Collegian | Spring 2009 by Montana State University

The magazine for members of the MSU Alumni Association | Spring 2009

In this issue: Bridger Bowl: 55 years of skiing the ‘cold smoke’ Taking the leap: LigoCyte’s MSU origins Horizons and MSU Extension boost small towns MSU grads bring Italian twist to global venture

MONTA NA STATE UNIV ERSIT Y

Help your Alumni Association by using products and services offered by our official Affinity Partners. M S U â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S A F F I N I T Y PA RT N E R S

very time you choose to use a product or service offered by one of our official Affinity Partners, the Alumni Association benefits from royalties paid for the betterment of the organization. This is an easy way for you to support all the Alumni Association does to advance Montana State University. Together, you and the hundreds of others who use products and services from our Affinity Partners, make it possible for the Association to provide publications, programs and events to our alumni. Whether it is auto or life insurance, a travel experience, medical coverage between jobs, Bobcat merchandise or a credit card, we carefully select Affinity Partners that provide excellent service, discounted group rates, and unique products or experiences. Thanks for supporting our Affinity Partners because when you do, you support the Alumni Association and, in turn, we provide information, programs, events and other ways for you to remain connected to your alma mater.

PHOTO BY STEPHEN HUNTS

THE MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS OF THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | SPRING 2009 | VOL. 86, NO.1

F E AT U R E S

Bridger Bowl: 55 Years of Skiing the ‘Cold Smoke’

Taking the Leap: The Challenges of Moving From Academia to the Business World

Lynda Sexon Shepherds New Vision for Corona

Flat Earth Imports: An Artful Collaboration

Horizons and MSU Extension Helping Small Towns Reinvigorate Themselves

9 Grads and Long-time Friends Now Serve in the Montana Senate 16 MSU Student Profile: Laura Anderson

D E PA R T M E N T S From the President and CEO 2 Mail Bag

17 MSU Alumni Profile: Angela Dye

Blue & Gold

20 Nurse Practitioner’s Fellowship to Benefit Rural Community

Association News

Class Notes

21 K-12 Science Outreach Activities Attract Thousands of Students

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Traditions 28

FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO

M S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N Chair

Todd Eliason, ’74, Bozeman

Dear Members,

Chair-Elect

So many wonderful comments were received about the revised magazine format of Collegian. If you know alumni who are not receiving the Collegian magazine, they are not members of the Alumni Association. Please encourage them to join. Our mission is to advance Montana State University, and we do this is by keeping you informed, interested and involved in your alma mater. Your Alumni Association membership benefits include the Collegian magazine, Mountains & Minds magazine and Montana Statements electronic newsletter. I am proud of Montana State University. In every corner of the campus and state, our university is excelling. Discoveries are being made in critical areas of research; students are inspired by accomplished faculty; the faculty is challenged by our outstanding students; our athletes are volunteering, competing and achieving in and out of the classroom; our Greek system is growing; our Extension Service represents us with expertise; the campus is beautiful; and so is the Gallatin Valley. As you think back to your time on campus, I’m sure that, like me, your memories are mixed with thoughts of your academic journey as well as your life as a Montana State student. Remember…having coffee or a soft drink in the SUB? The new remodel has given our students and faculty a wonderful space that continues to be the “living room of the campus”…intramural athletic competitions? The new Recreation Center is amazing. It is the place to be and bustling day and night. Truly a campus favorite for our students…sunny days on the slopes? Bridger Bowl has added the Schlasman’s Lift, opening 311 acres of new Ridge terrain for expert skiers. Ski the Cold Smoke… it is better than ever…studying in the library until all hours of the night? Can you believe that you can now study AND have a cup of coffee from the Brewed Awakening coffee bar?…the old haunts of Pickle Barrel, Rockin R, Colombo’s, Spectators, Crystal and McKenzie River Pizza? The faces may change at MSU, but the favorite hangouts remain the same…Blue Books for exams and long lines to register for classes? The computer has changed the student experience. Registration is now done online, students text faculty members and homework is delivered electronically. What are your memories? Write to me and let me know at alumni@montana.edu Let the Alumni Association be your lifetime connection to Montana State. As always, I encourage you to stop by when you are in the area. A cup of coffee, a soft drink and a friendly “hello” are always awaiting you.

Treasurer

With Pride and Loyalty,

D E S I G N A N D P R O D U C T I O N

Lois (Fulker) Norby, ’65, Excelsior, Minn. Rick Reisig, ’82, Great Falls Board of Directors

William Breeden, ’65, ’68, Anchorage, Alaska Caren Coffee, ’91, Miles City Florence Garcia, ’99, Bozeman Stephanie (Good) Bunkley, ’89. Bothell, Wash. John Green, ’70, Littleton, Colo. Dave Johnson, 67, Bigfork Brenda (Heller) Koch, ’95, Billings Bill Perry, ’02, Bozeman Jeanette “Tootie” Rasmussen, ’60, Choteau Shaun Shea, ’98, Clancy Mark Sherman, ’97, Kalispell Mary Beth (Holzer) Walsh, ’86, Twin Bridges Brant Weingartner, ’98, Irving, Texas M S U A L U M N I S TA F F President and CEO

Jaynee Drange Groseth, ’73, ’91 M Associate Director

Kerry Hanson, ’93, ’08 M Membership Director

Brea Schwartz, ’05 Program Manager

Rose (Healy) Hanson, ’82 Administrative Assistant

Jennifer Anderson Communications Specialist

Megan (Koehler) Walthall, ’06

Vol. 86, No. 1, Spring 2009 E D I TO R I A L B O A R D

Caroline Zimmerman, ’83, Jaynee Drange Groseth, ’73, ’91 M, Suzi Taylor, ’99 M, Jodie DeLay, ’93, Julie Kipfer, Kerry Hanson, ’93, ’08 M, Tracy Ellig, ’92 E D I TO R

Caroline Zimmerman, ’83 C R E AT I V E D I R EC TO R

Ron Lambert

MSU Office of Communications & Public Affairs P H OTO G R A P H Y by MSU Photography (unless otherwise noted)

Jaynee Drange Groseth, ’73, ’91 President and CEO Montana State University Alumni Association

The Montana State Collegian (ISSN 1044-7717) is published four times a year by the Montana State University Alumni Association. Foundation & Alumni Center, 1501 S. 11vth Ave., Bozeman, Montana 59717. Periodicals postage paid at Bozeman, Mont., and additional offices. Web address: http://alumni.montana.edu Postmaster: Send address changes to Montana State Collegian, 1501 S. 11th Ave., Bozeman, MT 59717 • (406) 994-2401 • E-mail: alumni@montana.edu

On the Cover Photo courtesy of Bridger Bowl

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MAIL BAG YO U R L E T T E R S

MSU The Collegian magazine welcomes letters from alumni and friends of MSU. Send them to alumni@montana.edu or MSU Alumni Association, P.O. Box 172940, Bozeman, MT 59717-2740.

New Collegian Format Jaynee, all I can say is WOW! I just received the new, revised, reformatted Collegian. I am impressed. Thanks for your efforts and those of the Communications and Public Affairs office; an outstanding job. Thanks.

KGLT Thanks for the article in the Collegian about the radio station. I was part of the beginnings of that station in my dorm room during my 1961-1962 freshman year. A group of engineering students wanted to share music with others in the dorms, including some rock and roll I’d brought from Michigan, so we built a low power transmitter and strung antenna wires around the outside of the buildings. That’s where it started. By the time I was a senior, KGLT was in operation. Seems to me Ron Rowe was one of the first disk jockeys; he was in film and TV.

Regards Ron Skabo, P.E., ’57 ChE Principal Corrosion Engineer CH2M Hill, Denver, Colo.

Thanks again. George Harryman, ‘65 EE Muskegon, Minn. Eagles of West Yellowstone How exciting to read the legacy of the Eagle family. A worthy tribute to our friends and neighbors. The Linfield and Eagle families lived one block apart in Bozeman. (Joe was my classmate.) We had skating across the alley; good skiing at Bear Canyon, close to town; and superb fishing everywhere. Those were our outdoor priorities. Before and after marriage, return trips to Bozeman always included a visit with the Eagles at the store. My grandfather Smith, a minister, often preached a Sunday sermon in the Eagle’s nondenominational church in West. We were also students at MSC. My sister and I graduated in l946. I met my husband, Jim Lyons, ’48 I&ME, and he is also a graduate. We celebrated our 50th reunion (Golden) in l997. This was also the l00th anniversary for MSU. My grandfather Linfield was Dean of Agriculture for many years. Thanks for the remembrances. Margaret Linfield Lyons,’46 Bus Boise, Idaho

I LOVE the new Collegian. It is so much easier to read. You are all doing great work in the Alumni Association. I appreciate it. Joan McCracken, ‘51 PE, ‘55 M Helena, Mont. Cat/Griz Satellite Parties Deb and Jared (coordinators) just wanted to thank you for such a great weekend. My staff said hands down both the MSU and UM alumni groups were the best to wait on EVER! Your group was polite and had a great time. Hope we can do this every year. It was a pleasure having your group here. I’m starting to get ready for the Civil War (Oregon State vs. Oregon) this Saturday. Myself and staff just wish it were you guys again. This weekend I will have to have security. Thanks Charlie On Deck Sports Bar and Grill Portland, Ore. Things went super here. Coach Fisher and four or five players showed up, and we were treated royally. No doubt Coach Fisher’s presence helped with that. We had one of the largest gathering of fans in the venue—larger than most of the SEC games, which is saying something in SEC country! Our girls were tipped generously (thanks UM AND MSU people for that) and everyone had a great time. Thanks. Bret Quinn, ’86 FTV Nashville, Tenn. Homecoming Hospitality Our sincere thanks to the MSU Alumni Association and our special thanks to you, Jaynee. Receiving your Blue and Gold Award and all the wonderful homecoming

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hospitality was one of life’s greatest experiences. The luncheon, parade, watching the football game in the skybox—it was all a big high! Hazel got so excited in the parade I thought she was going to jump out of the car and lead the crowd in a “go cats” cheer. You did a great job as MC, and obviously you have done a great job in building a strong Alumni Association. Hazel and I will be sending in our application to be part of it. Thank you on behalf of my family and friends. We will be looking forward to seeing you again. Our best regards, Dr. Glenn, ‘51, and Hazel (Hardie) Johnston, ’51 Micro Kalispell, Mont. Alumni Pin Thank you so much for my MSU Alumni employee pin! What a wonderful gesture to recognize all of us. I am very proud of my dual connections to this great university. Thanks again. Suzi Taylor, ‘99 M Bozeman, Mont. Reminiscing on Greek life Getting pictures of Martha Allaire’s son’s wedding really took me back to sorority rush. I can remember being rush counselor to her sister Cate and how sooooo very, very, very excited I was when she pledged Pi Phi. I loved her class, especially the girls who were in my group. I was trying to explain it to Steve, who was a GDI, to help him understand how special it made me feel when Pi Phi and I picked each other. I mean we all seemed so sincerely excited to have these friends come be in our sorority. I can remember being out on the lawn, waiting for the pledges walking to our house for the morning breakfast, and we were singing and just really happy. Plus, I remember making that walk as a new-to-be pledge, making sure to avoid the other houses that invited me, because it was really hard to say no to them. Can you guys remember those feelings? I wish I could put it in a bottle for you. Richie Walker Hamel, ‘82 Micro Chester, Mont.

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

MSU’s eighth president dies Carl McIntosh, Montana State University’s eighth president, died Monday, Jan. 19, at age 94. Born Dec. 1, 1914 in Redlands, Calif., he served as MSU’s president from 1970-1977. He stayed in Bozeman after his retirement, continued to participate in MSU events for several years and was an avid reader who kept up with MSU and the wider world. He returned to the public eye in 2008 after donating his boyhood beetle collection to MSU.

“Carl was an absolute gentleman. I just loved the chance to be around him. He will be missed,” MSU President Geoff Gamble said. McIntosh was able to live alone with the help of friends, a Lifeline button, Meals on Wheels and deliveries from the Bozeman Public Library. He enjoyed wide-ranging conversations with his visitors, who included Gamble and ninth MSU President Bill Tietz. Gamble said he had the good fortune of visiting McIntosh right before Christmas. As usual, they had a lively conversation, discussing a variety of topics that ranged from linguistics to matters of scholarship. “They were among the most interesting and wide-ranging conversations I had,” Gamble said. “We will certainly miss that.” Tietz, who also visited McIntosh in December, said he and McIntosh were 12 years apart in age and came to MSU at different stages in their careers, but they became friends through similar experiences, mutual respect and love of a good conversation. McIntosh received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Iowa. He served as president of Idaho State College from 1946-1959 and president of California State University, Long Beach, from 1959-1969. —Evelyn Boswell

Former MSU President Carl McIntosh

New degree program in sustainable food and bioenergy systems Beginning this spring, Montana State University began offering a new degree program designed to contribute to the development of bioenergy and a stronger, more secure food system in Montana. “It’s an exciting opportunity for both faculty and students to be on the front end of what we at MSU hope will be a transformational program in food systems,” said Jeff Jacobsen, dean of MSU’s College of Agriculture. The new major is a partnership between the College of Agriculture and the College of Education, Health and Human Development. Three degree options, housed within three different departments at

MSU, will be available to students working toward the degree. Those options and departments are agroecology (Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences); sustainable crop production (Department of Plant Science and Plant Pathology); and sustainable food systems (Department of Health and Human Development). Together, the options will focus on ecologically sound, socially just, and economically viable farming methods, food and people’s health, and other

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issues related to food and bioenergy systems. Jacobsen said it is the program’s combined coursework that distinguishes it from other programs across the country. “The partnership between agriculture and health and human development is what makes this program unique,” Jacobsen said. “It brings together coursework in plant sciences, agriculture, food and nutrition and ecology, while simultaneously promoting the student experience through internships.” —Anne Pettinger

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

Department of Energy awards $66.9 million to MSU Big Sky Carbon Sequestration The U.S. Department of Energy in November awarded $66.9 million to the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership at Montana State University to fund a project that will inject a million tons of carbon dioxide into the sandstone rock layer beneath southwestern Wyoming. The award marks the third and final phase of federal funding for the Big Sky partnership, which is based at MSU. Approximately $14 million of the federal money will stay on the MSU campus to pay for the university’s contribution to the project. The award will allow the partnership to begin its Phase III project, a commercial-scale, eight-year carbon sequestration study that could begin as early as this year. That project will spend two years building infrastructure and drilling an 11,000-foot well into the sandstone rock layer west of Big Piney, Wyo. Then, during year’s three through five of the project, the partnership will inject more than a million metric tons of CO2 into the underground formation. Carbon dioxide is one of several greenhouse gases that scientists have linked to global climate change. Rather than let CO2 escape into the air, geologic sequestration injects liquefied CO2 into permeable and porous rock formations deep underground where a seal known as a cap rock keeps the CO2 permanently trapped. The partnership’s previous studies have shown that the Big Sky partnership’s region—in depleted oil and gas fields and saline aquifers—could store more than 200 billion metric tons of CO2.

By comparison, in 2005, human activity around the world produced 28 billion tons of CO2. The Big Sky partnership will use the Phase Robot Love III project to demonstrate that underground MSU’s fall 2008 Engineering geologic formations can store large volumes of Design Fair featured dozens CO2 economically, safely and permanently. Lee of high-tech projects like Spangler, director of the partnership and head of a maze-solving robot, sunMSU’s Energy Research Institute, said the award tracking solar panels, and opens up important opportunities a portable solar-powered cooler that could be used for the region, state and university. in remote locations where “It provides the opportunity to electricity and refrigeration validate carbon sequestration as aren’t available. The Design one of the technologies to reduce Fair is an opportunity for greenhouse gases and help reduce students to showcase the climate change, and it illustrates results of their projects. the potential to use the region’s vast energy resources as a path to energy independence in a climatefriendly fashion,” Spangler said. “Along with our regional partner, we will be able to move carbon sequestration technology from the laboratory to large-scale field demonstrations and ultimately to the marketplace,” said Jeffrey Kupfer, deputy secretary of energy for the Department of Energy. “By doing so, we will help our nation meet growing energy demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” For a more in-depth look, watch for the Almost three dozen faculty, staff and Spring 2009 issue of Mountains & Minds students from MSU will be involved in aspects of the project ranging from education to project management to geochemistry, said Lindsey Waggoner, outreach coordinator for the partnership. Founded in 2003, the partnership is one of seven regional partnerships supported by the Department of Energy. —Michael Becker

Popular MSU department becomes School of Film and Photography One of Montana State University’s most popular departments has a new name. The Montana Board of Regents approved the name change for what is now the MSU School of Film and Photography. The dean of the college that houses what had been called the Department of Media and Theatre Arts says the new

name more accurately describes what is studied in the school. The School of Film and Photography joins the School of Architecture, the School of Art and the Department of Music as components of the MSU College of Arts and Architecture. The Master of Fine Arts in Science and Natural Filmmaking, the only

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program of its type in the country, is also housed in the School of Film and Photography. There are 550 students enrolled in the School of Film and Photography. Both film and photography are gated programs, which means there are a fixed number of student positions beyond freshmen year. —Carol Schmidt

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

MSU-led team finds new type of fuel in Patagonia fungus Wheat Warriors MSU plant geneticist and pathologist Li Huang is one of several faculty protecting Montana from threats to wheat crops. Huang is part of a global effort to develop varieties of wheat resistant to a devastating fungus, stem rust UG99, that was first discovered in Africa and is slowly creeping towards the United States. Ongoing efforts at MSU help to protect Montana farmers and food supply.

A team led by a Montana State University professor has found a fungus that produces a new type of diesel fuel, which they say holds great promise. Calling the fungus’ output “myco-diesel,” Gary Strobel and his collaborators described their initial observations in the November issue of Microbiology, which carries a photo of the fungus on its cover. The discovery may offer an alternative to fossil fuels, said Strobel, MSU professor of plant sciences and plant pathology. The find is even bigger, he said, than his 1993 discovery of fungus that contained the anticancer drug taxol. Strobel, who travels the world looking for exotic plants that may contain beneficial microbes, found the diesel-producing fungus in a Patagonia rainforest. Strobel visited the rainforest in 2002 and collected a variety of specimens, including the branches from an ancient family of trees known as “ulmo.” When he and his collaborators examined the branches, they found fungus

growing inside. They continued to investigate and discovered that the fungus, called Gliocladium roseum, was producing gases. Further testing showed that the fungus—under limited oxygen—was producing a number of compounds normally associated with diesel fuel, which is obtained from crude oil. “These are the first organisms that have been found that make many of the ingredients of diesel,” Strobel said. “This is a major discovery.” Strobel is the lead author of the paper published in Microbiology. His MSU co-authors are Berk Knighton and Tom Livinghouse in the Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry, and Katreena Kluck and Yuhao Ren in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology. Other coauthors are Meghan Griffin and Daniel Spakowicz from Yale University and Joe Sears from the Center for Lab Services in Pasco, Wash. Strobel doesn’t know when drivers will fill their gas tanks with fungi fuel or if processors can make enough to fill the demand. The road to commercialization is filled with potential glitches, he said. It’s also a major endeavor that will be left to others who specialize in those areas. —Evelyn Boswell

“These are the first organisms that have been found that make many of the ingredients of diesel. This is a major discovery.”

—Gary Strobel

Gary Strobel

MSU student wins prestigious ‘Irish’ Rhodes’ scholarship Shane Colvin, the MSU student body president who hails from Kalispell, Mont., is one of just 12 recipients of a 2008 George J. Mitchell Scholarship, often called the Irish Rhodes Scholarship. Colvin, a senior with three majors (biochemistry, music and cell biology), will use the one year of postgraduate

study in Ireland funded by the scholarship to earn a master’s in musical therapy from the University of Limerick. Following his studies in Ireland, he hopes to return to the U.S. to enroll in medical school with an eventual practice that includes the relatively new science of musical therapy. —Carol Schmidt Collegian | 6

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

WTI installs one of the country’s largest driving simulators The Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University is now home to one of the largest and most sophisticated motion-based driving simulators in the United States. The $915,000 simulator uses real vehicle bodies mounted on a motion platform and surrounded by a 240-degree arc of projector screens to more accurately simulate the experience of being behind the wheel, said WTI’s simulator manager Suzy Lassacher. Funding for the simulator came from a variety of federal and private sources. The motion platform reproduced the feelings of movement and vibration that go along with driving in the real world. Combined with the wide field of view and a surround sound

Cinematic Equation

A computer-simulated car passes WTI researcher Nic Ward, who is behind the wheel of the institute’s massive new motion-based driving simulator.

system, this means the simulator will evoke more realistic reactions from test subjects. More realistic reactions mean more accurate and valid behavioral data for researchers to analyze, Lassacher said, and learning about how drivers react to traffic simulations is important because car crashes are the chief cause of fatal injuries in rural areas. Lassacher said the new simulator could also help save

money on road designs and infrastructure upgrades by allowing engineers to “test drive” improvements as they would appear in the real world. That could make prototyping and modeling easier and cheaper, she said. “That will save a lot of time and taxpayer money for road improvements,” Lassacher said. —Michael Becker

The Hollywood movie remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” which opened Dec. 12, 2008, contains equations from a paper published by MSU physics professor Bill Hiscock and his graduate student Hector Calderon. The original scene in the 1951 film featured equations from Einstein’s theory of gravity. The new movie required equations that represented cutting-edge knowledge in 2008.

MSU solar physicist receives White House award Charles Kankelborg, a solar physicist at Montana State University, has received the highest award the United States government gives to outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their careers. John H. Marburger III, Science Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, presented the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers to Kankelborg and 66 other recipients in a Dec. 19 ceremony at the Old Executive Building on White House grounds. Kankelborg was honored for developing novel solar instruments and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

“Your discoveries and intellectual leadership provide an example to your colleagues and to succeeding generations and will help shape the future. Our nation applauds your accomplishments and expectantly awards your future contributions,” Marburger wrote Kankelborg when he notified him of his award. Kankelborg is the second MSU solar physicist to receive the PECASE and the third recipient affiliated with the MSU physics department. Solar physicist Dana Longcope, whose office is next to Kankelborg’s, received his award in 2000. Joe Shaw received his award in 1999 when he worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder,

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Colo. Shaw is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, an affiliate professor of physics and director of MSU’s Optical Technology Center. Besides his research, Kankelborg teaches MSU physics courses ranging from introductory to graduate levels. He is affiliated with MSU’s Space Science and Engineering Laboratory and the Optical Technology Center. —Evelyn Boswell Charles Kankelborg

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

Mann receives lifetime award from Indian educators

iTunes, Apple Computers popular digital media site, has named a Montana State University-based Web site that allows free downloads of science and nature films to its Best of 2008 podcast list. “Terra: The Nature of Our World,” www.lifeonterra.com, was named Apple iTunes Best Podcasts of 2008 in the classics category. Other winning podcasts in the category include “Meet the Press,” “Sesame Street,” Freeskier magazine and “Hidden Universe.”

PHOTO BY STEPHEN HUNTS

What’s on your iPod?

Henrietta Mann, Montana State University Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal College in Weathprofessor emeritus in Native American Studies, erford, Okla. received the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award Mann has been at MSU since 2000 when she from the National Indian was named the first endowed Education Association in chair for the MSU Native Americeremonies held in the fall. can Studies department. Mann Mann, who is special had been at the University of assistant to MSU President Montana intermittently for 28 Geoff Gamble, is one of years prior. Rolling Stone magatwo persons honored by zine selected her as one of the the NIEA with the lifetime top 10 college professors in the achievement award. country in 1991. Mann and Gamble estabGerald Gipp, a Hunklished MSU’s Council of Elpapa Sioux who lives in ders, composed of leaders of all Alexandria, Va., also reof Montana’s tribes. Mann is ceived the award. also fundraising for a planned “This award is a grand $10-million Native Ameriaffirmation of the many, can Studies Center, $2 million many years, actually about Henrietta Mann of which is targeted as scholarships for Native half my life, which I have spent in the trenches of Indian education just doing a job,” Mann said. American students. “It is especially heart-warming that this is coming A native of Hammon, Okla., Mann received at a time in my life when I can still enjoy it and her bachelor’s degree in education from Southall that it means, and that I have been selected western Oklahoma State, her master’s from Oklafrom among the many who continue to labor in homa State and a doctorate from the University of New Mexico. She has also taught at Harvard behalf of Indian students.” and the University of California, Berkeley. Mann is currently on leave from her MSU — duties to serve as the inaugural president of the Carol Schmidt

MSU dealing with mountain pine beetle infestation More than 160 pines at Montana State University died and were cut down this winter due to an infestation of mountain pine beetles, which are killing trees on campus, in surrounding communities, and many of the pine forests of the western U.S. “The effects of this infestation have altered how some areas of the campus look,” said Jon Ford, MSU manager of environmental services. The infestation has affected approximately 6 percent of all 3,500 trees on the MSU campus. Most of the infested trees were on the campus margins, however some of the infested trees were spectacular, old pines in very visible places on campus.

Infestations strike western pine forests every 30-50 years. Scientists suspect the unprecedented scale and intensity of the current infestation have been influenced by the preponderance of over-mature trees, lack of very cold winter temperatures in recent years, and nearly a decade of drought. “This is the most serious infestation anyone has seen in 100 years,” said Kevin Wanner, MSU Extension entomologist. “Additionally, this is the first time anyone has seen urban forests infested to this degree.” Entomologists and arborists are not optimistic about the short term future of Bozeman’s pines. The city may experience widespread destruction of its urban pine forest in the next few years, and it will likely

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take that long for the infestation to die out. Afterwards, replanting of pines could be safely undertaken. Destroying the infested trees and countless beetle larvae nestled under their bark is the most effective way to slow the spread of the infestation, Wanner said. Later this spring, MSU plans to use Verbenone, which mimics a pheromone released by female beetles when an infested tree is full. Other beetles sense this chemical message and might bypass a tree they would normally attack, reacting as if the tree is already full of beetles and go looking for a less infested victim elsewhere. For further information, go to www. montana.edu/pinebeetle.—Tracy Ellig

New state senators Bruce Tutvedt, left, and Taylor Brown

MSU ag grads and long-time friends now serve in the Montana Senate

B Y M E LY N D A H A R R I S O N

ruce Tutvedt, ’78 AgBus, and Taylor “I tell young people that if you are going to stay Brown, ’79 AgSci, are both members in the state, and plan to stay in agriculture, of the 2009 Montana Senate, but it’s then you can benefit tremendously from not the first time they’ve met. Though from attending MSU and building deep relationships different corners of the state, the two men with other leaders who will be involved in have been long-time friends and colleagues. Montana’s number one industry.” Tutvedt and Brown met as high school students at a state FFA convention on —Sen. Taylor Brown MSU’s campus. They met again at MSU during high school week, and in 1974 both Northern Broadcasting System as an on-air started at MSU as agriculture majors. It was farm broadcaster in 1979. As the owner of as members of the ag fraternity Alpha Gamthe company since 1985, he now heads up ma Rho that they cemented their friendship. a team that produces more than three dozen “Those bonds formed in the Greek System information programs every market day for are deeper than any other bonds you form in over 70 affiliated radio stations in four states college,” said Brown. and two daily ag television programs. It was at MSU that the two men were first “We come by it (agriculture careers) natuinvolved in politics—Tutvedt as a member rally,” said Brown. “Both our families are of the ASMSU student senate, and Brown as leaders in the industry, and we are the next its president. generation. Now our kids are following in Tutvedt and Brown are both from mulour footsteps.” tigenerational ranch families. Tutvedt grew Despite different careers on opposite ends up in western Montana near Kalispell, while of the state, the men and their families have Brown was raised in eastern Montana near stayed close, and even have Bobcat season Sand Springs. tickets near each other. Today, Tutvedt and his father, Harold “Taylor is a very solid, salt of the earth perTutvedt, ’51 AgEcon, run the family farm son,” Tutvedt said. “If you need him to be between Whitefish and Kalispell. They operthere for you he will, even if that means drivate a feedlot and a cow-calf operation and ing across the state.” grow peppermint, wheat, barley and alfalfa. MSU is still an important part of their Brown may have the most recognized lives. Tutvedt and Brown are involved in raisvoice in western agriculture. He joined the ing money for the College of Agriculture’s

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new Animal Bioscience building, where one room will be named for their fraternity, AGR. They both have children who are attending or graduated from MSU and both of Brown’s sons are AGR brothers. “The biggest thing we got out of MSU is the relationship with other ag leaders,” said Brown. “The classes are valuable, but the relationships with other successful Montana business and ag leaders are crucial. I tell young people that if you are going to stay in the state, and plan to stay in agriculture, then you can benefit tremendously from attending MSU and building deep relationships with other leaders who will be involved in Montana’s number one industry.” In 2008 Tutvedt and Brown (along with 13 other MSU graduates) were elected to the Montana Senate from districts 3 and 22, respectively. While their constituents’ needs are different (Tutvedt’s district is more urban, Brown’s rural), they both hold a spot on the taxation committee and will discuss issues related to agriculture. “As an ag producer in a growingly urban area like the Flathead, Bruce brings an important facet to the legislature,” said Brown. “His personal experience in issues like wolf depredation, in zoning and planning issues, and in growing a successful family business along the urban-rural interface is invaluable here.”

: l w o B r e g d i r B ears of skiing 55 y ’ e k o m s d l o c ‘ e th

B Y J E A N A RT H U R

The day that Terry Abelin, ’72 Acct, rode an avalanche, he remembers thinking about swim lessons.

Abelin stood near the top of Bridger Bowl ski area’s North Bowl, a relatively inaccessible powder plunge, five years before installation of the Bridger lift. At the perch near where today’s patrol shack sits, the skiers traversed “on an exploratory tour to see if we could find a better way into the North Bowl,” recalls Abelin. He and fellow volunteer patrollers Nat Kutzman, ’60 ChemE, and Bill Sikona readied to ski when a five-foot-thick slab avalanche broke off and swept Abelin over the cliff. Snow roiled in giant waves, curling around Abelin until it engulfed him completely.

ike Gill M d n a t, f in, le Terry Abel

It was 1959, and Abelin was a high school senior on his weekend job at Bridger Bowl, 16 miles north of Bozeman. He learned to ski on the hill behind his parents’ South Church Street home, where his father strung a rope tow 1,000 feet up the hill. Abelin skied Bridger’s inaugural season in 1955. So when Abelin, his wooden race skis and metal Ekal poles rototilled inside the avalanche, he’d been skiing for four years, raced for Gallatin County High School three seasons, and ski patrolled for three winters. As Collegian | 10

athletic as he was, it was like trying to swim in a washing machine during the spin cycle. In those days, patrollers conducted avalanche control on Fridays only. If wind blew and built dangerous cornices or snow fell Friday night, “the patrol would ski the bowl and check before opening it to the public. No one skied the Ridge,” said Abelin. He knew the terrain concealed dangers. “Everyone told me that if you’re ever caught in an avalanche, swim,” says the 68-year-old Abelin who retired as Bridger Bowl’s general manager in 2004. “So I swam, like you would in a river if you were in rapids, feet first and your back against the flow of water, doing the backstroke.” Fifteen seconds equaled a lifetime to those watching from above. “Two strokes pulled me on top of the slide. I had my skis on the whole time. Of course, I had Beartrap bindings, so those were never going to come off.” Ultimately, the entire North Bowl slid, scouring through the bowl all the way to

orn Powder H r e p p U , r Old T-Ba

lowed by a poma lift and establishment of Bridger Bowl in 1954. Yet it was not Bozeman’s first ski hill. Ski jumping competitions provided spectacular entertainment at Karst’s jump in Gallatin Canyon in the late 1930s. Other predecessors include Pine Hill among Story Hills where jumper Adolph Peterson taught youngsters to ski beginning in 1938. Bear

wl today Bridger Bo

time and 223 part-time employees, many are MSU alums, attended the university or are currently MSU students. Over the years, the connection between ski area and educational institution cemented. Internships, research and recreation drew students, staff and professors on frequent trips through Bridger Canyon. And it’s a powerful recruiting tool, says MSU Director of Admissions Rhonda Russell. “Students applying to MSU often indicate their interest in the skiing near campus,” says Russell. “Bridger Bowl and other ski areas help MSU attract active students who are involved in outdoor winter recreation. We hear over and over how the skiing is a bonus to the great education at MSU.” As the next generation of skiers and riders discover Bridger Bowl, the product remains superb: light, dry powder snow, friendly staff and affordable recreating—a $45 lift ticket trumps most ski areas and resorts’ ticket prices by a third to half the price in the Rockies. The newly opened Schlasman’s

8 Jump 196 s l a n o ti a Junior N

the 70s in e g d o L e Bas HISTORIC PHOTOS FROM “COLD SMOKE” USED BY PERMISSION OF BRIDGER BOWL

Powder Park some 1,400 feet below. Miraculously, Terry ended up on top. “After it stopped, I heard John yelling my name. I just lay there, looking at the sky,” he recalls, “buried to the knees and not injured. It was a wild ride.” And it’s been a wild ride for Bridger Bowl, a community ski hill on private and U.S. Forest Service land. Created with volunteers’ efforts, the ski area grew from a rope tow and T-bar to providing eight chairlifts for 196,569 skier visits last year, according to Michael Gill ’83 Arch, Bridger’s assistant director of marketing. While a shack— an MSU housing castoff—was the 1950s warming hut with an old barrel stove to heat the place, now three large mountain lodges house restaurants, rental shop, sports school and offices. The first rope tow debuted in 1950 at the ski area’s precursor, Bridger State Park, fol-

Canyon’s rope tow attracted recreationalists since the 1940s, and skiers found numerous hillsides to schuss without the aid of lift devices. So when a consortium of skiers sought to create Bridger Bowl Ski Area on private and public lands, an army of volunteers muscled the T-bar lift apparatus into place for the 1954 opening day. Bridger Bowl maintained the “nothing fancy” mantra for decades, and, even with the 1957 Deer Park Chalet (replaced in 1996-97), followed by construction of the 1967 Jim Bridger Lodge, remodeled in 1987, and Saddle Peak Lodge, built in 2004 in the base area, the fare remained simple, popular and affordable, says Abelin, in part because of Bridger Bowl’s not-for-profit mission. While Abelin has worked just about all the jobs at Bridger Bowl except lift operator and cook, plenty of other MSU alumni have filled those position. In fact, of the 116 fullSpring 2009 | 11

chairlift and Schlasman’s Bowl south of Pierre’s Knob lift expands the territory into the realms of expert skiing only. “This is the first major lift-served terrain expansion at Bridger Bowl since the installation of the Pierre’s Knob lift in 1978,” says Doug Wales, ’82 Psy, marketing director. The new Schlasman’s lift reaches 1,700 vertical feet up the mountain and terminates near the 8,800-foot ridgeline. The lift opens up 311 acres of expert-only ridge terrain.” With the new terrain comes added precautions so that today’s customers might avoid experiencing Abelin’s buckeroo ride of an avalanche. All Schlasman’s lift riders are required to wear an avalanche transceiver, should pack a shovel and hopefully carry knowledge of how to use both—or remember Abelin’s swim lessons.

Taking the leap: LigoCyte’s Bargatze appreciates the challenge of moving from academia into the business world BY MICHAEL BECKER

For molecular immunologist Robert Bargatze, ’95 VMB PhD, taking the leap from academia into the private sector was just one more leap in a life full of them. Bargatze helped found LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, one of Montana’s oldest and largest biotechnology companies. At its laboratories in Bozeman, the company develops vaccines and drugs to fight ailments such as inflammation and norovirus, also known as the stomach flu. Collegian | 12

“We’re at a point in time when the technology and connectivity mean that geography is not an issue anymore, and we’re turning out people as qualified as they’re turning out anywhere else. There’s no reason we can’t do this here.”—Robert Bargatze Ligocyte employees Alisa Meeks, ’06 VMB, (left) and Deborah Willits, ’98 PlPath M

Bargatze now serves as the company’s chief scientific officer and executive vice president, a departure from his earlier career as a researcher at Montana State University. But he said adjusting to business life was easy for him, thanks to a childhood spent following his Navy father from post to post around the country and world. “I grew up with restarts being a part of life,” he said. “As a result, I’ve always been interested in what was next and what was possible.” Bargatze’s move from academia began in 1993. At the time, he and LigoCyte’s other founders were all MSU employees, alumni or retired administrators. Over lunch, the group often discussed whether their research would ever amount to more than articles in scholarly journals. In 1994, they decided to do more than just wonder. The group licensed a pair of technologies from MSU’s technology transfer office and started Montana Immunotech. Working with several MSU business assistance programs, the company moved into offices just west of MSU. Montana Immunotech focused on providing pharmaceutical and biomedical services for other companies, mostly in the areas of inflammation and infectious disease. In 1998, though, the company switched focus and began developing its own products. With that change in focus came a change in name; the company incorporated as LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals.

aking intellectual property developed at a university and putting it to work in the private sector—called technology transfer—was a new concept when the company was founded. In the years since, tech transfer has become invaluable for turning university research into real world products. To date, MSU has 163 active technology licenses. Ninety-four of those licenses are with Montana companies. “LigoCyte is a poster child for the kind of work we do,” said John O’Donnell, executive director of TechRanch, an organization that advises technology startups in Bozeman and around Montana. LigoCyte has gone to TechRanch for guidance and business advice since the organization was founded in 2000. “At the end of the day, our stakeholders are really interested in these good, highpaying jobs for people who come out of our universities with degrees, the kind of jobs LigoCyte provides.” LigoCyte’s success—which includes raising $28 million in venture capital last March—is an example to other scientists looking to make the jump into the commercial sector, O’Donnell said. “It sends a message to other entrepreneurs in the life sciences and biotech world that, yes, you can do this in Montana.” Becky Mahurin, ’82 M VetSci, head of MSU’s technology transfer office, said LigoCyte has given a lot back to the university by funding research in laboratories at the

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university, providing internships for students and mentoring new companies. “LigoCyte is truly our model for a company partnership,” Mahurin said. The partnership goes deeper than just business. The company often partners with MSU faculty members to use the university’s lab space. In return, faculty and students get hands-on opportunities to conduct cuttingedge biotech research , Bargatze said. LigoCyte CEO Don Beeman said having MSU so close provides an invaluable pool of brainpower, but it also helps bring brains back to Montana. Jobs at LigoCyte have drawn MSU grads back from their work at universities across the country, he said. Out of LigoCyte’s 44 employees, 17 are MSU graduates. “That kind of closes the gap in the ‘brain drain’ that you sometimes see,” where Montana’s highly educated students leave the state to work and live, Beeman said. Bargatze said LigoCyte has worked hard to use its success to inspire other biotech companies to set up shop in Montana by forming the Bioscience Alliance. The biomedical industry is ripe for economic development in Montana, Bargatze said. The alliance—currently composed of 50 to 60 companies—was formed, in part, to try to figure out what a Montana biotech sector would look like. “We’ve tried to become a nexus for the steps you might take in starting a biotech company in Montana,” he said. All of the hard work over the past 15 years, jump starting the biotech industry in a seemingly unlikely state, can be traced back to what Bargatze considers a flat fact: Montana is as good a place as any, if not a better place. “We’re at a point in time when the technology and connectivity mean that geography is not an issue anymore, and we’re turning out people as qualified as they’re turning out anywhere else,” he said. “There’s no reason we can’t do this here.”

Lynda Sexson shepherds new vision for Corona B Y C A RO L S C H M I D T

hey would seem like simple questions to which there are simple answers. What is a book? What is an image? What is a journal? But in the hands of Lynda Sexson, ’71 Engl PhD, an award-winning professor of religious studies at Montana State University, the usual is turned inside out until it is transformed into the unexpected. That certainly is the case with the recent production in which Sexson has been involved—the publication of Corona, a journal of arts and ideas that is based at MSU. The 30-year-old periodical, which was dormant for many years after the publication of four issues, has now become more than a journal, even something more than a book. Sexson, her husband, Michael, who is an MSU English professor, and Carla Nappi, a professor in MSU’s Department of History and Philosophy, are the editors of Corona. The publication is packaged in “half a pizza box,” as Sexson explains it. Inside are 18 contributions from writers, poets and artists who explore the meanings of text, image and stretching the definition of books in in-

Thinking outside the box: Corona’s “pizza box” container

ventive ways and demonstrating the fluidity of the borders of different types of media. For instance, there is an essay on the map by the writer David Quammen, a haiku alphabet by Greg Keeler, a poet and professor of English at MSU. There is a clay tablet that explores the significance of place by farmer, political activist and artist Trudy Skari, and a contribution by MSU President Geoff Gamble, who is a scholar of disappearing Native American languages when not running the university.

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That’s one of the reasons that it took two years to publish Corona and that each one of the 1,000 limited editions will be sold for $80, Sexson said. Any profits will be used to fund future Corona projects. “Many elements were done by hand, including stamping and hand-sewing, reversing…and mechanical and electronic reproduction,” Sexson said. While the contributions are playful and clever, so were the editorial meetings that led to its preparation, according to Sexson. A group of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students and members of the community—Sexson calls them a “constellation of unusually talented students and artists”—brainstormed and collaborated on ideas that should be included. “Each piece is meant to be evocative and playful, so that the reader extends, responds to, the work,” Sexson said. “Was it Twyla Tharp who said, ‘Before you can think out of the box, you have to start with a box?’ The process of thinking about everything from design to theory was very refreshing and so much fun.”

OPPOSITE: Cover art from Corona LEFT: Lynda Sexon ABOVE: Contents of Corona package BOTTOM: Opening page

PHOTO BY STEPHEN HUNTS

Sexson said it is such interactions with her students that continue to inspire and motivate her as she turns her curiosity to different literary and art forms. While Sexson is a published writer of both fiction and nonfiction, this last year she wrote and co-produced a 55-minute film about the impact of early American children’s books, one of her research interests. “My Book and Heart Shall Never Part” is a companion piece to Corona. More than 500 people attended the October premiere of the film, which took its name from a phrase in the New England Primer. Sexson’s penchant for variety in projects extends to her areas of interest and research. An expert in text and image, early American children’s books, the sacredness of ordinary objects and experience, gender issues and nature, her books range from “Margaret of the Imperfections” to the groundbreaking spiritual text “Ordinarily Sacred.” But Sexson says that teaching has been at the core of her creative activities for 30 years. She became interested in teaching when Michael was a young professor at MSU, which is where Lynda, a native of the Seattle area,

“Was it Twyla Tharp who said, ‘Before you can think out of the box, you have to start with a box?’ The process of thinking about everything from design to theory was very refreshing and so much fun.”—Lynda Sexon With the publication of Corona, Sexson finished her undergraduate degree. Both Miwill have a few questions of her own. She’s chael and Lynda returned to MSU after regoing to follow her granddaughter’s lead ceiving doctorates from Syracuse University into painting. And, she has an essay that (hers was in 1982). Since then she has won nearly every teaching award at MSU, includ- will be published soon in the prestigious literary journal Kenyon Review. She definitely ing the President’s Teaching Award, the Wiplans to return to her own writing, with ley Award for Meritorious Research, the Phi several ideas percolating for both fiction Kappa Phi Fridley Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Betty Coffey Award, the MSU and nonfiction. “After this is over we’ll sit down and see Alumni Association Awards for Excellence what is next,” she said. and the College of Letters and Science OutCopies of Corona may be purchased at standing Teaching Award. But there is another of Sexson’s contrihttp://www.montana.edu/corona/. Copies of butions to MSU that is less widely known. “My Book and Heart Shall Never Part“ are While developing a brochure for a summer also available at the Corona Web page. session long ago, she adapted a line from a Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poem about sorrow (“No Worst, There is None”) that included the phrase “O the mind, mind has mountains.” She tweaked the phrase into MSU’s tagline—Mountains and Minds. Spring 2009 | 15

MSU S T U D E N T P RO F I L E

PHOTO BY STEPHEN HUNTS

LAURA ANDERSON

Senior’s mission builds Blue & Gold pride B Y D AV I D R E V E R E

“I

see too many students going home every weekend without a tie to the campus,” says Laura Anderson, a senior in the pre-physical therapy option of MSU’s College of Education, Health and Human Development. “There are multiple groups on campus that students can attach themselves to. Whether they be recreational, religious, cultural or whatever other interest students have, it’s important to be planted and have a connection somewhere.” The 22-year-old from Lewiston, Mont., is taking action to ensure students do. Elected president of the Student Alumni Association (SAA) in spring of 2007, Anderson heads a group of 30 students that actively upholds Bobcat spirit and traditions, promotes campus involvement at any level and connects alumni with students. “Laura has enthusiasm that excites others,” says Jaynee Groseth, ’73 HMEC, ’91 M, president and CEO of the MSU Alumni Association. “She is dedicated to building pride and loyalty among Montana State University students.”

Anderson says that dedication was put to the test when she led 20 students on an uphill hike during the first snow of winter last fall for a rekindling of an old tradition that had been put aside in recent years—the lighting of the M. “We took flares and hiked up in the bitter cold,” says Anderson. “We lined the M with the flares and huddled together until they all died down.” Despite the physical and logistical challenge, Anderson says it was one of the first things she wanted to do when she became president. Other tradition-building activities organized by the SAA include the Bobcat Dinner, where past and present Bobcats are seated together according to similar tracks and interests in order to create valuable networking opportunities; the Founders’ Day Dance, a campus dance to celebrate the founding of MSU; and a dinner at the Riverside Country Club with distinguished alumni. Anderson says the group also helps out with events for student organizations across campus as well as the Alumni Association.

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“The Student Alumni Association is dedicated to students building Bobcat pride and loyalty on campus,” says Groseth. “Keeping traditions and learning the history of the university is central to the purpose of the group.” It’s a purpose exemplified quite literally in Anderson’s next goal for the SAA—increasing membership from 30 to 39. Why 39? “It’s the sum of all the numbers in the day the university was founded, Feb. 16, 1893: two plus 16 plus one plus eight plus nine plus three,” says Anderson. “Just right for a good quality number of people.” It’s a stretch, but staying connected to her roots is important to Anderson, who anticipates graduating from MSU with her undergraduate degree in 2010. After finishing a Ph.D in physical therapy abroad, she hopes to open her own practice back in Bozeman.

MSU A L U M N I P RO F I L E

PHOTO BY LESLIE MCDANIEL

ANGELA DYE

Angela Dye creates environments for people and place B Y M E LY N D A H A R R I S O N

Though Dye graduated from MSU with wenty-nine years after leaving Bozea teaching credential in modern languages man with a degree in modern languagand a minor in earth science, Montana and es, Angela Dye, ‘73 ModL, returned MSU shaped her future career. A geomorto Montana State University last fall as the phology class taught her to read the landowner of a successful landscape architecture scape; lectures awakened her to troubles in firm and president of the 18,000-member the environment. American Society of Landscape Architects. “The work I do now is very much influShe was in town at the request of the new enced by the Montana landscape,” Dye said. student affiliate chapter of the ASLA; MSU “There is a focus on the western landscape, and doesn’t have a landscape architecture propreserving that landscape, in everything we do.” gram, but students have expressed interest in Knowing that she wanted to make a difthe field. ference, but not quite how, Dye moved “A landscape architecture program at MSU to Frisco, a small town near Breckenridge, would train people who understand MonColo., after graduation. There she worked a tana’s cultural and physical environment,” she series of jobs—from mapping roadless areas told the students. “You need locally trained, to designing trails—that led her toward a as well as licensed, landscape architects.” career in landscape architecture. Dye hopes the ASLA student affiliate is “It took several steps to discover my prothe first step in creating an accredited degree fession,” said Dye. program. MSU’s strong programs in horDuring this time, she began picking away ticulture and arts and architecture are the elements needed for a landscape architecture at a master’s degree through the University of Colorado. She finished her master’s in program, Dye said. urban and regional planning in 1983, and a “Angela helped get students excited about master of landscape architecture in 1984. the ASLA chapter and the possibility of an Dye then worked with her husband at accredited landscape architecture program at MSU,” said Jennifer Hart, MSU’s ASLA stu- a Colorado architecture firm. In the late dent affiliate president and a senior in horti- 1980s he passed away, and a recession hit the state. Dye moved to warmer climes. culture with a landscape design focus. Spring 2009 | 17

“I wanted a broader experience,” she said. “Phoenix was still growing and doing well economically, so I moved to Arizona and eventually started an architecture firm with two other women.” In 1998 she opened her own firm, A DYE DESIGN, Inc., specializing in urban design, pedestrian environments, scenic highways, transit and transportation. “Balancing the needs of people with the needs of critters is in everything we do,” said Dye. “We regenerate landscapes as well as create environments that benefit people and the environment.” A DYE DESIGN worked at several colleges on open-space projects for walking and gathering. The firm also created pedestrianfriendly corridors and transit links in the Phoenix area and worked on the new light rail system, which opened in December. Her next task is working with the teams studying the extension of that system from 20 to 50 miles. “My goal is to make built places better and more sustainable. We want to make better use of the resources the community has already invested in,” said Dye.

Flat Earth Imports:

An Artful Collaboration of Alumni, Artisans and Art Professor BY MARJORIE SMITH

PHOTO BY STEPHEN HUNTS

From Left: Kurt Palmquist, Denise Palmquist, Nikki Walker and Kitch Walker

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“it

wa s j u s t a n o p p o rt u n i t y t o d o s o m e t h i n g i n t e r n at i o n a l ,

f you happen to have a terrific idea for a business, but think you’d like to mull it over for a few years, don’t mention it to Kitch Walker, ’96 BioSci/F&WL, ’98 BuMk,With Walker involved, you’re likely to find yourself helping manage an international corporation within a matter of months. Flat Earth Imports, the company Walker created with Kurt Palmquist, ’88 Art, and his wife, Denise, ’86 Bus, also his partners in Bozeman-based Ripple Marketing, markets the creations of Italian artisans in Umbria, poetically known as “the green heart of Italy.” The goods—high quality ceramics, glowing Murano glass and fine textiles—are available to retailers in the home accessories and home decorating fields. In addition, Flat Earth has recently opened an outlet for internet sales directly to consumers at www. distinctlyitalian.com. And, Walker says, the company has no intention of limiting itself to Italian products—hence the name, Flat Earth Imports. It’s symbolic, just like Ripple, the name of his marketing firm: “No matter how big or small the stone you throw, there are ripples,” he points out. “We’ve left the door open in branding ourselves Flat Earth. The first division is Italian products, but we could branch out into other countries, and other products —food, for instance.” At first, remembers Palmquist, “it was just an opportunity to do something international, to do some traveling.” Kurt, Denise and Kitch packed their bags and went to Italy. “As days went on,” Palmquist says, “you could tell everyone was thinking this could be a lot bigger than what they (the Italians) are talking about. They were thinking locally—how we could help them sell their products in Bozeman or maybe throughout Montana. What we ended up with is much grander than what they envisioned.” By March of 2007, they had invited the Italian manufacturers to visit Montana and help launch Flat Earth Imports. By the end of

“…as

2008, they had moved the business to larger quarters in Four Corners, outside Bozeman. Walker’s explanation of the evolution from a simple consulting project to establishment of an ambitious business is as rapid fire as his work on the project must have been. “One key to their problems was to streamline efficiencies. If there was a trade fair, representatives of all these little companies got on the same plane, but then they sold separately. They needed a third party to pull them together, especially on the marketing side. They need to communicate their history and how the products are made. They’re very good at making things, but not necessarily at marketing. Even something as basic as translation services benefits from working together. “I like to compare them to a symphony,” Walker continues. “Each plays a unique instrument, but each voice (or budget) is very small, and they don’t get together and agree on the music very well. They needed a conductor and a plan.” The benefits of the collaboration are not one-sided. After all, asks Walker, “What’s the down side of trips to Italy?” “One of the biggest things for me personally, as a graphic designer,” says Palmquist, “was the realization that we need to think globally. That was an eye-opener. I had a pretty microscopic view before I went to Italy, and they were so open to our ideas and so enthusiastic. We’ve found more doors closed to new ideas locally than in Italy.” And although the consulting job morphed into a major project with a speed that dazzled Helzer, he says, “I can’t imagine that it could be in any smarter hands than those of Kitch Walker.” As for marketing luxury products in a recession? “It absolutely has had an impact,” says Walker. “We have to be cautious. But it certainly helps to know it’s the right thing for our Italian partners. In times like these, I figure all you can do it put your head down and try to get through it.”

PHOTO BY STEPHEN HUNTS

t o d o s o m e t r av e l i n g …”

Director of School of Art Richard Helzer

Creation of a multinational company was the last thing MSU art professor Richard Helzer envisioned in the fall of 2006 when he contacted Kurt Palmquist. For many years, Helzer has led a study-abroad program for MSU art students to Umbria. A member of the family from whom Helzer’s group rents a villa for their stay in Italy was working with an organization seeking to promote economic development in Umbria. With the advent of the Common Market, Italian artisans had lost their low cost advantage in selling their products to other Europeans. The development organization offered a grant to help the artisans learn how to market their products in the U.S., and they contacted Helzer for advice. “I called Kurt,” says Helzer. “He’s a former student and serves on the School of Arts advisory board, and I knew he’d been doing a lot of marketing. I didn’t really know Kitch Walker. They were hired to be consultants, but they put their heads together and came up with a lot more.”

d ay s w e n t o n , y o u c o u l d t e l l e v e r y o n e wa s t h i n k i n g t h i s c o u l d b e a l o t b i g g e r .” —Kurt Palmquist

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Nurse practitioner’s prestigious oncology fellowship to benefit rural community BY ANNE PETTINGER

PHOTO COURTESY OF CONNIE JOHNSON

hen Montana State University Johnson said her interest in oncology alumna Connie Johnson, ’03 Nurs comes largely from her mother, who died M, completes a year-long, prestiof breast cancer. Johnson went to nursing gious nursing oncology fellowship at one of school in Madison, Wis., where her family the largest and best-known cancer centers lives, then moved to Bozeman for graduate in the nation, she plans to take what she has school. After gaining residency while worklearned to a place where ing in the intensive care unit at Bozeman she says a professional Deaconess Hospital, Johnson applied to specializing in oncology is MSU’s Family Nurse Practitioner program, urgently needed. from which she graduated in 2003. “My intent has always Her first job after graduation was in been to bring this knowlDubois, Wyo., where the closest hospital edge back to Wyoming,” and pharmacy were 90 miles away. “We said Johnson. At the hospi- literally saw everything there,” Johnson said, tal in Jackson, Wyo., where adding that she cared for patients whose inshe has worked for six juries ranged from those sustained in small years, Johnson said three plane crashes to grizzly bear attacks. registered nurses run the “My intent has always been to bring this oncology center, while an oncologist from Salt Lake knowledge back to Wyoming…they really City flies in just two times have a tremendous need for somebody a month to see patients. “They need a nurse practo be there specializing in oncology.” titioner there on a daily —Connie Anderson basis,” Johnson said. “They really have a tremendous “To work in oncology, I wouldn’t have need for somebody to be needed this fellowship,” Johnson said, “but there specializing in oncol- after all my rural experience, I thought it ogy…it will go a long way would be nice to have a full understanding.” in filling outpatient and inpatient oncology One of Johnson’s former MSU professors, needs.” Rita Cheek, predicted that Johnson will Johnson was one of just three nurse pracbenefit the patients with whom she works. titioners to land the fellowship at the M.D. “Connie is kind, gentle and compasAnderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, sionate, and she has a sense of humor that after completing what she calls a competishe can use appropriately with oncology tive application process. The fellowship, patients,” Cheek said. “I think she will do which began in September, places Johnson exceptionally well as an oncology nurse alongside oncology nurse practitioners and practitioner.” oncologists to learn about the entire specIn addition to her work as a nurse practitrum of oncology care, including everything tioner, Johnson serves on the board for the from prevention to treatment and end-ofWyoming affiliate of the Susan G. Komen life issues. The fellowship also includes class- Race for the Cure. She also is a member of es at the University of Texas Health Science the Susan G. Komen Advocates in Science Center at Houston, leading to a post-masprogram, a committee that reviews national ter’s degree in oncology. breast cancer research grants.

Nurse practitioner graduate Connie Anderson

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PHOTOS BY SUZI TAYLOR

Above: Hannah Brauch, 10, and her father, Dave Brauch, of Bozeman, build a working motor out of a battery, a wire and a screw during the December Science Saturday. Left: Luke Clark, 12, and Orrin Clark, 10, experiment with magnetic properties during the Science Saturday session on magnetism.

K-12 science outreach activities attract thousands of students BY TRACY ELLIG

t was a nasty, sub-zero Saturday afternoon in December. Inside the Hogan Atrium of the Engineering and Physical Sciences building, the windows were steamed from the heat of more than 70 parents and kids so interested in science that a cold snap couldn’t stop them from being here. It was the second “MSU Science Saturday” event, where MSU faculty, students and staff put some “wow” into science for kids 5 to 15. This day the topic was magnetism. In a lecture hall just off the atrium, physics professor Yves Idzerda demonstrated the power of an electro-magnet: He slipped a metal ring the size of a bracelet over a short rod, flipped a switch and the ring zipped into the air and bounced off the ceiling. A cheer went up from the young crowd followed by applause. For the next two hours, the kids went through a series of hands-on workshops about magnetism, each with a high cool factor. They made magnetic motors, saw how things can float in magnetic fields and struggled with two magnets so powerful they could barely be pulled apart. “We wanted to put together a program that showed science’s role in their daily lives in a cool, hands-on, fun way. We also wanted to connect that science to research that’s being done here at MSU,” said Idzerda, who

studies how magnetism can be used in data storage and communication devices. Inspiration is another goal of the program, which—in its inaugural year—will run once a month through March. “We hope they’ll feel the excitement and satisfaction of solving a puzzle and discovering something for themselves,” said chemistry professor Trevor Douglas, who worked with Idzerda on the magnetism program. “If they do, then we may have our next generation of scientists.” The day was a hit for 7-year-old Aaron McLean. “My favorite thing about Science Saturday was the magnets that stuck together because it was so fun,” he said. “He says he wants to be a scientist when he grows up,” said his grandmother, Julie McLean, of Bozeman. “This was awesome for him. We’ll be on the list for all of them.” Science Saturdays are sponsored by MSU’s Center for Bio-Inspired Nanomaterials and MSU Extended University, with support from the Undergraduate Chemistry Society. MSU Science Saturdays is just one of many K-12 outreach activities either hosted or sponsored by the university which brings thousands of students from across the state for the inspiration and excitement of discovery.

Spring 2009 | 21

Annually, more than 900 students from 30 schools attend the Montana Science Olympiad each November. Contests that included building bridges and model airplanes, solving crimes, identifying fossils and interpreting maps determined which teams earn a chance to compete at the national tournament. MSU’s Math Science Resource Center hosts the Olympiad. In January, MSU’s College of Engineering hosts the FIRST Tech Challenge and the FIRST LEGO League robotics competitions that attract junior high and high school students from more than 20 high schools around Montana and nearby states. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a national program seeking to inspire young people about science, technology and engineering. To learn more about these programs, please visit the links below: MSU Science Saturdays: http://eu.montana.edu/scisat Montana Science Olympiad: www.montana.edu/wwwmtso FIRST Tech Challenge and the FIRST LEGO League: www.coe.montana.edu/first

Horizons and MSU Extension

help small towns reinvigorate themselves

alling itself the “The Little Town that Could,” Melstone residents have begun growing their city after several decades of dwindling employment and population. They are not alone. More than 30 communities in Montana are part of a rural revitalization program sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation and facilitated by MSU Extension. The program, called Horizons, targets communities with fewer than 5,000 people, with motivated individuals but a poverty rate greater than 10 percent, and, often, a link to the Great Northern Railroad. The descendants of railroad founder James J. Hill formed the foundation to support states previously served by the railroad. “Horizons provides an opportunity for the land grant university to work with community members to develop leadership skills and community capacities,” said Doug Steele, Montana Horizons Program director and Montana State University Extension director. For towns like Melstone and Miles City, Horizons has provided a way to focus community dreams into doable projects. Take Melstone. The community incorporated 100 years ago, but its in-city popula-

tion now rests at a number roughly equal to its age. Melstone drew more than a third of that number to the first Horizons meeting in 2006 that began a re-visioning process. Among other goals, the Horizons process has helped Melstone focus on attracting new families and keeping current residents connected. The energy is being felt throughout the city. “It definitely changed how I look at the town,” said Justin Brewer, a 17-year-old who was a facilitator on a Horizons committee on the needs of area youth. “I think it has a future now, and I didn’t think so much before. We are already having new people moving in. I think it can work.” Tammy Brewer, chairman of the Melstone Chamber of Commerce, said the community has attracted three new families over the past year: Adele Field from Los Angeles who telecommutes to New York, Ty and Becky Checketts who moved with their two children to a nearby beef cattle ranch, and Kathy Hampton, who has a home-based business and works at the school. “The Horizons timing was just right,” Tammy Brewer said. “We had been working before to get some community cohesiveness, but we didn’t know how to get there. We

Collegian | 22

had this core group, but we were treading water and wondering what to do.” Once community members set goals, MSU Extension provided coaching and connected community leaders with resources and partners. One visible outgrowth is that Melstone has developed a community center that serves as both a youth and senior center. One goal of Melstone’s Horizons business committee has been to develop the local hardware-grocery store into a community co-op, a project being headed by Becky (Scribner) Jennaway, ’87 El Ed, and Charley Jennaway. “We really want to keep the store in the community,” Becky Jennaway said. Through Horizons, they heard about the Montana Cooperative Development Center in Great Falls. Working with the center, Jennaway said that legal papers are being filed to allow shares in the co-op to be sold. The plan is for Anne Coles, ’71 ElEd, owner of the hardware store since the mid-1980s, to continue to manage it. Coles, her husband and family brought the store back to life after a period of limited investment, Jennaway said. Melstone also developed an open market for crafts and produce, and the FFA is

LEFT: Melstone’s community pool RIGHT: Tammy Brewer, Cindy Brewer and Adele Field have been in the middle of Melstone’s Horizons process. BELOW: Bruce Smith, MSU extension agent for Dawson County BOTTOM: Anne Coles, owner and manager of the Melstone hardwaregrocery store

B Y C A RO L F L A H E RT Y

PHOTO BY KELLY GORHAM

kitchen where food entrepreneurs could working to develop a steer manure packagtest recipes and develop their food ideas, to ing business. developing a restaurant with microbrewery In Glendive, the focus has been to and a culinary training school. adapt the city’s strong agricultural base to There are 14 other towns that went include value-added produce that also supthrough Horizons training in Montana: plies local restaurants. Anaconda, Big Timber, Boulder, Brock“For each percent more that we eat of way, Columbus, Crow Agency, CulbertMontana-produced foods, we add about $30 son, Terry, Forsyth, Harlowton, Roundup, million to the state’s economy,” says Bruce Scobey, Wibaux, White Sulphur Springs Smith, ’77 Ag, MSU extension agent for and Whitehall. Dawson County who played basketball for Just added to the program are the comthe Cats from 1973-1977. munities of: Alberton, Choteau, Cut Bank, Smith says that in 1950, 70 percent of Darby, Ennis, Eureka, Geyser, Harlem, Hays, the food Montanans ate was produced inMalta, Sheridan, Superior, Stanford and state. Today that figure is 10 percent or less. Twin Bridges. With Horizons help, Smith is working to Terri Marx, a parextend the area’s capacity to produce, packticipant in the Whitehall age and distribute locally grown food. He’s Horizons project, said starting in Glendive, but says he hopes the “The main gist of it as I unsystem will be a model for all of Montana. derstand it is to help build Some of Glendive’s efforts predate Smith’s coming to Glendive as Extension more leaders who will continue to want to keep doing agent in 1996, such as a program to imthings for the community prove area employment called Community so the community benefits GATE. But the Horizons visioning process for many years to come, not in 2005 filled in other areas of opportunity, just this one single time.” from forming a marketing cooperative for area farmers and developing a commercial

LEFT: Melstone’s Tammy Brewer, Chamber of Commerce chairman, and son Justin Brewer

Spring 2009 | 23

PHOTOS BY CAROL FLAHERTY UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

A S S O C I AT I O N N E W S

Connect by E-mail E-mail is an artery of communication for the Alumni Association. Not only does e-mail allow us to send event invitations and save the dates quickly, but it also keeps us in touch regularly with alumni through Montana Statements and other news coming from MSU. Plus, it helps us save paper and mailing costs. Please send us your e-mail address so we can keep you connected. E-mail: alumni@montana.edu

Jaynee Groseth President & CEO MSU Alumni ‘73 ‘91 (406)-994-2401 jgroseth@montana.edu

Kerry Hanson Associate Director MSU Alumni ‘93 (406)-994-7620 kshanson@montana.edu

Brea Schwartz Director of Membership MSU Alumni ‘05 (406)-994-7350 bschwartz@montana.edu

Jaynee started in the MSU Office of Admissions in 1975 and in her time there assisted in the creation of the Advocats program and New Student Orientation. In 1992, she joined the Office of Alumni Relations and Alumni Association where she serves as President & CEO. She serves on numerous campus committees, has developed new programs within the Alumni Association and is always thinking of ways to engage alumni with their alma mater.

Kerry joined the staff in 1999 after seven years on the road recruiting students for the MSU Admissions Office. As the Event and Program coordinator for the Alumni Association, she plans activities such as tailgates, Cat/Griz satellite parties, Awards for Excellence, Homecoming and Commencement. She also coordinates the Cat Treks travel program, the legacy scholarship, HR and Personnel and serves on several campus and community committees.

Brea joined the staff in June of 2006 after getting her degree in Elementary Education from Montana State. She serves as the Director of Membership and is responsible for planning campaigns, member benefits and member events. Brea also serves as the Special Events Coordinator and is the liaison between the Alumni Association and its Board of Directors.

Alumni Calendar of Events March 25

MSU Nursing Alumni

Billings

March 26

Women’s History Reception

Bozeman

March 28

Alumni Association Member Ski Day

Big Sky

April 10-11

MSU Pow Wow

Bozeman

April 11

Native American Alumni Brunch

Bozeman

April 17-18

Golden Triangle Bobcat Classic Weekend

Great Falls

April 20

MSU Fraternity/Sorority Awards Banquet

Bozeman

April 23-24

College of Business Women’s Circle of Excellence Leadership Conference

Bozeman

May 7-9

Reunion Weekend for Classes of 1959, 1949 and 1939

Bozeman

May 9

MSU Commencement

Bozeman

May 19

MSU Retired Faculty dinner

Bozeman

June 11-13

MSU Alumni Association Board of Directors meeting

Bozeman

June 26-27

School of Architecture Reunion and Master’s Celebrations

Bozeman

July 11

Museum of the Rockies Wine Classic

Bozeman

July 24-26

Alpha Omicron Pi (ΑΟΠ) Sorority, 1990s Reunion

Bozeman

Please watch the events calendar online at alumni.montana.edu for updated events throughout the year.

Collegian | 24

A S S O C I AT I O N N E W S

Rose Hanson Program Manager MSU Alumni ‘82 (406)-994-2509 rhanson@montana.edu After eight years in the nursing profession (mostly in Seattle, Wash.), Rose joined the Alumni staff in 1996. She is the Program Manager, overseeing events and programs with her primary focus being on-campus events—Homecoming, Cat/ Griz, Awards for Excellence and Commencement. Rose also manages data base issues and reports and serves as the manager of the Employer Partnership Program.

Jennifer Anderson Administrative Assistant (406)-994-2401 jen@montana.edu Jennifer joined the Alumni Affairs Office staff in 2004. She has worked at MSU since 1996, having served in the University Police Dept., Research & Creativity Office, and Administration & Finance Dept. Jennifer is the first point of contact for the department and will most likely be the first person to welcome you when you call or visit the office.

Megan Walthall Communications Specialist MSU Alumni ‘06 (406)-994-4564 mwalthall@montana.edu Megan joined the staff in 2008 after working in marketing communications. She currently serves as the Communications Specialist. Megan handles the overall communications and marketing plan and coordinates major communication efforts involving direct, print and electronic communications. She also is in charge of all Web coordination/updates, as well as electronic messaging management.

Call for Blue/Gold and Alumni Achievement award nominees Is there a special alumna that you want to nominate for a Blue/Gold or Alumni Achievement award? Nomination forms can be found on the Alumni Association Web site at alumni.montana.edu/ resources/awards.html. The deadline for all nominations is April 15, 2009.

MSU Alumni Association Adventure and Educational Travel for 2009 Yes, people are travelling and having a great time on MSU’s organized tours. Check out our 2009 trips and read more about them on our Web site at alumni.montana.edu. More travel for 2010 will be added soon—keep watching, and send us your “wishes” and we’ll look into it. Upcoming trips include: England’s Cotswolds

May 31-June 8

Italy’s Lake Garda and the French Alps September 10-18 Austrian Holiday Markets

Nov 28 - Dec 6

Cats on Tour: Georgann (Lindvig), ’66 HmEc, and Allen Reel, ’66 Bus, shown in front of the cathedral in Compostela, Spain, where the relics of Saint James are buried. Last year they walked 500 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Spring 2009 | 25

Class Notes Class Notes are compiled by Jennifer Anderson. Members of the Alumni Association will receive priority listing in Class Notes. If you would like to submit information, please submit to her via e-mail to alumni@montana. edu or through the Alumni Web site http://slumni.montana.edu/classnotes. Or drop a line to the MSU Alumni Association, P.O. Box 172940, Bozeman, MT 59717-2740.

1950s

Gayle (Wheat) Gransbery, ’62 Nurs, ’93 Nurs MN, is retired and still living in Lewistown. John Jung, ’62 Ex Art, Salina, Kan., had another terrific Sigma Phi Epsilon reunion last year. He also enjoyed the Bobcat vs. Wildcat game even though he would have welcomed a change in the score. Richard Henderson, ’63 Ag, ’68 M, and wife, Janice (Greene) Henderson, ’68 Ex Nurs, Boise, Idaho, own and operate five Subway Sandwich franchises. They have four children and 12 grandchildren.

Jim Livers, ’50 GenStu, ’60 ApSci M, Roseburg, Ore., published a motivational math book, Math Fun with Dr. Vectra and Friends, consisting of stories involving number tricks, patterns, applications and numerology. Information is available at www.doctorvectra.com.

Jerry Shanahan, ’66 ME, and wife, Carol (Leeper) Shanahan, ’93 OT, Great Falls, report that Jerry is doing well after having suffered a nearly fatal auto accident in 2002. He is blind and confined to a wheelchair but enjoys visiting with friends and family.

Diane (Lauer) Hecker, ’58 HmEc, is a retired Colorado State Univ. librarian. She and husband, Richard Hecker, ’58 Agron, have been married for 50 years. He is a retired sugar beet geneticist with Agr. Research Services at Colorado State Univ. They make their home in Ft. Collins, Colo.

Barbara (Taplin) Kyle, ’67 ElEd, Sacramento, Calif., has retired from teaching after 40 years and now has time for tennis. Her senior team beat out four San Francisco Bay area teams qualifying them to play in the USTA Nationals in Phoenix, Ariz.

Ralph Huntsinger, ’58 ChE, ’59 M, ’66 PhD, Chico, Calif., gave a keynote speech at the International Conference on System Simulation and Scientific Computing in Beijing, China in 2008. He has also received a grant from the China National Science Institute for a visit to Bihang University in Beijing, where he will give lectures in mechanical and aeronautical engineering to master and doctoral students in engineering. Bert Thurber, ’59 Ag, Great Falls, celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary in September with wife, Myrna.

1960s Charles Giarratana, ’60 Ex PE, Alta, Calif., is busy writing and preparing for the Society for the Preservation and Promotion of the Harmonica convention, to be held in August in Sacramento, Calif. He may be reached at montanawriter2004@yahoo.com.

Jerry Olds, ’67 Bus, Bellevue, Wash., recently received the Don C. Burnham Memorial Award. The most prestigious award presented by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Washington to the individual who has rendered the most outstanding service to the insurance industry during his/her career. James Frederick, ’68 ChE, Gillette, Wyo., is retired now but doing some consulting work on oil from coal technology. Robert Hellman, ’68 CET, retired with wife, Linda, after 40 years of federal government service to their lakeshore home in Kalispell. He worked for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs in Palo Alto, Calif., as a senior resident engineer.

1970s

construction projects worldwide. Ray and his wife spend time between a home in Gilbert, Ariz., a cabin in Show Low, Ariz., and a condo on the beach in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. They enjoy 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Loren Katzenberger, ’70 Ag, Belgrade, recently sold his manufacturing business in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and has retired. Marlene (Hirsh) Tocher, ’74 Nurs, is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at Warm Springs hospital on the forensic unit. Husband, Mike Tocher, ’70 Hist, ’77 M, is retired after 35 years of teaching history. He stays busy with family and volunteering. Mylen Bohle, ’75 AgEc, ’79 Agron, Prineville, Ore., has served as area Extension agronomist for Oregon State Univ. and Central Oregon Ag Research Center since 1989. Corby Anderson, ’79 ChE, ’87 PhD, Butte, is the director of the Center for Advanced Mineral and Metallurgical Processing (CAMP) and research professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Montana Tech. He was awarded the 2009 Milton E. Wadsworth Award for a distinguished contribution that advances understanding of the science and technology of nonferrous chemical metallurgy.

1980s David Ayers, ’81 Phys, is a senior mechanical engineer with General Electric Oil & Gas. He and his wife, Karen, make their home in Sugar Land, Texas. Russell Crawford, ’81 Acctg, is partner in charge of U.S. Tax Center of KPMG Meijburg & Co. He resides in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with wife, Lora, and son, Patrick. Jean (Wallace) Kerr, ’82 HmEc, Laurel, has served as the Laurel city judge since 1998.

Ray Jussila, ’70 CET, Gilbert, Ariz., has worked for Bechtel and Fluor Daniel Williams Brothers on major

Danny Choriki, ’83 Psy, ’85 M, New York, N.Y., still happily married and living on the upper west

Collegian | 26

side of Manhattan. He works in the online advertising business at Time Warner as the vice president of product and support of ADTECHPlatform A’s world-class ad services technology. Jennifer Ryan, ’89 Math, Marquette, Mich., stays busy as head cross-country run coach and assistant ski/track coach at Northern Michigan Univ.

1990s Julie Clay, ’97 BioSci, is branch manager for Morrison-Maierle Systems Corp. in Bozeman, Mont. Stuart Crane, ’97 ChE, is a senior process engineer with Intel. Wife, Becky (Bondurant) Crane, ’96 ElEd, Rio Rancho, N.M., teaches eighth grade math at Rio Rancho Public Schools. Son Bryce is 5 and little brother Drew will turn 2 in November. Melanie (Buffett) Ingraffia, ’97 MTA, Point Clear, Ala., is living and teaching yoga in coastal Alabama. Jill (Rogers) Erlandson, ’98 ElEd, Riverside, Calif., is proud of her second grade class. They’re already Bobcats! She teaches at soon to be No Excuses University Grade School. Doug Martin, ’99 BuMg, Colorado Springs, Colo., serves as the national director of State Games of America for The Sports Corp. He directed the State Games of America in 2005 and 2007, as well as the Rocky Mountain State Games and the recent 2008 State Games of the West. He will direct this summer’s 2009 State Games of America, which will bring some 10,000 athletes from 47 states to Colorado Springs, Colo.

MARRIAGES Brook (Svalberg) Wells, ’00 HHD, Chico, Calif., married Jacob Wells on June 14.

CLASS N OT E S BIRTHS Stacie (Jacobsen) Cline, ’94 PSci, and husband, Travis Cline, ’95 AnSci, Deer Lodge, welcomed twin girls, Charlee and Remington, born Oct. 1. Tory Atkins, ’95 BuFi, and wife, Torrian (Dean) Atkins, ’98 ElEd, Bozeman, welcomed a son, Connor, on Jan. 9. He joins big sister Ellyse, who is 4. The family recently moved from Sparks, Nev., where they lived for the past six years. Tory accepted a job in human resources with Right Now Technologies. Torrian is taking a year off from teaching to stay at home with their children. Brett Keaster, ’99 Ag, and wife, Carlen (Martinell) Keaster, ’02 Acctg, Great Falls, announce the birth of daughter, Maren, born July 4. John Logsdon, ’01 MTA, and wife, Kirstin (Cox) Logsdon, ’99 MTA, Marina Del Rey, Calif., celebrated the birth of a baby girl, Amber, born Aug. 19.

Victor Kiesling,* ’42 I&ME, Denver, Colo., died Oct. 19. He was 88.

Robert Thompson,* ’53 Arch, Billings, died Nov. 12.

Kalle Wesala, ’70 EE, Phoenix, Ariz., died July 23.

Herman Seidemann, ’42 Chem, Phoenix, Ariz., died Dec. 14.

Olivia (Kennedy) Lab,* ’54 Ex Art, Palm Desert, Calif., died Apr. 19.

Joan Archer, ’71 Nurs, San Anselmo, Calif., died Aug. 9.

William Weber, ’42 ChE, Bel Air, Md., died Mar. 5. He was 90.

Orville “Mac” McCarver,* ’54 P&S, ’65 Hort M, Three Forks, died Dec. 24.

Tom “Tommy” Buchholz,* ’72 Math, Helena, died Sept. 7.

Ed Holmberg,* ’43 ApSci, Big Timber, died Sept. 27. Kent O’Kelly, ’43 ME, Butte, died Nov. 13. Marian (Lamberg) Cullen,* ’45 HmEc, Whitefish, died Nov. 29. Frank Stolle, ’45 Ex EE, Rapid City, S.D., died Nov. 17. Norma (Hoy) Reitz, ’47 Nurs, Billings, died Nov. 1. Barbara (Larson) Wickman, ’47 Nurs, Kenmore, Wash., died July 26. Edwin Lee, ’48 Phys, Monterey, Calif., died Aug. 8. He was 85. Walene (Hockett) Buob, ’49 HmEc, Edwall, Wash., died Aug. 27. Betty (Opie) Rossheim, ’49 Micro, Harrisonburg, Va., died Apr. 19.

Kristina (Sorum) Bruski, ’02 ElEd, Billings, had a baby girl, Bailey, on May 8.

Hu Williamson,* ’49 Ex HmEc, Bozeman, died Oct. 18. He was 86.

IN MEMORY

KC “Corky” Irgens, ’50 Ex PE, Cut Bank, died Oct. 19. He was 80.

Katharine (Baltzell) Bush,* ’35 HmEc, Barre, Vt., died Aug. 20. Ruth (Krumholz) Dixon,* ’38 Bus, Yakima, Wash., died Aug. 5. Chester Fitch,* ’38 I&ME, Sun City, Ariz., died Oct. 3.

Helen (Reese) Milligan, ’50 Ex HmEc, Billings, died June 15. She was 80. George Murphy,* ’50 Chem, Butte, died Sept. 2. Wyman Nyquist,* ’50 Agron, West Lafayette, Ind., died Oct. 29.

Alfred Hall, ’56 EE, Dallas, Texas, died Mar. 30. Homer Bennett,* ’57 I&ME, Portland, Ore., died Sept. 20. He was 77. Neil McAlpin, ’57 Zool, Polson, died Aug. 14. He was 74. Janice (Cole) Dahle, ’58 HmEc, Merced, Calif., died Nov. 16. Richard Denecke,* ’58 CE, Bozeman, died Oct. 14. He was 71. Wendall Hembree,* ’59 AdEc, Spring, Texas, died July 25. Fred Schneiter, ’59 ME, Belgrade, died Oct. 27. Robert “Bob” Smith, ’59 AnSci, Novato, Calif., died July 21. Emery Anderson, ’60 AgEc M, Delta, Colo., died Nov. 16. Ronald Kologi, ’60 SecEd, Havre, died Sept. 22. Lavonne (Thomas) Lindgren, ’60 Nurs, Rome, Ga., died Aug. 7. Rasmus Indreland, ’61 AgEd, Deer Lodge, died Apr. 18. Joseph “Joe” Scalabrin,* ’62 Arch, Columbus, Ohio, died Aug. 19. Carmie Duffy,* ’65 ElEd, Butte, died Nov. 30.

Robert Willett Sr,* ’38 PE, Columbus, died Oct. 29. He was 94.

Marion (Amos) Wainwright,* ’50 Micro, Fountain Valley, Calif., died Dec. 10.

Dwight Kindschy,* ’39 AgEd, Spokane, Wash., died Oct. 27. He was 96.

Edwin Wheeler,* ’50 EE, Nampa, Idaho, died Oct. 10.

Robert Layne, ’67 AgPl, Helena, died Sept. 27.

Milton Campbell, ’51 Chem, Richland, Wash., died Nov. 4.

Robert Willett, ’67 GenStu, Great Falls, died Oct. 29. He was 94.

Laszlo Tetmajer,* ’51 ME, Butte, died Sept. 27.

Ernest Hanson,* ’68 Phys, Bozeman, died Sept. 11.

Mary (Murray) Woolley,* ’51 HmEc, Bozeman, died Dec. 12.

Richard Metz,* ’68 ChE, Edmond Okla., died Aug. 23.

Charles Collins,* ’52 EE, ’58 EE M, Fargo N.D., died May 11.

Bonnie (Killam) Thorvilson,* ’68 Art, Rosemount, Minn., died Aug. 13.

Robert Hurst, ’52 Chem, Amherst, N.Y., died Mar. 12.

L. Kim Eliason, ’69 Bus, Lake Stevens, Wash., died on Dec. 23.

Harry Kittams, ’52 P&S, Sioux Falls, S.D., died Nov. 5. He was 79.

Ruth (Drovdal) Sommerfeld,* ’69 Educ MED, Bozeman, died Oct. 10.

Gordon Olsen, ’52 CE, Colville, Wash., died Aug. 24. He was 79.

Charles “Bill” Koon, ’70 Bus, ’73 BuEd M, Helena, died Nov. 29.

Everett Peterson,* ’39 AgEc, ’41 AgEc M, Broomfield, Colo., died Mar. 9. Martha (Lyytinen) Pruitt, ’40 Nurs, Billings, died Aug. 7. Ficklin Schenk, ’41 ChE, Covington, Wash., died Apr. 9. Margaret (Caine) Cotter,* ’42 Bus, Olympia, Wash., died Sept. 6. She was 88. C. Lester Hogan,* ’42 ChE, ’68 Eng M, Atherton, Calif., died Aug. 12. He was 88.

Richard Erickson, ’65 EE, ’66 EE M, Fort Mohave, Ariz., died Nov. 5.

Fall 2008 | 27

Ernest “Burbs” Burby, ’73 BuMk, Butte, died Nov. 1. He was 69. Gladys (Ericson) Chalmers, ’73 ElEd, Great Falls, died Sept. 28. Bruce Zinne, ’73 Educ MED, Missoula, died Sept. 11. He was 67. Deanna (Carpino) Holland,* ’76 ElEd, Bozeman, died Nov. 13. She was 71. Cindy (Lehman) Peterson,* ’76 Nurs, Great Falls, died Nov. 21. Theodore “Ted” Eck, ’77 IArt, Anaconda, died Nov. 8. James Kessler, ’78 Nurs, Great Falls, died Sept. 19. Melvin Dilbeck, ’79 BuEd M, Laurel, died Aug. 30. He was 79. Martin Jacobson, ’81 PSci, Helena, died Aug. 24. John “Scott” Jaqueth, ’81 MCET, Troy, died Sept. 13. He was 49. Edmund Sullivan, ’81 Zool, Los Angeles, Calif., died Aug. 29. Charles Day, ’82 FTV, Gilbert, Ariz., died Oct. 11. Carl Fields, ’82 Hort, Chadron, Neb., died Feb. 27. John Trinity, ’82 Nurs, Havre, died Aug. 14. He was 83. Donald Devine, ’83 RSci, Livingston, died Aug. 28. He was 47. Camille Linders, ’84 AnSci, St. Paul, Minn., died Sept 20. John Slonaker, ’85 CET, Boise, Idaho, died Aug. 7. Glenn Kaurin, ’93 Educ MED, Missoula, died Aug. 23. He was 70. *Life member of the Alumni Association

MSU T R A D I T I O N S

Legendary ‘Golden Bobcats’ Cornerstone of MSU’s Athletic Heritage B Y B I L L L A M B E RT Y

ore than three-quarters of a century after their “racehorse” style of basketball changed the way many looked at the game, Montana State’s “Golden Bobcats” remain a cornerstone of the school’s athletic heritage. Fans commonly refer to the 1928-29 team as the Golden Bobcats, an image strongly reinforced by The Helms Foundation. Before college athletics enjoyed or suffered from (depending on one’s point of view) media saturation, and even before national organizations such as the Associated Press endeavored to regularly rank teams on a national basis, the Helms Foundation chose a national collegiate basketball champion every year, as well as an All-America team. Other organizations did likewise, but Helms was the most widely recognized. The Helms Foundation honored Montana State’s 1928-29 team as the champions of college basketball, with three team members—Cat Thompson, ’29 PE, Frank Ward, ’30 PE, and Brick Breeden, ’29 PE, —earning All-America honors. In fact, Thompson’s spectacular play earned him a spot on the Helms Foundation’s All-Time All-America team.

More than just a great team, however, the Golden Bobcats marked an era in Bobcat basketball. Montana State finished both the 1927-28 and ’28-29 seasons 36-2, winning 11 of 12 Rocky Mountain Conference games both seasons, and winning the league’s two-of-three playoff series on each occasion. The ’Cats swept three games from Wyoming after the 1928 campaign, and a year later topped Colorado three times. The Rocky Mountain Conference was considered one of the nation’s top college loops of that era. Montana State played in the western division with the likes of Utah, Utah State and Brigham Young. The success of the Golden Bobcats was hardly the case of a singular collection of talent at Montana State. Ott Romney, ’16 Agron, ’54 HonDoc, who finished his playing career in Bozeman, became the program’s head coach in 1922, and over six seasons compiled a spectacular 145-30 record. Schubert Dyche, ’28 Micro took the reins after Romney left for BYU, leading the veteran Bobcat squad to the 1928-29 glory. But in the seven years prior to Romney’s arrival, under the direction of three different coaches, Montana State compiled a sterling 64-23 record.

The Golden Bobcats. Standing left to right: Manager Clifford Swanson, Ed Buzzeti, John Breeden, Frank Ward, Max Worthington, Harold Sadler, Coach Schubert Dyche. Seated: Fred Browning, Ott Gardner, J. Ashworth ‘Cat’ Thompson, Orland Ward, Gilbert McFarland, Roy Homme.

HISTORIC PHOTO FROM IN THE PEOPLE’S INTEREST (APPEARS ON PAGE 205) USED BY PERMISSION OF MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Collegian | 28

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