been amazing." Official education providers for the United States Olympic Committee, or USOC, make a powerful difference in the lives of U.S. Olympic student athletes. When Adeline Gray was a young girl, women's wrestling was far from mainstream, so her main opportunities to develop her skills came from wrestling against boys. Once opportunities within women's wrestling expanded, so did Adeline's dream of becoming one of the best in the world. Like so many student athletes, Gray is powered from inside by her talents, interests and ambitions to become her best self. At the same time, she also finds reasons to succeed all around her-in the voices of loved ones, the attention of teachers, rewarding paths to the future and worthy challenges to overcome. As Gray set her sights on winning gold in Rio in August, she gained peace of mind knowing that she already had a head start on her post-athletic career now that she has earned her degree. "I can't wrestle forever, and I need an education," Gray says. "To have that check mark next to
my degree is a great feeling." Like other official education providers for the United States O l y m p i c C o m m i t t e e, D e Vr y University supports student athletes who balance a fierce dedica-
tion to their sports as they navigate the path to their degrees, preparing for the possibilities to come beyond their athletic successes. The level of care and flexibility offered to all students at these
recognized universities makes a powerful difference to Team USA student athletes who are working toward achieving their education goals as they pursue their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.
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August 2016
A welcome from the Chancellor
Dear Havre Community, As another academic year begins, I want thank the Hi-Line and Havre Community for helping us make this past year so outstanding. Together, we have done some amazing things; here are just a few of the many accomplishments we achieved this past year: • Nursing programs earned national accreditation • Broke ground on the new Diesel Technology Center • Hosted the Montana Board of Regents meetings • Received an $800,000 research grant from the state for Northern’s Advanced Fuels Center • Received a 1.9 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to create the Little River Institute and host the first annual Indigenous Education Conference • Wrestling team took on the Iowa Hawkeyes (23-time NCAA National Wrestling Champions) • Lights Wrestling team took second in the nation • Skylights Basketball team went to
Nationals • Most importantly to us is the strong ongoing support we received from our community A s exc i t i n g a s that list is, this next year will create even more growth and momentum. It will be a year of cons t r u c t i o n , g row t h and stability. The old automotive building will be coming down, so construction can begin on the n ew D i e s e l Technology Center. It will include numerous site enhancements to the east and south ends Kegel of campus. As part of this new building project, a landscape architect the best experience was hired to oversee the campus beautifica- come.
tion process. His design will take that tired part of campus and give it new life. The plan includes new lighting, new plants, new sitting areas, new signage, new pedestrian pathways, new roads and additional parking lots. E ve r y s t u d e n t who comes to Northern is looking for us to help them improve their quality of life. That is why I established a Strategic Advance Team so we could make sure we are planning ahead and taking the necessary steps to ensure our students will have possible for years to
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Student Support Services is ava i l a b l e fo r M o n ta n a S ta t e University-Northern students who are looking for help transitioning to college life. Senior Director of Student Success Tracie Jette said the program is designed to help and sup-
port struggling students. For many students, it's not only the college life that's new, but the entire city, and for others, all of Montana is new. Transitioning to a new life can be difficult. That's where the Student Support Services can help. The students support center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The offered ser-
vices are broken into three categories. Students who need help with a subject in which they are having trouble can talk to someone about receiving tutoring services. Since Student Support Services is federally-funded, the tutoring services are free, Jette said. Mentorship programs are also available. Students who want some-
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n Continued from Page 2
The Diesel Center For the past two years, I have been challenging each employee to develop a sense of ownership and buy into what we are doing at Northern by participating in a campuswide Recruiting and Retention campaign. I am pleased to say that our R&R campaign is paying off because at the time I am writing this letter our enrollment and retention numbers are up. It goes without saying that every goal we set, every project we start and every decision we make at MSU-Northern is for our students. We are proud to say that Northern produces students who have the skills that industry leaders need and want to hire. Our students are the reason MSUNorthern exists and the reason I come to work every day. My door is always open, so please stop in to say hello or share your thoughts on MSU-Northern’s progress this academic year. I am excited to see this year begin and I look forward to meeting as many people as possible at our athletic and campus events.
Greg Kegel Chancellor, Montana State University-Northern
Northern Student Support Services Paul Dragu pdragu@havredailynews.com
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one to talk to and are struggling acclimating to their new environment will be connected with an upperclassman, someone who is grounded in the environment and can help others be as well. Part of the goal is to help students connect and talk to someone without feeling like they're seeing a counselor, Jette said. But for students who would like
to, or feel they need to, speak to a licensed counselor, that, too, is an available service. Support Services makes available a licensed professional counselor with mental health experience. Students can call Student Support Services Director Brian Hueutt at Student Support Services, 265-3783, for more information on services and available resources.
The new Diesel Technology Center has long been a centerpiece of Kegel’s efforts to boost enrollment at Northern. He said the university now has more than 94 percent of the $9.9 million of the funds needed to construct the new facility, which will house Northern’s world-class diesel technology program and ag mechanics along with some other classes that are common between the diesel and automotive programs. Most of the automotive technology program classes will move into what is now the Farm Mechanics Building. All of the classes now in the Farm Mechanics Building will move to the Diesel Technology Center. That building will stand in the place of the old automotive technology center and incorporate a portion of the existing building into the new design. Contracts have already gone out for bid, Kegel said. Bids should be coming back and opened up later this month, and he said he hopes the contract is awarded by Sept 1. Throughout the summer, Kegel said instructors and faculty have been busy evacuating the automotive center, which is slated for partial demolition. Equipment has been relocated to extra spaces throughout the campus. He said the big challenge is that the programs that were housed in that building are the fastest-growing and most popular ones
on the campus, “So the diesel program, our numbers are skyrocketing in that program, while we are moving out of the facility, “ Kegel said. He said to enable instructors to continue teaching courses they have refashioned a former muffler shop along U.S. Highway 2 East which will serve as a temporary facility for classrooms. Kegel said that because of the high growth in those programs, the university will likely need to find a second downtown location.
The relocation process has gone smoother than anticipated, he said, adding that moving large pieces of equipment to a new location can be cumbersome. He said that from the beginning whatever facilities they used would student-ready. The shop had to be cleaned, remodeled and outfitted for the students. He said they should be wrapping up with that process in the final weeks before the new semester. “There will be a little bit of hardship because the students are going to have to
travel off the campus, but we figured if that is the only hardship then we are OK.”
Two new degree programs in psychology and American Indian Studies The Montana State University System Board of Regents recently approved
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n Continued from Page 3 Northern's request for two new degree programs: a minor in psychology and a fouryear degree in American Indian Studies. Kegel said that while the psychology minor is not a degree program, it could draw the interest of students in other areas. “I was very interested in that one, because it became apparent to me that that one could be used in the technical fields,” he said. Northern is not just trying to equip people with the skills to be workers in the technical sciences, but also to be managers in those fields, Kegel said. He said that with the psychology program’s emphasis on interpersonal skills, it would be ideal for those looking to become managers. Kegels said expanding the American Indian Studies minor degree program into a major has long been an aim of the university, but past efforts were unsuccessful. He said a number of activities Northern has been engaged in and opportunities it has taken advantage of have made such a program possible. For example, Northern was the recipient of the Little Rivers grant, which serves to help retain American Indian students. The degree, Kegel said, will cater to all students. Kegel said the American Indian Studies four-year degree will have a political science bend to it. He said many who take part in the program will be able to go on to a graduate program at another university or eventually use it to go to law school.
BACK TO SCHOOL Football Stadium
Reviving Liberal Arts
Kegel has made headlines with one of his plans for Northern. Earlier this year it was reported Kegel was looking at nine proposals that could raise Northern's profile and help bolster its student population, including the construction of an on-campus stadium for the Northern Lights football team. Last year, he presented the proposal ideas to a Strategic Advance Team. Each initiative was later taken by different groups consisting of both on- and off-campus members, headed up by members of the Strategic Advance Team, to look at each project's feasibility, Kegel said he wants to push for a new stadium but said it will take a great deal of work and explanation to sell the idea to the Northern community and other area stakeholders. He said that in order to gain the support of those on and off the Northern campus, he will have to emphasize the long-term benefits that a stadium could bring not only for Northern’s athletic department or even the campus but the region as a whole. He said that a stadium on campus could mean more students applying to attend Northern and be a big gain for businesses and economic activity in north-central Montana. “That is what they need to hear,” he said. “They need to understand the economic impact of Northern and how that is derived through students.”
Another one of Kegel’s charge groups was told to look at the feasibility of reviving liberal arts programs at Northern. Northern once had such programs, but most were cut by the Board of Regents in 2000. Kegel said he hears from students and faculty alike who have said they want a more diversified course offering. Montana Actors’ Theatre’s use of the campus’s Little Theatre generates interest both on campus and in Havre, Kegel said. He said a theater program or degree program that could include courses not only in acting but other elements such as production design. Kegel said he would like to revive other liberal arts programs as well such as those in communications.
Biggest challenge
Despite his knack for raising money for projects, Kegel said moving forward his and Northern’s most daunting challenge is one so many of his predecessors have grappled with: how to do more with the resources they have. “Because of how big Northern is, we are always going to have as much grass to mow, the size of the facilities to heat,” Kegel said. “It’s a big campus,” he said, “and we never tend to have enough of the revenue that we need to make everything work right.”
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New faces at MSU-Northern for 2016 Montana State University-Northern is pleased to announce several new staff and faculty members on the campus since this time last year, as well as familiar faces serving in new positions. Janelle Baird Administrative Associate II ——— Samantha Balemba Assistant Professor of CJ ——— Mark Benjamin Training Site Coordinator (TAACCCT Grant IV) ——— Jack Bieger Assistant Professor of CJ ——— Mariah Bingeman Administrative Associate II ——— Lori Borth Project Director for VUB ——— Lindsey Brandt-Bennett Curriculum Developer ——— Mary Brown Administrative Associate III ——— Lourdes Caven Student Accounts Manager ——— Nicholas Chabon Assistant Certified Athletic Trainer ——— Alissa Cook Pathfinder — Writing (NASNTI Grant) ——— Jillian Couch Accounting Associate III (A/C) ——— Lynette Cline Cashier II ——— Linda Collins Culinary Professional II/Cook II ——— Darold DeBolt Groundskeeper I ——— Jaime Duke Assistant Professor of Nursing ——— Jason Geer Instructional Designer/Faculty Prof Development ——— Valerie Guyant Assistant Professor of English ——— Brian Heuett Director of Student Support Services
——— Jody Heuett Media Reprographics Manager ——— Tanessa Holwuttle Assistant Manager of Food Services ——— Nathan Johnson Residence Life Coordinator ——— Tyler Lamb Admissions Specialist ——— William Lorett Pathfinder — Science (NASNTI Grant) ——— Brandon Matson Assistant Professor of Diesel ——— Erica McKeon-Hanson Program Coordinator (NASNTI Grant) ——— Sally Nixon Office Coordinator & Intake Specialist ——— Maureen Odegard Assistant Professor of Education ——— Kristie Pullin Assistant Women's Basketball Coach ——— Denise Rugg Administrative Associate II (TAACCCT Grant) ——— Spencer Sartori Assistant Men's Basketball Coach ——— Marielle Simonson Administrative Associate II ——— Amy Skryja Administrative Associate II ——— Larry Strizich Dean-COTS ——— Steven Turville Accounting Associate II (Cashier) ——— Charles Terry Instructor of Welding ——— Kasthuri Udayakumar Assistant Professor of Nursing ——— Richard Wells Tutor Coordinator ——— Cody Welch Custodian II ———
Malynda Welch Administrative Associate II ——— Deborah Winegar
Administrative Associate III ——— Steven Wise Dean of Students
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Education:
Families are Tapping More Scholarships and Grants to Pay for College StatePoint — Families spent less out-ofpocket for college in academic year 2015-16 compared to the previous year, as they took advantage of more scholarships and grants to foot the bill, according to “How America Pays for College 2016,” the national study from Sallie Mae, the country’s largest private student lender, and Ipsos, a global independent market research company. Scholarships and grants covered 34 percent of college costs, according to the report, the largest percentage of any r e s o u r c e ove r t h e l a s t f i ve ye a r s. Approximately, half of families used a scholarship or grant to help pay for college. “Families wrote smaller checks for college this year as they looked less to their wallets and more toward free money to make college happen,” said Raymond Quinlan, chairman and chief executive officer, Sallie Mae, a company focused on helping families save, plan and pay for college. “Scholarships and grants have become an increasingly important part of the pay-forcollege mix, and it’s encouraging to see organizations, schools, and the government stepping up to provide them.” • Bachelor’s: the new norm: Families are firmly in agreement on the value of
college: 98 percent believe it’s an investment in their student’s future and 90 percent expect their student to earn a bachelor’s degree. What’s more, 54 percent of families expect their student to earn a graduate degree. Families are putting their money where their mouth is — the vast majority are willing to stretch financially to make college happen. • Making college more affordable: Nearly all families took at least one costsaving measure, while most took five or more. These measures include cutting personal spending, working while in school, living at home, and taking accelerated coursework to graduate faster. Additionally, four in five students attended college in their home state, and one in three started at community college. Eightyfive percent of families completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. • Borrowing not a forgone conclusion: Fewer than half of families borrowed last year. In fact, the proportions of funding from family savings and income and scholarships and grants were twice as high as the proportion of funds borrowed. Student borrowing paid 13 percent of all college
costs, down from 16 percent last year. • Cost important, but not top factor: Sixty-seven percent of families narrow college choices based on cost, but when it comes to making the final decision, this takes a back seat. Primary reasons in choosing a college are split evenly between academic program and personal choice, which includes campus culture, extracurricular activities and student population. Cost ranked third at 27 percent. • Planning still pays off: Only 40 percent of families have a plan to pay for college — but in families with plans, students are more likely to pursue bachelor’s degrees, there is more willingness and ability to spend on college, and students borrow 40
percent less than those from families without plans. For the complete report, visit SallieMae. com/HowAmericaPaysForCollege. Join the conversation using #HowAmericaPays. To learn more about planning for college, visit Salliemae.com/PlanforCollege. “The results of this important annual study shed light on critical financial decisions families are making for and with their college-bound students,” Julia Clark, senior vice president at Ipsos Public Affairs, said. “The changing roles that college cost, borrowing and savings play in this process are essential to understand as key factors in the broader higher education landscape.”
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Montana State University-Northern Campus Clubs and Organizations
A number of organizations and activities give students a chance to get involved for fun, community service, and career experience and support. BACCHUS Network — Supports academic and personal success by building skills in student leaders to address campus health and safety concerns. Chi Alpha — A nondenominational Christian club that focuses on Christian fellowship and the Christian viewpoint on topics of interest. Business Professionals of America — An international organization that works with leaders in business and higher ed. Health Promotion Club (HPC) — For students interested in health issues and rehabilitation and pursuing a Health Promotions degree. KNMC — Supports activities of the on-campus radio station. Level I & II Nursing Clubs — Offers students a meeting place to have fun and share ideas
around nursing. MSU-N Rodeo Club — For all students interested in organizing, working or participating in rodeo activities. MSU-N Student Education Association — Informs students regarding educational matters and provides personal and professional growth to its members. Post-Secondary Ag Students (PAS) — An organization for students interested in an agriculture related field of study. Residence Hall Association (RHA) — An organization for residence hall students to discuss issues that affect their quality of life. Skills USA — Develops leadership abilities through participation in educational, vocational, civic, recreational and social activities.
Student Family Association (SFA) — An organization for families living in the Student Family Housing units on campus. Sweetgrass Society — Assists Native American students with their adjustment to college life, promotes better scholarship through group encouragement and supervision, and encourages other students to attend college.
The Shake it Till You Make it Dance Club — Students can learn a variety of dance moves including jitterbug, 2-step, swing, ballroom, line dance and more. MSU-Northern Collegiate Stockgrowers — A committee within the Montana Stockgrowers Association that provides students with the opportunity to learn more about legislative process and to have a voice in the ranching industry.
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Northern Bookstore
Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten The Montana State University-Northern bookstore began selling books and supplies Aug. 15. Work study student Danielle Saechner said the book store is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and also sells school apparel, backpacks, water bottles, key chains, headbands, sock monkeys and even barbecue utensil sets.
The Northern Brew Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Brooke Frazier works at The Northern Brew in the Montana State University-Northern Vande Bogart Library. Frazier has worked at the coffee shop for her entire seven years pursuing her undergraduate and master's degree at Northern. "This is my favoriet place in the world,” she said. “I have the best bosses. They are awesome. If you need a day off to study they are cool with it. … I don't think I could have done as well in school without this job. The people you work with, it makes a difference." She was nominated by Pam Hillary for the Student Excellence Award and was one of the 10 people who recieved the scholarship. Frazier will be moving on to Missoula to pursue her doctorate in pharmacy at the end of the month and says she is sad to leave her support system at the library. "They are my family outside of family."
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Vande Bogart Library ready for new semester Alex Ross aeross@havredailynews.com The new semester at Montana State University-Northern begins Aug. 29 and the staff of the Vande Bogart Library wants students and the general public to know about the range of services they provide. Belinda Potter, the instruction reference librarian, said her job is to help patrons find and navigate through sources of information and equip them with the information needed to make informed judgements about those sources. “So students who want help finding information can consult with me and I am more than happy to help them look for information,” she said. In total, Potter said there are four full-time and one part-time librarians. “The library provides for our students — actually anyone who wants to come into the library — access to over a million articles in over 70 databases,” Potter said. Potter said the library tries to cover as much as it can. “The library is to support the curriculum of the college, obviously,” she said, adding the library tries to maintain databases that will cover history and the social sciences, an automotive database to help with the automotive program, for other areas as well. “We have some really good general databases that cover education and psychologies and sociologies and all that kind of stuff,” Potter said. “So, pretty much, our students can be successful in finding information that they need to support their education.” The library also offers individual and group study spaces, which helps with classes that collaborate, giving groups a central place to meet. Those spaces include three rooms and more than 20 individual work stations downstairs. The work stations don't have computers, but the library offers 20 computers on the main floor for students to utilize any time throughout the week along with a computer lab downstairs. The lab is sometimes used as a classroom.
Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Librarian Belinda Potter helps freshman Hannah Bailey at the Montana State University-Northern Vande Bogart Library in a consultation about where to find text books online and in the bookstore. When it is not, students can access those 24 computers. "So, we have lots of computers for students to use," Potter said. The library also offers free wifi and students can check out laptops that can be used in the library, as well as a scanner. "If anyone in town even wants to come and digitize something they are certainly welcome to use that scanner, " she added. The library also has a photo copier and
electronic device charging station with six outlets that allows patrons to charge their phones and other electronic devices. The learning success center allows students to come in for tutoring in a wide range of subjects without an appointment. Tutors will be there during certain hours, but are willing to work with students’ schedules. The learning success center also provides a space and assistance for people who need to
take placement tests. The library also houses the Louis and Antoinette Hagener Museum of the Northern Montana Plaines Indians which showcases a collection of American Indian artifacts from throughout the area that were donated by Lou and Toni Hagener. Potter said the museum is open during library hours: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 10 p.m.
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Northern Bookstore
Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten The Montana State University-Northern bookstore began selling books and supplies Aug. 15. Work study student Danielle Saechner said the book store is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and also sells school apparel, backpacks, water bottles, key chains, headbands, sock monkeys and even barbecue utensil sets.
The Northern Brew Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Brooke Frazier works at The Northern Brew in the Montana State University-Northern Vande Bogart Library. Frazier has worked at the coffee shop for her entire seven years pursuing her undergraduate and master's degree at Northern. "This is my favoriet place in the world,” she said. “I have the best bosses. They are awesome. If you need a day off to study they are cool with it. … I don't think I could have done as well in school without this job. The people you work with, it makes a difference." She was nominated by Pam Hillary for the Student Excellence Award and was one of the 10 people who recieved the scholarship. Frazier will be moving on to Missoula to pursue her doctorate in pharmacy at the end of the month and says she is sad to leave her support system at the library. "They are my family outside of family."
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Vande Bogart Library ready for new semester Alex Ross aeross@havredailynews.com The new semester at Montana State University-Northern begins Aug. 29 and the staff of the Vande Bogart Library wants students and the general public to know about the range of services they provide. Belinda Potter, the instruction reference librarian, said her job is to help patrons find and navigate through sources of information and equip them with the information needed to make informed judgements about those sources. “So students who want help finding information can consult with me and I am more than happy to help them look for information,” she said. In total, Potter said there are four full-time and one part-time librarians. “The library provides for our students — actually anyone who wants to come into the library — access to over a million articles in over 70 databases,” Potter said. Potter said the library tries to cover as much as it can. “The library is to support the curriculum of the college, obviously,” she said, adding the library tries to maintain databases that will cover history and the social sciences, an automotive database to help with the automotive program, for other areas as well. “We have some really good general databases that cover education and psychologies and sociologies and all that kind of stuff,” Potter said. “So, pretty much, our students can be successful in finding information that they need to support their education.” The library also offers individual and group study spaces, which helps with classes that collaborate, giving groups a central place to meet. Those spaces include three rooms and more than 20 individual work stations downstairs. The work stations don't have computers, but the library offers 20 computers on the main floor for students to utilize any time throughout the week along with a computer lab downstairs. The lab is sometimes used as a classroom.
Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Librarian Belinda Potter helps freshman Hannah Bailey at the Montana State University-Northern Vande Bogart Library in a consultation about where to find text books online and in the bookstore. When it is not, students can access those 24 computers. "So, we have lots of computers for students to use," Potter said. The library also offers free wifi and students can check out laptops that can be used in the library, as well as a scanner. "If anyone in town even wants to come and digitize something they are certainly welcome to use that scanner, " she added. The library also has a photo copier and
electronic device charging station with six outlets that allows patrons to charge their phones and other electronic devices. The learning success center allows students to come in for tutoring in a wide range of subjects without an appointment. Tutors will be there during certain hours, but are willing to work with students’ schedules. The learning success center also provides a space and assistance for people who need to
take placement tests. The library also houses the Louis and Antoinette Hagener Museum of the Northern Montana Plaines Indians which showcases a collection of American Indian artifacts from throughout the area that were donated by Lou and Toni Hagener. Potter said the museum is open during library hours: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 10 p.m.
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Education:
Families are Tapping More Scholarships and Grants to Pay for College StatePoint — Families spent less out-ofpocket for college in academic year 2015-16 compared to the previous year, as they took advantage of more scholarships and grants to foot the bill, according to “How America Pays for College 2016,” the national study from Sallie Mae, the country’s largest private student lender, and Ipsos, a global independent market research company. Scholarships and grants covered 34 percent of college costs, according to the report, the largest percentage of any r e s o u r c e ove r t h e l a s t f i ve ye a r s. Approximately, half of families used a scholarship or grant to help pay for college. “Families wrote smaller checks for college this year as they looked less to their wallets and more toward free money to make college happen,” said Raymond Quinlan, chairman and chief executive officer, Sallie Mae, a company focused on helping families save, plan and pay for college. “Scholarships and grants have become an increasingly important part of the pay-forcollege mix, and it’s encouraging to see organizations, schools, and the government stepping up to provide them.” • Bachelor’s: the new norm: Families are firmly in agreement on the value of
college: 98 percent believe it’s an investment in their student’s future and 90 percent expect their student to earn a bachelor’s degree. What’s more, 54 percent of families expect their student to earn a graduate degree. Families are putting their money where their mouth is — the vast majority are willing to stretch financially to make college happen. • Making college more affordable: Nearly all families took at least one costsaving measure, while most took five or more. These measures include cutting personal spending, working while in school, living at home, and taking accelerated coursework to graduate faster. Additionally, four in five students attended college in their home state, and one in three started at community college. Eightyfive percent of families completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. • Borrowing not a forgone conclusion: Fewer than half of families borrowed last year. In fact, the proportions of funding from family savings and income and scholarships and grants were twice as high as the proportion of funds borrowed. Student borrowing paid 13 percent of all college
costs, down from 16 percent last year. • Cost important, but not top factor: Sixty-seven percent of families narrow college choices based on cost, but when it comes to making the final decision, this takes a back seat. Primary reasons in choosing a college are split evenly between academic program and personal choice, which includes campus culture, extracurricular activities and student population. Cost ranked third at 27 percent. • Planning still pays off: Only 40 percent of families have a plan to pay for college — but in families with plans, students are more likely to pursue bachelor’s degrees, there is more willingness and ability to spend on college, and students borrow 40
percent less than those from families without plans. For the complete report, visit SallieMae. com/HowAmericaPaysForCollege. Join the conversation using #HowAmericaPays. To learn more about planning for college, visit Salliemae.com/PlanforCollege. “The results of this important annual study shed light on critical financial decisions families are making for and with their college-bound students,” Julia Clark, senior vice president at Ipsos Public Affairs, said. “The changing roles that college cost, borrowing and savings play in this process are essential to understand as key factors in the broader higher education landscape.”
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Montana State University-Northern Campus Clubs and Organizations
A number of organizations and activities give students a chance to get involved for fun, community service, and career experience and support. BACCHUS Network — Supports academic and personal success by building skills in student leaders to address campus health and safety concerns. Chi Alpha — A nondenominational Christian club that focuses on Christian fellowship and the Christian viewpoint on topics of interest. Business Professionals of America — An international organization that works with leaders in business and higher ed. Health Promotion Club (HPC) — For students interested in health issues and rehabilitation and pursuing a Health Promotions degree. KNMC — Supports activities of the on-campus radio station. Level I & II Nursing Clubs — Offers students a meeting place to have fun and share ideas
around nursing. MSU-N Rodeo Club — For all students interested in organizing, working or participating in rodeo activities. MSU-N Student Education Association — Informs students regarding educational matters and provides personal and professional growth to its members. Post-Secondary Ag Students (PAS) — An organization for students interested in an agriculture related field of study. Residence Hall Association (RHA) — An organization for residence hall students to discuss issues that affect their quality of life. Skills USA — Develops leadership abilities through participation in educational, vocational, civic, recreational and social activities.
Student Family Association (SFA) — An organization for families living in the Student Family Housing units on campus. Sweetgrass Society — Assists Native American students with their adjustment to college life, promotes better scholarship through group encouragement and supervision, and encourages other students to attend college.
The Shake it Till You Make it Dance Club — Students can learn a variety of dance moves including jitterbug, 2-step, swing, ballroom, line dance and more. MSU-Northern Collegiate Stockgrowers — A committee within the Montana Stockgrowers Association that provides students with the opportunity to learn more about legislative process and to have a voice in the ranching industry.
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n Continued from Page 3 Northern's request for two new degree programs: a minor in psychology and a fouryear degree in American Indian Studies. Kegel said that while the psychology minor is not a degree program, it could draw the interest of students in other areas. “I was very interested in that one, because it became apparent to me that that one could be used in the technical fields,” he said. Northern is not just trying to equip people with the skills to be workers in the technical sciences, but also to be managers in those fields, Kegel said. He said that with the psychology program’s emphasis on interpersonal skills, it would be ideal for those looking to become managers. Kegels said expanding the American Indian Studies minor degree program into a major has long been an aim of the university, but past efforts were unsuccessful. He said a number of activities Northern has been engaged in and opportunities it has taken advantage of have made such a program possible. For example, Northern was the recipient of the Little Rivers grant, which serves to help retain American Indian students. The degree, Kegel said, will cater to all students. Kegel said the American Indian Studies four-year degree will have a political science bend to it. He said many who take part in the program will be able to go on to a graduate program at another university or eventually use it to go to law school.
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Reviving Liberal Arts
Kegel has made headlines with one of his plans for Northern. Earlier this year it was reported Kegel was looking at nine proposals that could raise Northern's profile and help bolster its student population, including the construction of an on-campus stadium for the Northern Lights football team. Last year, he presented the proposal ideas to a Strategic Advance Team. Each initiative was later taken by different groups consisting of both on- and off-campus members, headed up by members of the Strategic Advance Team, to look at each project's feasibility, Kegel said he wants to push for a new stadium but said it will take a great deal of work and explanation to sell the idea to the Northern community and other area stakeholders. He said that in order to gain the support of those on and off the Northern campus, he will have to emphasize the long-term benefits that a stadium could bring not only for Northern’s athletic department or even the campus but the region as a whole. He said that a stadium on campus could mean more students applying to attend Northern and be a big gain for businesses and economic activity in north-central Montana. “That is what they need to hear,” he said. “They need to understand the economic impact of Northern and how that is derived through students.”
Another one of Kegel’s charge groups was told to look at the feasibility of reviving liberal arts programs at Northern. Northern once had such programs, but most were cut by the Board of Regents in 2000. Kegel said he hears from students and faculty alike who have said they want a more diversified course offering. Montana Actors’ Theatre’s use of the campus’s Little Theatre generates interest both on campus and in Havre, Kegel said. He said a theater program or degree program that could include courses not only in acting but other elements such as production design. Kegel said he would like to revive other liberal arts programs as well such as those in communications.
Biggest challenge
Despite his knack for raising money for projects, Kegel said moving forward his and Northern’s most daunting challenge is one so many of his predecessors have grappled with: how to do more with the resources they have. “Because of how big Northern is, we are always going to have as much grass to mow, the size of the facilities to heat,” Kegel said. “It’s a big campus,” he said, “and we never tend to have enough of the revenue that we need to make everything work right.”
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New faces at MSU-Northern for 2016 Montana State University-Northern is pleased to announce several new staff and faculty members on the campus since this time last year, as well as familiar faces serving in new positions. Janelle Baird Administrative Associate II ——— Samantha Balemba Assistant Professor of CJ ——— Mark Benjamin Training Site Coordinator (TAACCCT Grant IV) ——— Jack Bieger Assistant Professor of CJ ——— Mariah Bingeman Administrative Associate II ——— Lori Borth Project Director for VUB ——— Lindsey Brandt-Bennett Curriculum Developer ——— Mary Brown Administrative Associate III ——— Lourdes Caven Student Accounts Manager ——— Nicholas Chabon Assistant Certified Athletic Trainer ——— Alissa Cook Pathfinder — Writing (NASNTI Grant) ——— Jillian Couch Accounting Associate III (A/C) ——— Lynette Cline Cashier II ——— Linda Collins Culinary Professional II/Cook II ——— Darold DeBolt Groundskeeper I ——— Jaime Duke Assistant Professor of Nursing ——— Jason Geer Instructional Designer/Faculty Prof Development ——— Valerie Guyant Assistant Professor of English ——— Brian Heuett Director of Student Support Services
——— Jody Heuett Media Reprographics Manager ——— Tanessa Holwuttle Assistant Manager of Food Services ——— Nathan Johnson Residence Life Coordinator ——— Tyler Lamb Admissions Specialist ——— William Lorett Pathfinder — Science (NASNTI Grant) ——— Brandon Matson Assistant Professor of Diesel ——— Erica McKeon-Hanson Program Coordinator (NASNTI Grant) ——— Sally Nixon Office Coordinator & Intake Specialist ——— Maureen Odegard Assistant Professor of Education ——— Kristie Pullin Assistant Women's Basketball Coach ——— Denise Rugg Administrative Associate II (TAACCCT Grant) ——— Spencer Sartori Assistant Men's Basketball Coach ——— Marielle Simonson Administrative Associate II ——— Amy Skryja Administrative Associate II ——— Larry Strizich Dean-COTS ——— Steven Turville Accounting Associate II (Cashier) ——— Charles Terry Instructor of Welding ——— Kasthuri Udayakumar Assistant Professor of Nursing ——— Richard Wells Tutor Coordinator ——— Cody Welch Custodian II ———
Malynda Welch Administrative Associate II ——— Deborah Winegar
Administrative Associate III ——— Steven Wise Dean of Students
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August 2016
A welcome from the Chancellor
Dear Havre Community, As another academic year begins, I want thank the Hi-Line and Havre Community for helping us make this past year so outstanding. Together, we have done some amazing things; here are just a few of the many accomplishments we achieved this past year: • Nursing programs earned national accreditation • Broke ground on the new Diesel Technology Center • Hosted the Montana Board of Regents meetings • Received an $800,000 research grant from the state for Northern’s Advanced Fuels Center • Received a 1.9 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to create the Little River Institute and host the first annual Indigenous Education Conference • Wrestling team took on the Iowa Hawkeyes (23-time NCAA National Wrestling Champions) • Lights Wrestling team took second in the nation • Skylights Basketball team went to
Nationals • Most importantly to us is the strong ongoing support we received from our community A s exc i t i n g a s that list is, this next year will create even more growth and momentum. It will be a year of cons t r u c t i o n , g row t h and stability. The old automotive building will be coming down, so construction can begin on the n ew D i e s e l Technology Center. It will include numerous site enhancements to the east and south ends Kegel of campus. As part of this new building project, a landscape architect the best experience was hired to oversee the campus beautifica- come.
tion process. His design will take that tired part of campus and give it new life. The plan includes new lighting, new plants, new sitting areas, new signage, new pedestrian pathways, new roads and additional parking lots. E ve r y s t u d e n t who comes to Northern is looking for us to help them improve their quality of life. That is why I established a Strategic Advance Team so we could make sure we are planning ahead and taking the necessary steps to ensure our students will have possible for years to
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Student Support Services is ava i l a b l e fo r M o n ta n a S ta t e University-Northern students who are looking for help transitioning to college life. Senior Director of Student Success Tracie Jette said the program is designed to help and sup-
port struggling students. For many students, it's not only the college life that's new, but the entire city, and for others, all of Montana is new. Transitioning to a new life can be difficult. That's where the Student Support Services can help. The students support center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The offered ser-
vices are broken into three categories. Students who need help with a subject in which they are having trouble can talk to someone about receiving tutoring services. Since Student Support Services is federally-funded, the tutoring services are free, Jette said. Mentorship programs are also available. Students who want some-
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n Continued from Page 2
The Diesel Center For the past two years, I have been challenging each employee to develop a sense of ownership and buy into what we are doing at Northern by participating in a campuswide Recruiting and Retention campaign. I am pleased to say that our R&R campaign is paying off because at the time I am writing this letter our enrollment and retention numbers are up. It goes without saying that every goal we set, every project we start and every decision we make at MSU-Northern is for our students. We are proud to say that Northern produces students who have the skills that industry leaders need and want to hire. Our students are the reason MSUNorthern exists and the reason I come to work every day. My door is always open, so please stop in to say hello or share your thoughts on MSU-Northern’s progress this academic year. I am excited to see this year begin and I look forward to meeting as many people as possible at our athletic and campus events.
Greg Kegel Chancellor, Montana State University-Northern
Northern Student Support Services Paul Dragu pdragu@havredailynews.com
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one to talk to and are struggling acclimating to their new environment will be connected with an upperclassman, someone who is grounded in the environment and can help others be as well. Part of the goal is to help students connect and talk to someone without feeling like they're seeing a counselor, Jette said. But for students who would like
to, or feel they need to, speak to a licensed counselor, that, too, is an available service. Support Services makes available a licensed professional counselor with mental health experience. Students can call Student Support Services Director Brian Hueutt at Student Support Services, 265-3783, for more information on services and available resources.
The new Diesel Technology Center has long been a centerpiece of Kegel’s efforts to boost enrollment at Northern. He said the university now has more than 94 percent of the $9.9 million of the funds needed to construct the new facility, which will house Northern’s world-class diesel technology program and ag mechanics along with some other classes that are common between the diesel and automotive programs. Most of the automotive technology program classes will move into what is now the Farm Mechanics Building. All of the classes now in the Farm Mechanics Building will move to the Diesel Technology Center. That building will stand in the place of the old automotive technology center and incorporate a portion of the existing building into the new design. Contracts have already gone out for bid, Kegel said. Bids should be coming back and opened up later this month, and he said he hopes the contract is awarded by Sept 1. Throughout the summer, Kegel said instructors and faculty have been busy evacuating the automotive center, which is slated for partial demolition. Equipment has been relocated to extra spaces throughout the campus. He said the big challenge is that the programs that were housed in that building are the fastest-growing and most popular ones
on the campus, “So the diesel program, our numbers are skyrocketing in that program, while we are moving out of the facility, “ Kegel said. He said to enable instructors to continue teaching courses they have refashioned a former muffler shop along U.S. Highway 2 East which will serve as a temporary facility for classrooms. Kegel said that because of the high growth in those programs, the university will likely need to find a second downtown location.
The relocation process has gone smoother than anticipated, he said, adding that moving large pieces of equipment to a new location can be cumbersome. He said that from the beginning whatever facilities they used would student-ready. The shop had to be cleaned, remodeled and outfitted for the students. He said they should be wrapping up with that process in the final weeks before the new semester. “There will be a little bit of hardship because the students are going to have to
travel off the campus, but we figured if that is the only hardship then we are OK.”
Two new degree programs in psychology and American Indian Studies The Montana State University System Board of Regents recently approved
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Kegel looks back, looks ahead at Northern
Balancing college and Olympic dreams: One athlete's story
Alex Ross aeross@havredailynews.com
BPT — Between grueling training sessions, travel for competitions, personal life and family obligations, how does a leading athlete excel in their sport and manage college at the same time? Adeline Gray, a three-time world c h a m p i o n fo r Te a m U SA i n Women's Wrestling, has not only been realizing her dreams in the gym, but also in the classroom. This year Adeline accomplished two of her biggest goals — graduating with a bachelor's degree and making her first U.S. Olympic team. For athletes to get to the elite level, it takes relentless drive and enormous effort — and a strong dose of confidence, too. But Gray's education was also important to her. She moved into the U.S. Olympic training facility in 2009 and entered college, but soon she found she was missing too many classes and needed more options and support. Attending a traditional university could not give Gray the flexibility and support she needed in order to balance a busy training schedule with her studies. She was having difficulties getting the teachers to work around her travel and didn't feel they were equipped to handle her unique situation. G r ay t r a n s f e r r e d t o D e Vr y University while training for the 2016 Olympic Games and graduated with a business degree with a specialization in project management in 2016.
As Greg Kegel begins his second year at the helm of Montana State UniversityNorthern as chancellor, the campus is seeing a frenzy of activity. Perhaps the most notable is the construction work being done. “We are across campus doing a lot of upgrades and renovation-type projects,” Kegel said. He said that on the southeast corner of the campus, walls are being taken out in the Metals Technology Building and breakout rooms constructed for the welding faculty. In the Farm Mechanics Building, a tool room is being added. Bathrooms in the dormitory Morgan Hall are also being overhauled. “So, what we are doing is completely gutting those bathrooms on those floors and putting in new showers, lavatories and ventilation systems,” Kegel said. The area in and near Kegel’s office in Cowan Hall is also undergoing renovations. Kegel’s office has been temporarily relocated to the conference room in Cowan Hall, as his office is getting new carpeting. The conference room will also be enlarged. Kegel said the wall that separates the conference room from the room that houses the office of his secretary, Rachel Dean,, will soon be removed, making for a more spacious conference room. A room next to Kegel’s office is also being remodeled to serve as Dean’s new office. He said the additional space will provide him with a space for meetings and to work with teams and will serve as a location for large meetings. Kegel said removing the wall will enlarge the existing conference room from about 12-by-20 to 24-by-20. “It still won’t be big enough,” he said. “I mean, I would love it to be bigger than it is, but that is all there is that we could come up with.” But beyond the bricks and mortar and sounds of electric saws, there are are other efforts afoot and promising trends, Kegel said.
Enrollment
Kegel said numbers show the population of full-time equivalent students has jumped by 50. Retention is also up 7 percent. “But even better news is we got a number of students who are on waiting lists that could push that number close to 100,” he said. He said that while there is no guarantee that they will attract those students, it does give the administrators reason for optimism. Kegel said he attributes the jump in enrollment to success with a retention and recruitment initiative he started when he first assumed the office of chancellor. He reached out to all employees and faculty members to help keep students enrolled, and help out in any way they could attract new students to the university, he said. He said he talked to each of the morethan 200 campus employees, asking them individually if they could ramp up efforts at recruitment. It was a request they readily granted, Kegel said. “In fact, the thing that was most consoling to me was the fact that when I did that, nobody complained,” he said. “They said, ‘Tell me what I can do, tell me how I can help, and we will help’ and they did.” Those employees took a variety of actions, he added. For example, Kegel said, one faculty member brought in different types of healthy food for students. “And I had one student tell me if it wasn’t for the hardboiled eggs, she might not have made it through the semester because she literally didn’t have money to buy food,” he said. He said those small acts made the difference. Faculty did more school visits for prospective students and made materials promoting the campus more widely available, he said. Others worked on beautification efforts throughout the campus. Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Montana State University-Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel poses for a photograph in his office, which is being remodeled.
"The DeVry professors immediately understood the support I needed and the university's study options are ideal for an Olympic athlete's lifestyle," Gray said. "To have DeVry in my corner supporting me, not just my education, and a l s o s u p p o r t i n g my a t h l e t i c dreams has been amazing." Official education providers for the United States Olympic Committee, or USOC, make a powerful difference in the lives of U.S. Olympic student athletes. When Adeline Gray was a young girl, women's wrestling was far from mainstream, so her main opportunities to develop her skills came from wrestling against boys. Once opportunities within women's wrestling expanded, so did Adeline's dream of becoming one of the best in the world. Like so many student athletes, Gray is powered from inside by her talents, interests and ambitions to become her best self. At the same time, she also finds reasons to succeed all around her-in the voices of loved ones, the attention of teachers, rewarding paths to the future and worthy challenges to overcome. As Gray set her sights on winning gold in Rio in August, she gained peace of mind knowing that she already had a head start on her post-athletic career now that she has earned her degree. "I can't wrestle forever, and I need an education," Gray says. "To have that check mark next to
my degree is a great feeling." Like other official education providers for the United States O l y m p i c C o m m i t t e e, D e Vr y University supports student athletes who balance a fierce dedica-
tion to their sports as they navigate the path to their degrees, preparing for the possibilities to come beyond their athletic successes. The level of care and flexibility offered to all students at these
recognized universities makes a powerful difference to Team USA student athletes who are working toward achieving their education goals as they pursue their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.
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