Collegian | Spring 2010

The magazine for members of the MSU Alumni Association | Spring 2010

In this issue: Capturing polar bears on film Living the high life: Grads contribute in Morocco Silent Partner: Establishing schools for the deaf A Place for Spirit: Alumni Plaza dedicated

MONTA NA STATE UNIV ERSIT Y Spring 2010 | 1

THE MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS OF THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | SPRING 2010 | VOL. 87, N O .1

F E AT U R E S

10

MSU alumni capture polar bears…on film

16

A Place for Spirit

18

Waller becomes first MSU Mike Mansfield Fellow

14

Silent Partner: Investing in the lives of others brings great fulfillment

26

22

Pro ’Cat

Living the High Life

D E PA R T M E N T S

9 Film grad’s success in LA

From the President

2

Mail Bag

3

21 MSU Alumni Profile: Denise Juneau

Blue & Gold

4

25 Estate gifts reflect deep commitment

Class Notes

28

Association News

30

20 MSU Student Profile: Nate Carroll

30 2010 Commencement Reunions

Spring 2010 | 1

FROM THE MSU PRESIDENT

Dear Alumni and Friends, Greetings! This is my first letter to you in the Collegian as MSU’s new president. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to visit with you.

First, I would like to say thanks to all of you who have welcomed me during my first months on the job. I’ve been deeply touched by your warmth and kindness. I’m looking forward to meeting more of MSU’s wonderful alumni in the coming months.

As you know, the economic downturn has caused state government and the Montana University System to look at budget cuts. Though I am writing this in February— before any specific budget decisions have been made—I want to take a moment to explain two of my guiding principles in this situation.

First and foremost, protecting the quality of instruction our students receive is our highest priority. We will do everything in our power to make sure students get the best education we can provide them.

Second, while budget cuts dominate media coverage, my attention is also on ways to increase our revenues. At the top of my list is increasing student retention, something that is good for our students and improves our financial picture by increasing our overall enrollment.

Retention refers to the number of entering freshmen who continue into their sophomore year. Currently, about 28 percent of freshmen do not continue into their next year. Many of these students drop out for reasons beyond our control, but there are some for whom we can provide the support needed to complete a university degree.

It will require us to address class size, the times of common-hour exams—an obstacle for some students with child care and jobs—and, most importantly, the amount of individual assistance available to students. It can be done.

As alumni, you can help us by continuing to spread the news about MSU’s dedication to student success. You are one of the university’s most important voices and carry our message to neighbors, community leaders, and high school students and their parents. And, just as important, you succeed in your own careers and civic life.

You demonstrate with your accomplishments the lasting value of your educational experience at MSU.

M S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N Chair Lois (Fulker) Norby, ’65, Excelsior, Minn.

Chair-Elect Bill Perry, ’02, Bozeman Past Chair Todd Eliason, ’74, Bozeman Treasurer Rick Reisig, ’82, Great Falls Board of Directors William Breeden, ’65, ’68 M, Anchorage, Alaska Brian Clark, ‘82, Kalispell Florence Garcia, ’99, Bozeman Stephanie (Good) Bunkley, ’89, Bothell, Wash.

John Green, ’70, Littleton, Colo.

Dave Johnson, ’67, ’68 M, Bigfork Lea (Anderson) Moore, ‘93, Miles City Jeanette “Tootie” Rasmussen, ’60, Choteau Michael Sanderson, ’94, ’96 M, Billings Shaun Shea, ’98, Clancy Mark Sherman, ’97, Kalispell Mary Beth (Holzer) Walsh, ’86, Twin Bridges Brant Weingartner, ’98, Irving, Texas Student Alumni Association Laura Anderson, Lewistown Nate Carroll, Ekalaka 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 Jennifer Ward, ’94 Program Manager Rose (Healy) Hanson, ’82 Administrative Assistant Jennifer Anderson Communications Specialist Megan (Koehler) Walthall, ’06

Vol. 87, No. 1, Spring 2010 E D I TO R I A L B O A R D

Jodie DeLay, ’93, Tracy Ellig, ’92, Jaynee Drange Groseth, ’73, ’91 M, Kerry Hanson, ’93, ’08 M, Julie Kipfer, Suzi Taylor, ’99 M, Meghan Walthall, ’06, Caroline Zimmerman, ’83 E D I TO R

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

Ron Lambert

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

Thank you for all you do.

MSU Office of Creative Services P H OTO G R A P H Y by Kelly Gorham, ’95, MSU Photography (unless otherwise noted)

Waded Cruzado President, Montana State University

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. 11th Ave., Bozeman, Montana 59717. Periodicals postage paid at Bozeman, Mont., and additional offices.

Web address: http://alumni.montana.edu

On the Cover The newest addition to campus is the bronze Bobcat, “Spirit,” in the Alumni Plaza north of Montana Hall.

Photo by Kelly Gorham.

Collegian | 2

Postmaster: Send address changes to Montana State Collegian, 1501 S. 11th Ave., Bozeman, MT 59717 • (406) 994-2401 • E-mail: alumni@ montana.edu

MAIL BAG Y O 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.

Scholarship Recipients Say Thanks Dear Mrs. Jaynee Groseth, Thank you so much for awarding me the Alumni Scholarship. It will be very helpful in paying for my education. Right now I am ending my first semester at MSU, and I have enjoyed my time here. I am leaning towards a career in speech pathology, as my linguistics class has been one of my favorites.

Thank you again, Molly Johnson Dear Mrs. Jaynee Groseth, Thank you for allowing me to further my education and enabling me to have the opportunity to achieve my goal of becoming a nurse. I also thank you for decreasing the financial burden that paying for school is for me. This award of a $1,000 Alumni Association Scholarship is greatly appreciated and will be of great help to me.

Sincerely, Rachel Keil Bobcat Football Hospitality Dear Jaynee and All, We want to thank you for the opportunity to sit in the alumni box on Saturday. You really go all out to entertain. We enjoyed all the wonderful food and drink and company (and a great win for the Cats!). You do a great job.

Thanks again, Barb, Ex’67 EHHD, and Jack Palmquist, Ex ’63 Arch, P.S. Jack wanted me to mention how much we enjoy the alumni magazine. It’s always interesting and well done.

Dear Jaynee, Kerry and Jennifer, Oddlaug and I want to thank you so much for having us as guests at the MSU/SDU football game. It was a great place to view the game and visit with alumni. Great to know we have such a great and enthusiastic team at the Alumni Association. We are also

honored to have Lea on the board. She is very excited to represent MSU. Thank you, Don Anderson, ’64 Ag, ’66 M AgBus Dear Jaynee, Kerry and Jennifer, Thank you so very much for the wonderful afternoon of the MSU-ISU game. We so enjoyed meeting all of you and having the opportunity to sit in the Alumni Association seats—nice view! The food was great as was the outcome of the game.

With Thanks, Tom,’65 ChemE, and Joanne Bernasek Jaynee, Kerry and Jennifer, Thank you for the wonderful hospitality this weekend at the Bobcats vs. Idaho State game.

We really enjoyed ourselves, and it was a pleasure to meet all of you. We’re very proud of Nathan. It is a great experience for him to be able to participate on the Alumni Board.

Best Regards, Kevin, ’87 Bus, and Beth Bailey, ’89 Bus Alumni Plaza Jaynee, Would you pass on to everybody in the Alumni Association how nice the “Spirit” ceremony was today? I think the plaza turned out great and is really going to be a wonderful gathering place. It made me really proud to be a Bobcat!

Gary A. Grame, ’76 Fish & Wildlife Biology Hi Guys, I hope you are proud of today’s events.

What a nice addition to Montana State University. Did you notice the people lining up to have their photos next to Spirit? What a wonderful way for students to preserve their time at MSU. Jeffrey Bondy, ’94 SecEd, ’00 M PubAdmin Jaynee and All, You should be so proud of your endeavors.

Today was outstanding. The luncheon-taste, the music-comforting, the honors—beyond belief. My gosh! How is it that you all pull together to do such great work? I know! You are “great people.” The dedication was just special—weather couldn’t have interfered—

Spring 2010 | 3

it enhanced. Just wished Bob and Mary could have joined the group. The rest of the weekend is already a gigantic success. My compliments to all.

Bill and Pat Oriet, ’69 Nurs Thank You Greetings, The fall 2009 issue of the Collegian is special for me. Evelyn Boswell’s article about the 463 recipients awarded retroactive Master of Architecture degrees is especially so for me. Thank you for presenting such a great image for Montana State University. When I entered MSC in the fall of 1945, enrollment was less than 2000. Quite a contrast to MSU now winning $98.4 million in research dollars during the fiscal year.

Appreciatively, Vince Werner, ’48 Arch, ’09 M Arch Alumni Association, Thank you for your support of our 100th anniversary. We couldn’t have had such a fabulous year without you!

Sincerely, Bozeman Chamber of Commerce Awards for Excellence Kerry, I was pleased to be honored at the banquet last evening. You and your co-workers created a superb example of effective event planning. Thank you, Jann Spizziri Business Mgmt. senior from Ryegate, Mont.

I just wanted to say thank you for the great evening last night. I especially thought that it was nice to recognize the spouses and parents as none of what has been accomplished could be done without them. I think that this was a pretty special event, and I am honored to have been a part of it.

Thank You, Marques Jones Undergraduate Researcher MSU Chemical and Biological Engineering Dept., from Ronan, Mont.

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

MSU satellite to ride NASA mission into space

Dave Klumpar holds a solar panel that will provide power for an MSU satellite that will ride into space this fall.

The satellite structure, located behind the solar panel, is a cube that measures about four inches on each side.

It’s official. A small research satellite that Montana State University students built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first successful U.S. satellite will ride into space this fall on a NASA launch.

Calling it “a historically huge moment,” David Klumpar, director of MSU’s Space Science and Engineering Laboratory, said this will be the first time that an MSU satellite will be launched from the United States. It will also be the first time that miniature satellites made at any U.S. university will fly on a NASA mission. MSU’s satellite is one of three that will accompany the NASA mission.

“It’s a tremendous breakthrough,” Klumpar said.

MSU’s “Explorer-1 Prime” and satellites from two other universities were nominated for flight about 11/2 years ago, but the universities didn’t know until this year if, or when, the satellites might be launched or the mission that would carry them. NASA announced on Jan. 26 that the three satellites are scheduled to be launched in late November with Glory, a climate mission to measure the sun’s energy output and the distribution of tiny airborne aerosol particles. The other university satellites were made at the University of Colorado and a consortium of Kentucky universities. The satellites are expected to be launched on the Taurus XL launch vehicle from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Maria, Calif.

All three satellites are called CubeSats because of their shape. They are aluminum cubes that

measure about four inches on each side and weigh no more than 2.2 pounds.

MSU’s satellite will replicate the scientific mission of the Explorer-1 mission launched on Jan. 31, 1958, Klumpar said. That mission detected the existence of a band of energetic charged particles held in place by the Earth's magnetic field. The band was named the Van Allen Radiation Belt after the late James Van Allen, who directed the design and creation of instruments on Explorer-1.

Van Allen was also Klumpar’s mentor when Klumpar was working on his master's degree at the University of Iowa. Van Allen was the guest speaker, too, at Klumpar’s 40th class reunion from Washington High School in Iowa. While at the reunion, Klumpar told Van Allen about the satellite his students were building at MSU. Van Allen suggested that the satellite be named the Explorer-1 Prime because of its relationship to Explorer-1. He offered to give Klumpar some Geiger Tube radiation detectors from the Pioneer 10 mission.

One of those Geiger tubes will go into space in the Explorer-1 Prime to measure the intensity and variability of the electrons in the Van Allen belts. MSU’s satellite will also carry solar cells for power, a radio receiver and transmitter and a computer system to operate the entire device, Klumpar said. The satellite—funded by the Montana Space Grant Consortium based at MSU—is expected to orbit the Earth at least 15 years before it disintegrates in space.

Approximately 125 undergraduate students have worked on MSU’s satellite in some capacity since the summer of 2006, Klumpar said.

—Evelyn Boswell

MSU alumnus receives solar physics prize A third solar physicist affiliated with Montana State University has received the Karen Harvey Prize from the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society.

Brian Welsch, ’98 M Phys, ’02 Ph.D. Phys, received the 2010 prize for his role in developing correlation techniques to measure velocities on the surface of the sun. While at MSU, Welsch worked in the research group

of physics professor Dana Longcope.

Welsch now works in the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California-Berkeley.

Longcope received the first Karen Harvey Prize awarded. His came in 2003. Jiong Qiu, assistant professor of physics, received the prize in 2007.

The Karen Harvey Prize was established in May 2002 to honor the late Karen Harvey. She was a solar physi-

Collegian | 4

cist, president of the Solar Physics Research Corporation, and treasurer of the Solar Physics Division before dying of cancer at age 59. The Karen Harvey Prize recognizes significant contributions to the study of the sun early in a person’s professional career.

—Evelyn Boswell

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

MSU alum gives $500,000 to help MSU’s student-athletes succeed A Montana State University alumnus has given “State-of-the-art facilities add power and $500,000 to MSU to improve facilities for strength to every athletic program,” said Peter MSU’s student-athletes.

Fields, MSU’s athletic director. “Athletes who Great Falls attorney Alexander “Zander” are well-conditioned not only perform to higher Blewett, ’67 Math, gave MSU Athletics the standards in their chosen sports, but are also gift to help student-athletes succeed based on mentally and academically sharper.” the importance of wrestling in his career and Just as wrestling helped Blewett, he hopes his life. Wrestling at MSU gift will do the same for while a student-athlete MSU’s student-athletes, during the 1960s even though MSU no taught Blewett many longer has a wrestling things, but he said team. the most important “Sports are hard, lesson he learned is the and doing hard things importance of a strong is good for people,” work ethic. To succeed, Blewett said. “In my one simply must work view, anything that is harder than everydifficult to do is very one else. That lesson important in building has carried over into character. You improve Blewett’s life as a trial yourself by working lawyer. hard, and then you do Blewett, who better and get better practices law in Great results.”

Falls, is probably most Blewett hopes the noted for the $21.4 gift will attract studentNoted Great Falls attorney Alexander “Zander” Blewett million dollar verdict athletes to MSU and has given $500,000 to MSU to improve facilities for he obtained against MSU’s student-athletes. Photo courtesy of Zander Blewett. enable them to do their a high-powered law best while they’re here, firm in Seltzer vs. Morton, a case that found in so they’ll be better equipped to succeed once they favor of Western art expert Steve Seltzer of Great leave, Blewett said.

Falls, who refused to authenticate a painting he And, he considers sharing what he has earned believed to be a fake Charlie Russell. Blewett is as his duty. also one of only 100 lawyers named to the Inner “A lot of us have had good fortune, whether Circle of Advocates, a group whose minimum through hard work or taking the right fork in the membership requirement is winning 50 or more road, and giving back seems like the appropriate trials with verdicts in excess of $1 million. thing to do,” Blewett said. “Especially now, if Blewett, who was recently elected to his you’re in a position to help out your alma mater, second term on the MSU Foundation Board of it’s probably time to step up and do so.”

Directors, hopes the gift will help advance the Blewett’s is the third gift in three years of visibility of MSU’s athletic programs and draw $500,000 or more from members of the Great more student-athletes to the university. He also Falls community in support of Bobcat Athletics. said it will help student-athletes perform better— “As a former wrestler, Zander understands a sentiment others at MSU echo. the impact athletics can have on our student“Mr. Blewett’s gift is a wonderful way for the athletes,” Fields said. “And, as a booster, he truly university to start the New Year,” said MSU understands the impact that a successful athletics President Waded Cruzado. “His thoughtful genprogram will have on the university, the commuerosity will help our student-athletes for many nity and the state of Montana.”

—Anne Pettinger Cantrell years to come.”

Spring 2010 | 5

Cold Chamber Highlighted MSU was included in Skiing magazine’s list of “Bright Ideas: The 28 People, Products and Inventions Revolutionizing Our Sport.”

The article highlighted MSU’s avalanche crashtest dummy and Subzero lab, which was described as a “one-of-a-kind cold chamber that allows scientists to test snowpack strength in a controlled, slide-free environment.”

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

Beekeeping hobby becomes base of research and classes

MSU Fitness Center Receives Top Award MSU’s Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center has received the Outstanding Sports Facilities Award from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association for creative, innovative designs of new, renovated or expanded collegiate recreational facilities.

Judging criteria includes architectural design, functionality and how well it meets its intended purpose.

In David Baumbauer’s beekeeping class the participants take an oath: “I am a beekeeper and I will get stung.”

Baumbauer, manager of Montana State University’s Plant Growth Center, quickly follows with an explanation, “If you work the bees when the weather is nice and pay attention to what you are doing, you can usually avoid getting stung.”

Although Baumbauer does feel the sting of an irritated bee once or twice a year—always his fault, he said—he hasn’t let that stop his beekeeping hobby from morphing into research and classes.

In January, Baumbauer began offering his fifth hobby beekeeping course. Open to the public and limited to 50 participants, the class fills up every year.

“It’s a neat addition to the agricultural experience,” Baumbauer said. “It’s a fun hobby, kids seem to be naturals at it and gardeners reap wonderful benefits from having bees around (to pollinate their crops).”

His bees also make an appearance in Baumbauer’s organic market gardening class, taught in the summer on MSU’s horticulture farm. While learning about small-scale direct market enterprises, students get a primer on beekeeping.

“There are a lot of products that come out of beekeeping, such as honey, lip balms and candles, that can supplement a gardener or farmer’s income,” Baumbauer said.

Baumbauer got hooked on beekeeping after working bees with a friend. He currently has

David Baumbauer, manger of Montana State University’s Plant Growth Center, sits on bee colonies at MSU.

five bee colonies on MSU’s Bromenshenk conditioned Bozeman Area Research and honeybees to be attracted to Training Farm, and his daughland mines by adding trace ters have another five colonies amounts of the chemicals used in friends’ yards. (Five colonies in explosives to their food. per hobbyist and two hobbyists When honeybees are released per household are allowed by into a minefield they will pause the Montana Department of over the landmines in their Agriculture.) search for food. To be able to Researchers at MSU see detect the pausing of the bees, the bees living on campus as the MSU researchers developed more than honey and pollinalidar, a measuring system that tors; they see them as research detects and locates objects on subjects and life savers. the same principle as radar but Lee Spangler, faculty in uses light from a laser. chemistry and biochemistry, Bees can also help improve Joe Shaw, engineering faculty, the lives of people around the and researchers from the Naworld. In October, Baumbauer tional Energy Technology Lab volunteered at a Heifer Interuse bees for carbon sequestranational beekeeping class in tion work. By analyzing the Perryville, Ark. Heifer Internapollen a bee collects for tracers tional is a nonprofit developthat have been added to carbon ment organization dedicated dioxide, he can tell whether to improving communities buried carbon dioxide is staying through sustainable agriculture. stored underground or leaking “Bees are good for internaout of the ground. tional development because University of Montana you don’t need any land to professor Jerry Bromenshenk; raise them,” Baumbauer said.

Kevin Repasky, MSU engi“They are a great enterprise for neering faculty; John Carlsten, women in developing countries MSU physics faculty; Shaw and because women do most of the Spangler have figured out a way chores and don’t have a lot of to use bees to detect land mines. extra time.”

Collegian | 6

— by Melynda Harrison

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

MSU grad student returns to African bush to learn, serve

A Montana State University graduate student who studies wildlife in the African bush has a box seat at an exotic parade.

Lions, baboons, spotted hyenas and warthogs pass by the cameras that Paul Schuette set up around his research area in southern Kenya. So do elephants, ostriches and secretary birds. Women carrying bundles of sticks walk by the cameras, as do Maasai herders.

Paul Schuette, left, and Scott Creel place a radio collar on a lion for “Lions and hyenas share the research they are conducting in southern Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Paul same areas with people and Schuette). livestock,” said Schuette, a the Olkiramatian-Shompole eras. The cameras take photos doctoral student in ecology. area provides an excellent opday and night and have yielded “It’s really interesting to see how portunity to understand how 250,000 photos so far, Schuette there’s kind of a spatial and large carnivores affect prey spesaid. After analyzing them, he temporal shift.” cies in ways beyond the obvious will describe his findings in Now in his third field season, effects of directly killing prey,” his doctoral thesis and provide Schuette lives in a canvas tent Creel said. “Also, the Maasai that information to the African from January through August are notable for their success Conservation Centre, the South while studying the interactions in conserving large carnivores Rift Association of wildlife, livestock and Maaand ungulates on the same of Land Owners sai on two community conserlandscape that people use for (SORALO) vation areas and Maasai group all of their everyday activities, and the Maasai ranches in the South Rift Valley. including grazing livestock, tribes.

The overseers are interested in which is the focal point of their Schuette Schuette’s findings, because economy. said he already they want to protect wildlife “If we can understand their knows that 20 and improve livelihoods. success in conserving large kinds of carniFunded by the National Scicarnivores outside of protected vores live on the ence Foundation and affiliated areas and avoiding or mitigat193 square miles with two African organizations, ing conflicts, there may be of his study area.

Schuette uses radio collars and some basic strategies that can He’s especially battery-powered cameras to help with these issues in other focused on lions, leopards and survey the wildlife and see how parts of the world,” Creel said. spotted hyenas, because they people, wildlife and livestock “This is certainly a hot-button kill more prey than any of the share the land. Some of his issue in Montana since wolves other carnivores. methods expand on those used have recolonized their historic It’s interesting to see animals by his adviser, Scott Creel, to range.” and humans sharing the same study elk-prey interactions Schuette and Creel have spot at different times of the in the Greater Yellowstone placed radio collars on four day, Schuette added.

—Evelyn Boswell Ecosystem. lions and two spotted hyenas so “There are some basic profar, Schuette said shortly before cesses underlying predator-prey returning to Kenya. They also interactions in any system, and monitor 56 sites with trail cam-

Spring 2010 | 7

Breaking the Track Record MSU Bobcat Patrick Casey became Montana’s first collegiate athlete to run a sub four-minute mile on Montana soil in January 2010. His altitude-adjusted time of 3:59.17 won the event, broke the MSU school record and was good for eighth on the Big Sky Conference AllTime list in the event.

Paul Schuette and Scott Creel of MSU conduct their research on the Olkiramatian and Shompole group ranches in southern Kenya. The ranches are indicated at the center lower portion of this map. (Map courtesy of Paul Schuette).

BLUE & GOLD M S U N E W S

MSU receives $1.37 million to create “viral tree of life”

Mark Young and his team recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to identify and categorize viruses from extreme environments around the world.

Montana State University researchers are looking more closely at the most abundant form of lifelike entities on earth—viruses.

Last fall, the university received a grant of $1.37 million over five years from the National Science Foundation. The money will allow faculty members and students at MSU to broaden the understanding of the viral world and its relationship to cellular life.

“We are known for finding bizarre viruses,” said Mark Young, professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology and the grant’s principal investigator.

Young and his team will be using molecular technology to identify and categorize viruses from extreme environments around the world, primarily very hot and very acidic places. They are looking for viruses with no known relatives.

They will collect hundreds to thousands of viruses and try to match their genetic material to genes scientists have already categorized. When Young and his group find a virus whose genes do not match known genes, they will know they’ve found something special.

Young will then classify the new viruses and create a “viral tree of life.” Much like a tree of life

for other life forms, this tree will show who is related to whom. Unlike the better known tree of life, the viral tree of life will almost certainly be more than one tree; it may even be a forest.

“Whereas cellular life has one common ancestor, viruses have had multiple, individual ancestors,” Young said. “We don’t know how many there are, but we hope to contribute to finding out how many trees are in the forest.”

The results of Young’s work will be added to the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Biotechnology Information’s database.

Genetic information from all over the world is collected in this database and is accessible to other scientists and the public. Young will also distribute information from the tree(s) of life through scientific journal articles.

In addition to the advancement of science, there are other benefits to Young’s project. According to Young, 20 percent of the microbial life in the ocean is killed every day by viruses.

That means most of the life in the ocean is turned over every five days. That likely holds true for terrestrial life, too.

“There are more viruses than cells on the planet.

It’s impossible to imagine making good policy decisions on ecosystem management without knowing what life is on the planet,” Young said.

“Just knowing what earth supports is critical.”

— Melynda Harrison

MSU wins reaccreditation with praise for productivity and effectiveness A team that recently reaccredited Montana State University has commended the university for an “extremely high level of productivity and effectiveness” and creative use of resources during current fiscal challenges.

MSU learned in February that it had received reaccreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities on the basis of an NWCCU comprehensive evaluation conducted this fall. The NWCCU is the accrediting body for all institutions of higher learning in the Pacific Northwest. It is one of six regional accreditation bodies that grant accreditation

on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education.

“Receiving reaccreditation is, at the same time, a validation and a recognition that demonstrates the university is doing the job entrusted to it by the people of Montana by providing a quality education for our students,” said MSU President Waded Cruzado.

“It’s one of our foremost indicators of quality, performance and a commitment to constant improvement.”

She said the university was pleased that the report was complimentary of MSU faculty, staff and administration for being named to the Carnegie Collegian | 8

Foundation’s highest classification for research universities on a budget that was much less than peer institutions.

“This confirms to us that we have been good stewards of the resources available to us,” Cruzado said. “We are proud of the hard work done by our faculty, staff and administration to make this recognition possible.”

Conversely, the committee’s first recommendation was that new funds be generated or reallocated, if the university wanted to maintain its rank on the Carnegie Foundation’s list of the 96 top research institutions.

— Carol Schmidt

and rk o w rd a H : y r o t L A Sing bring success to film grad network

IDT

BY C A ROL SCH M

y feature. This one another animated Disne to t tha u yo l tel ll wi her than hand-drawn. ria Stewart, ’05 MTA, computer animated rat is eer car a e rsu pu to project,” she said. moving to Los Angeles “We go from project to a tan on M m fro for a year or two in film after graduating e will work with a crew “W t no d an rk wo hard next film.”

State University is lots of d then move on to the an tly en rec s life is that she and wart wa a fairy tale. However, Ste One constant in Stewart’s d ate im an y sne MTA, continue to Walt Di involved with the latest rtner, Ryan Stumpe, ’03 pa wSte g.”

Fro and the es at their home in fairy tale, “The Princess st periodical wine parti ho ) FX (E on ati s who are now in s Anim art worked in the Effect s Feliz for MSU graduate Lo e tur fea n aw t hand-dr Department on the firs Los Angeles. studio in six years. still a huge Monthe by ed eas animation rel “The nice thing is there’s em rem to ing try I’m rt said. “They bring “It’s a fantastic film and tana group here,” Stewa it ce sin ”) rog (“F come who have e seen ber how many times I’v er people as well. People oth it. of ud pro am said. “I there are a handful has come out,” Stewart en here for awhile, and be nd ha the ve ha hing to get in touch with us I think it has been refres of recent graduates who up w gre I . ck ba come always invited. (The drawn (animation) style d we make sure they’re an ” aid erm M tle Lit “The nity to connect with those films, such as rties) are a good opportu pa of urn ret the e to see d about 80 people and “Aladdin,” so it’s nic with everyone.” She sai al.” sic d mu t gathering. the traditionally animate attended the most recen th wi job the t ou and Stumpe Stewart said she heard ab In fact, Stewart said she low fel a er aft years ago they made Disney Animation two ved in September, and mo ity un mm co SU the M was equipped MTA graduate e-mailed sure that their new house ing iew erv int s y wa g space for in Los Angeles that Disne th plenty of entertainin wi s wa she d sai rt Stewa for production assistants. the parties. lated jobs at the parties, -re film l era sev applying for “If we stopped having the t sen she so e, resum disappointed time and had a current there would be a lot of l era sev k too t tha cess d. The gatherone in. After a hiring pro people, I think,” she sai ass wa er aft y rtl d sho source of weeks, she was hired an s continue to be a great ing g.”

Fro and the tana comsigned to “The Princess networking for the Mon ), we visited SU M (at l oo sch es. in s gel wa An “When I munity in Los , who was working for wine Scott Seiffert, ’84 MTA “We’re happy to host the I thought then e. tim busy ’s the ne at ryo on eve ati th im Disney An parties and, wi ce to work if pla ng ys sti wa ere d int fin an to be at gre that it would schedules, it’s wasn’t planI . er. up e eth cam tog r i eve mn y alu nit an opportu to get the MTA but I didn’t , t on ou ati ab im s an ng in thi ng at rki gre ning on wo “One of the at rk wo to y nit rtu so much more want to pass up the oppo being in L.A. is there is rk in the film Disney.” opportunity here for wo Stu on ati im An y sne n is steep, but Stewart works at the Di industry. The competitio of m tea a th wi d rke the MTA comdios in Burbank. She wo I’m proud to be part of ng lpi he s, nth mo 16 s are positive and 30 Effects Animators for munity, whose attitude . ck tra ent on keep the EFX Departm work ethics are strong.” ncess and the Pri e “Th er aft t tha d sai Stewart gust, she was assigned Frog” wrapped up in Au

A

Spring 2010 | 9

Collegian | 10

PHOTO BY SUZI TAYLOR

MSU alumni capture polar bears… on film

BY SU Z I TAY L OR

A trio of Montana State University alumni spent their fall on the frozen Arctic tundra, immersing themselves in the lives of polar bears and documenting the animals’ habits and habitat through film and photography.

Spring 2010 | 11

The alumni were on staff for Polar Bears International (PBI), a nonprofit dedicated to polar bear conservation.

BJ Kirschoffer, ’00 FTV, and KC Lewis, ’09 Engl, were employees, while John Shier, ’05 MFA, was a volunteer. Over the course of about 10 weeks, the team took photos, wrote articles and shot video, all of which are distributed via the Web and other avenues.

Kirschoffer said PBI advocates for the conservation of polar bears and their habitat.

Recent climate changes have adversely affected the ice fields where polar bears live and hunt, and PBI’s goal, he said, is to capture natural footage of polar bears in the Hudson Bay area and help audiences connect with the bears and better understand their situation.

Kirschoffer said PBI has worked with many major news agencies interested in covering polar bears, but that the organization has more recently shifted gears. “(The media) often have some sort of agenda in mind, or some story in mind. We help them get up here and we help them do a story, and then our message ends up on the cutting room floor. So that’s why we started moving toward producing this stuff ourselves and putting it out on the Web. It’s a pretty new and exciting angle,” he said.

The team uses Web-based tools like YouTube and Facebook to share their work, as well as posting videos and updates on the PBI Web site (polarbearsinternational.org).

“Social media is a great way to get out there,” said Lewis. “We’ve been using the Web as a tool. It’s a great way to establish ourselves.”

PBI currently has about 7,000 fans on Facebook and 1,500 followers on Twitter.

The group also relies heavily on videoconferencing and Webcasting technologies, interacting with classrooms, zoos and museums as far away as Australia and as close as Winnipeg.

But simply establishing an Internet connection is not to be taken for granted, as the team is encamped off the grid—on the ice about 40 miles north of Churchill, Manitoba. continued

“Everywhere you look, it’s white” said Kirschoffer. “It’s like being on Mars,” added Lewis.

The team lives and works in a Tundra Buggy, a high-clearance, all-terrain vehicle that travels across the snow at about 3 m.p.h. and keeps tourists, scientists and the crew off the ground and away from the bears, who come quite close and can be aggressive.

The team eats, sleeps and showers in an attached Tundra Buggy lodge.

“It’s pretty dangerous to be walking around on the ground,” said Kirschoffer.

Instead, the team films out the windows, off the back deck and via an external camera that is controlled by a joystick from inside the buggy.

“Last week a very curious bear came up and bit the camera,” said Kirschoffer.

Kirschoffer said he starts each day with a quick breakfast and a mechanical check of the Tundra Buggy followed by a runthrough of the buggy’s communications technologies. The scientists arrive soon

“I was joking with BJ while we were doing the test and asked if there was any chance I might see a bear,” said Baldridge. “He said, ‘Definitely!’ and turned the camera around. There was a bear right there!” after, and the buggy heads out across the ice.

Kirschoffer says they often spot bears just outside the windows within a 5- or 10-minute drive.

“We then spend the day connecting to schools, zoos and organizations via the technology on Buggy One to help educate on the plight of the polar bear and its Arctic habitat,” he said. “Every waking hour is filled to the brim.”

In mid-December, just before finals, the three alumni connected via videoconference to the MSU campus, speaking with and

Above center: KC Lewis, MSU alumna, and staff member of Polar Bears International Left: MSU alumni BJ Kirschoffer works to spread the word about polar bears and their habitat and was featured in a video segment on polar bears that aired on Feb. 15 during NBC’s coverage of the Olympic Winter Games. (Photos courtesy of BJ Kirschoffer)

“It was great to get back in touch with MSU and reconnect with the program that helped shape my passion for the natural world,” Kirschoffer said.

Shier, an award-winning wildlife cinematographer who used to teach at MSU, said the temperatures near Churchill can drop to 40 below, but that the fall of 2009 had been relatively warm, with temps in the 20s and 30s. Stiff wind is always a looming factor for filmmakers, he added, and the cold definitely impacts the equipment. Batteries answering questions from students in MSU’s drain quickly, and cameras are left on the natural history film-making program. back deck in between shoots rather than risk Nadeen Baldridge, who manages vidcondensation as they move between outdoor eoconferencing for Extended University’s and indoor climates.

Burns Technology Center, said she has For safety, the crew must always film hooked up with sites all over the world, but from the buggy and never be on the ground. never to a vehicle on the Arctic ice, 40 miles Shier is owner of 45 North Films, a docufrom civilization. mentary film production company based in Baldridge routinely tests her connections Livingston, Mont., and has worked across the prior to a videoconference and was surprised globe, from Peru to Mongolia. He said he to see—just during the 10-minute test—a came to the Arctic for the rare opportunity to polar bear walk across the ice and come study a unique and threatened ecosystem. right up to the camera.

“There’s no place else in the world where “I was joking with BJ while we were doing you can get access to this many bears,” he said. the test and asked if there was any chance I Shier added that, as a natural-history might see a bear,” said Baldridge. “He said, filmmaker, he strives not just to shoot film ‘Definitely!’ and turned the camera around. but to help people connect with animals.

There was a bear right there!”

Shier said people who can observe animals Kirschoffer said the PBI team is accusin the wild often come away with a protomed to being on camera but that their found understanding and interest in their audiences are usually kids who want to welfare, but that the personal experience is know whether you can pet the bears instead not always possible. of college students interested in shooting “Film is a medium where, if you do it propangles and editing techniques. erly and you do a good job, you can duplicate During the course of the one-hour that experience to some extent,” said Shier. meeting, the MSU alumni showed the film “Obviously we can’t bring everyone up here students live and recorded footage of bears to sit for a day, but (we try to) make them and answered questions about the complexi- just connect with the bears a bit and have ties of filming in the Arctic. that message hit home that small changes can make a big difference to these guys.”

Collegian | 12

Bobcat Spirit Photo Contest

Spring 2010

Show us your Bobcat Spirit. MSU announces the Spring 2010 photo contest. We are looking for images of alumni and friends wearing Montana State University and Bobcat gear. Send us photos of your family and friends in Bobcat gear on vacation, at home, at work, or at play.

Categories include: ••Most Exotic Locale—How far did your Bobcat gear travel?

••Bobcats at Work—Display your pride where you work or volunteer.

••Most Creative—Judges’ discretion.

Submit photos electronically to: Julie Kipfer jkipfer@montana.edu.

Include the photographer’s name, address, and phone number along with the location of the image.

One winner in each category will receive a $100 gift certificate to the MSU Bookstore. Prizes will be awarded April 30.

Deadline for entries is April 15th and prizes will be awarded April 30. Select entries will be posted on the www.montana.edu/bobcatspirit Web site or in the Collegian.

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Spring 2010 | 13

“I THOUGHT THE PHILIPPINES WAS ABOUT THE FARTHEST AWAY FROM MY COMFORT ZONE AS I COULD GET, SO I CHOSE THAT.” — D E N N I S D R A K E

SILENT PARTNER

BY A N N E PET T I NGER C A N T R E L L

W

hen he was a student at Montana State University, G. Dennis Drake, ’76 FTV, enrolled in a sign language class, thinking an “easy” course would be a relief in the midst of an unusually challenging academic load. To his surprise, Drake found that he loved sign language, and his coaster class has actually shaped his life in surprising ways.

Drake is the founder of the International Deaf Education Association, a nonprofit foundation that is committed to educating deaf children in the G. Dennis Drake with students Philippines. In the 28 years since the foundation was established, Drake estimates MSU connections, Drake said it was an easy decision to enroll in the university. that his organization has educated between And, Drake’s time at the university 1,000 and 1,200 deaf kids. helped steer the course of his life. Several Drake admits it’s an unlikely path for weeks after enrolling in the sign language someone who was born and raised in Billclass, Drake joined the Theater of Silence, an ings, Mont., but he says he wouldn’t want to change it. internationally recognized program directed Drake’s grandfather homesteaded south

by Jack Olson, former faculty member from of Billings, and his dad, Vernon Drake, ’48 Speech and Communications. Through the Arch, owned an architectural firm there. In program, a small group of MSU students fact, Dennis Drake said his father even deand performers toured deaf schools across the West, presenting entertaining programs signed some buildings on the MSU campus for both hearing and deaf audiences. in Bozeman. With such deep Montana and Collegian | 14

Even though he enjoyed his sign language class and his work with the Theater of Silence, Drake was still committed to other pursuits. Even before he graduated from MSU, he had started working as a graphic designer—a career that spanned just under a decade.

But Drake didn’t love his job.

After nine years, he found he was making payments on a couple of cars in the garage and had a 30year mortgage, a failed marriage and deep-seated disillusionment.

“I decided I was just burned out on the whole thing,” Drake said. “The whole concept of the American dream just kind of left me feeling flat.”

He decided to make a complete life switch and, at the age of 30, applied to join the Peace Corps. When it was time to be placed, Drake said he was given a choice between Africa, the Caribbean or the Philippines.

“I thought the Philippines was about the farthest away from my comfort zone as I could get, so I chose that,” Drake said.

At the time, the Philippines had a government. Each school has three or population of about 60 million people four classrooms for deaf kids. In every and the capital city of Manila, where he elementary school, IDEA also built did much of his Peace Corps training, and operates dormitories where the was home to about 12 million people. impoverished deaf children stay for free.

Once he arrived for training, it seemed The latest addition to IDEA’s schools is to Drake that living in a place of that a private deaf high school. Known as size might be a more difficult adjustBohol Deaf Academy, it is run entirely ment than he had originally thought.

by Drake’s foundation. This year, a “It was tough for me, being from total of 339 deaf children are living in Montana,” Drake said. “I thought I the IDEA dormitories and attending might be getting more than I signed IDEA-supported special education up for.” classes.

So, for his permanent placement, In addition to the schools to which Drake asked Peace Corps officials to the foundation is committed, IDEA send him to a smaller site. He landed runs several different businesses and on Bohol, an island province of the employs a number of the schools’ Philippines that, at the time, was home graduates at them. to about 900,000 people.

“We realized that companies are very Drake and another Peace Corps reluctant to hire the deaf,” Drake said. volunteer worked on the island in a “There wasn’t anything for deaf people classroom with seven deaf teenagers. to do there, and work is important to Drake thought that much more could help them become self-sufficient and be done. independent.”

“I estimated that there were probably IDEA’s businesses include several about 400 kids on the island at the restaurants, a hotel, a bed and breakfast, time who were deaf,” Drake said. “I and a fly-tying business, which prosaw that there was a huge need.” duces flies for Yellowstone Fly Goods, a Drake spent two years with the wholesaler in Billings. Drake estimates Peace Corps, growing the program that more than 120 deaf adults are emfor the deaf, and then stayed in Bohol ployed through these IDEA businesses. for another year on his own after that.

Now, Drake and Marilou live in At the end of his third year on Bohol, the Philippines full-time except for Drake decided to head back to the about six to eight weeks per year, U.S., and he and his new Filipina bride, when they visit Drake’s hometown of Marilou, moved to California.

Billings. Their two grown sons, Aaron But the American dream hadn’t and Andrew, maintain strong ties to changed much, Drake said. After a few the Philippines. Several occasions have months in California, Drake realized prompted Drake and his wife to be in he really missed the work he had been the U.S. for longer periods of time, but committed to in the Philippines. So, the Philippines are where they intend about a year after leaving Bohol, Drake to stay long-term. established the International Deaf “I’ve pretty much committed the rest Education Association, or IDEA, a of my life to that place,” said Drake, Christian-based organization. who added that he has started looking That was in 1985. In the years since for his successor to run the foundation. then, the foundation has grown to “I couldn’t get it out of my system. This include six different schools, five of is much more satisfying than chasing which are in Bohol and one that is in the dollar. Investing in the lives of the Leyte, a neighboring island. Five of the impoverished and neglected deaf chilschools are incorporated in elementary dren in the Philippines is much more school campuses connected with the fulfilling for me.”

Spring 2010 | 15

To learn more about Drake’s work, visit IDEA’s Web site at www.ideadeaf.org.

Top: Bohol Deaf Academy, one of the six schools established in the Philipines, serving more than three hundred deaf students.

Center left: Famous Tarsier primate from Bohol (Photos courtesy of G. Dennis Drake)

Clockwise from top: Alumni Plaza and “Spirit” bronze dedication, Bobcat Tour, fabrication, and sculptor Bob Stayton, ’51

Collegian | 16

A PLACE FOR SPIRIT

W

hat began as a simple idea to place a bronze Bobcat on campus became what we now proudly call the Alumni Plaza. The centerpiece, “Spirit,” stands elegantly with Montana Hall in the backdrop, looking north to the Bridger Mountains and the “M.” Surrounding Spirit is the beautifully landscaped plaza, carefully designed and constructed to be a place of gathering.

The site has long been a place where people gather. Before MSU, and even before the settlers, the site of the Alumni Plaza was a passage to hunting grounds for Crow Indians.

Bozeman historian John Russell, ’78 Hist, affirmed that the location is a place where “many have come together.” To honor this long history, the site was blessed by David Yarlott, ’94 Bus, ’96 M Bus, ’99 EdD, a Crow Elder, who spoke in his native language of the many Indians who passed through this valley during the dedication ceremony.

Beneath the monument, artifacts that represent MSU’s rich history and traditions have been buried. The items include: a Circle of Gold pin, worn by those who graduated more than 50 years ago; a Go Cats button, symbolizing our campus spirit and remembering a favorite Bobcat, Torlief Aashiem, ’37 LRS, ’54 M Agron, ’96 HonDoc; a whitewashed rock from the “M” on Mount Baldy; a piece of the goal post from the 2003 Bobcat victory over the Grizzlies; a brick from the Rockin’ R Bar, destroyed in the 2009 downtown Bozeman explosion; and a diploma representing the educational journey at Montana State.

To reflect MSU’s pride around the state, members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors placed stones from their hometowns in the plaza’s rock bed during the dedication ceremony. Montana farms and ranches, gardens, yards, roads and neighborhoods are all represented by these special rocks.

Maybe sometime you’ll want to bring a stone from your home area to place at the Plaza.

Top: Alumni Plaza aerial view, students prior to homecoming game, the first Undie Run, President Waded Cruzado welcoming Spirit, and coming over the border from the Canadian foundry to his new home on the MSU campus.

Spring 2010 | 17

Waller becomes first MSU Mike Mansfield Fellow

Collegian | 18

“America is just coming to grips that we will have the oldest population on the planet by

BY C A ROL SCH M IDT

One day federal buildings may be friendlier to aging populations because of Tony Waller, ’81 Art, and his recently completed Mike Mansfield Fellowship.

Waller was just the fourth Montanan, and the first Montana State University graduate, to complete the two-year fellowship that honors the late senior senator from Montana. Open to government employees, the fellowship provides for training in Japanese language and culture as well as an all-expense-paid study and internship opportunity in Japan. Waller completed his fellowship in September, studying the Japanese approach to universal design as well as sustainable energy techniques in Japanese government buildings.

“The experience was incredible,” Waller said of the inspiring mid-career program. “It was like being all at once at the finest educational institutions from around the world.”

There was circularity with his recent Mansfield Fellowship and a fellowship he won in his senior year at MSU, Waller said.

Twenty-eight years ago, Waller won an internship with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He said Kennedy and Mansfield were also close friends and colleagues.

Waller likened the Mansfield Fellowship to a Fulbright Fellowship, which provides grants for graduate students, scholars and professionals to study internationally. Sen. J. William Fulbright, for whom the Fulbright is named, was also a contemporary of Mansfield’s. The U.S. Congress created the Mansfield Fellowship in 1994 as a first-of-its-kind government-to-government exchange for the U.S. and Japan..

Waller said he applied for the fellowship because it fit nicely with his goal of a study experience in another country.

“I had a five-stage plan for my life, and the only thing left was an overseas experience,” Waller said.

the 2040s,” said Waller, who said he hopes to incorporate

he hopes to incorporate some Japanese advances in new government buildings in America. “Government design requires new government buildings in extreme creativity.

“And, because Japan is an island nation America. “Government design that imports 95 percent of its oil, they have worked hard to be on the tip of energy inrequires extreme creativity.” novation,” he said.

“We are going to be using a lot of these The experience also fit into Waller’s proideas and design concepts,” Waller said. fessional development. A tenant representa- “There are a lot of things we can learn from tive in the Office of the Chief Architect in (the Japanese).” the General Services Administration, Waller In addition to his new passion for all recommends design elements for federal things Japanese, Waller is also an avid colbuildings, and he knew that the Japanese lector of contemporary Montana art. He were doing innovative design in their public and his partner have accumulated what is buildings accommodating aging populations thought to be one of the best independent as well as improving energy efficiency. collections of contemporary Montana artThe first 10 months of the fellowship, ists. The collection is displayed in their Falls Waller studied at the George Shultz Foreign Church, Va., home.

Service Institute in Arlington, Va., which is While his work is based in the nation’s near his current home. He was then sent to capital, Waller frequently returns to his language training in Kanazawa, Japan. home state and his alma mater. Waller said “My host mother was a noted Japanese he remains appreciative of the university chef and my host father a noted kimono art- because it exposed him to the world beyond ist, the Asano family,” Waller said. his Hi-Line hometown. Waller grew up in Waller then spent a year based in Tokyo Homestead, Mont., attended school in Wolf at the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastruc- Point, and had not visualized a career much ture and Transport’s Government Buildbeyond the area until he came to Bozeman. ings Department, which Waller said is very “I had no professional prospects until similar to the U.S. Government Services Ad- (MSU) opened my eyes,” Waller said, creditministration’s Public Building Service. From ing his MSU art professors with helping him there he traveled throughout the country develop successful habits.

“The university gave me so much, and that studying historic preservation, construction, led to so many opportunities to see the rest seismic retrofit and eco-design as well as of the world.” universal design.

Waller said that with the oldest population in the world, Japan is in front of design for the disabled and elderly. In particular, he admired Japanese sensitivity to the aging eye as well as handrail and cane holder design and office space lighting.

“America is just coming to grips that we will have the oldest population on the planet by the 2040s,” said Waller, who said

some Japanese advances in

Spring 2010 | 19

MSU S T U D E N T P R O F I L E

PHOTO BY KELLY GORHAM

Nate, with his bison snow sculpture in the Honors Quad.

N AT E C A RRO L L

Early fossil hunting on family ranch set Nate Carroll’s career course

BY E V E LY N B O S W E L L

S

ome people love dinosaurs so much that they drive across the United States to dig for fossils in Montana.

Nate Carroll had it much easier. Growing up 10 miles south of Ekalaka, Mont., the Montana State University junior found dinosaur bones just by looking around the family ranch while checking on 500 head of Angus cattle. If he wanted to meet world-famous paleontologists, he could drop by their tents with cold sodas or invite them over for a steak dinner.

Just staying in southeast Montana, Carroll met paleontologists from MSU, the Smithsonian Institution, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the University of Manchester, England, the Burpee Museum of Natural History and elsewhere.

“I have been doing field seasons since I was 15 or 16,” Carroll said recently. “Before that, we would walk around the pasture and look for arrowheads and dinosaur bones.”

Early exposure to fossils—and the opportunity to conduct research at Carter County High School—set him on his course, Carroll said.

Now majoring in paleontology, Carroll said his research into Tyrannosaurus rex teeth took him to national and international competitions as a high school student and a Society of Vertebrate Paleontology conference as an MSU student. For the past two summers, Carroll has worked on Jack Horner’s field crew in the Hell Creek Formation around Jordan, Mont. Horner is the Regent’s Professor of Paleontology at MSU’s Museum of the Rockies. For three years before that, Carroll worked on Luis Chiappe’s field crew in the Hell Creek Formation around Ekalaka, Mont. Chiappe is director of the Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

“I was lucky enough to grow up in Eastern Montana where there are dinosaurs,” Carroll said. “It snowballed from there.”

Carroll, like his sister at the University of Montana, is a presidential scholar. A fourth generation Bobcat, he is in the University Honors Program. He is president of the MSU chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and president of MSU’s Student Alumni Association. He is a cartoonist and humor columnist for the Exponent. In his spare time, when conditions Collegian | 20

are right, he makes snow sculptures. One of his latest showed a bobcat overpowering a grizzly.

“I enjoy art in general,” Carroll said. It’s really a good escape.”

Edis Kittrell, an adjunct instructor in English, said she enjoyed co-teaching a freshmen honors seminar with Carroll in the fall. Kittrell was the Faculty Fellow. Carroll was the Student Fellow.

“Nate is just a fantastic student,” Kittrell said. “He’s the ideal person to work with.”

Growing up on a ranch seemed to benefit him in many ways, she added.

“He clearly knows how to work hard and independently,” Kittrell said. “He makes things happen, whether he has the resources or not. He doesn’t have a problem with long hours.”

After graduating from MSU, Carroll said he expects to go to graduate school and work as a research scientist. Eventually, he may return to Ekalaka. The town already has a great museum, he said, and he thinks “it would be kind of cool” to have the museum become a research station, too.

MSU A L U M N I P R O F I L E

PHOTO COURTESY DENISE JUNEAU

DE N ISE JUN E AU

Denise Juneau honored as Educator of the Year

BY A N N E PET T I NGER C A N T R E L L

T

he National Indian Education Association has named Montana State University alumna and Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, ’93 Engl, Educator of the Year for 2009. Juneau was honored for the award at an NIEA banquet last fall.

“To be honored by my peers across the country was a great privilege,” Juneau said.

“I am humbled by it.”

Juneau was elected to the post of Montana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and took office in January 2009. She previously served as a division administrator at the Office of Public Instruction, overseeing the Indian Education for All program and working on student achievement issues.

Juneau is the first American Indian to serve in a statewide executive level office in Montana.

Her election to the position, Juneau said, proves that “becoming educated opens so many doors, no matter who you are, or what your background and geographic location are. Education can provide you with opportunity.”

Juneau is a member of the Mandan and Hidatsa Tribes. She grew up in Montana on the Blackfeet Reservation and graduated from Browning High School, where both of her parents were educators. She earned a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a law degree from the University of Montana.

Doing her undergraduate work at Montana State started her well on the path to her career, Juneau said.

“I had great professors at MSU who were very supportive,” she said. “MSU gave me a really good background. I have fond memories of my time there.”

After earning her English and education degrees, Juneau taught high school English, both in New Town, N.D, and Browning.

Her law career includes clerkships for Montana Supreme Court Justices Jim Regnier and Brian Morris and working for a national law firm that specialized in federal Indian law.

Law and education are closely intertwined, Juneau said, and she draws on her background in both in her current position.

Spring 2010 | 21

School funding is a top priority in Juneau’s office, she said.

“We’re always concerned that we’ll have enough money to be able to operate and provide the quality education for Montana’s schoolchildren,” Juneau said. “We want to make sure students are graduating and getting a quality education.”

Juneau “takes the role as chief educator beyond its traditional place, into the Montana community at-large, into the higher education community, into the tribal colleges and their communities…. She is a scholar and an activist who has devoted her entire career to our most precious tribal members, our children, and to the children of Montana,” wrote Janine Pease, ’70 Soc, ’87 M Educ, ’94 PhD, another NIEA Educator of the Year and a member of the Montana Board of Regents, in a letter supporting Juneau’s nomination for the award.

Since 1977, NIEA has recognized Native leaders who have changed and improved the lives of schoolchildren and impacted the dialog concerning Native education issues, both locally and nationally.

Living the high life

Local craftsmen employ traditional rammed earth techniques to renovate a 400-year-old igherm, or Moroccan fortified granary. When complete, the igherm will house a library, computer room and community center that will serve a cluster of five villages and 10,000 people in Morocco's remote Central High Atlas region of Zawiya Ahansal.

MSU grads use talents to help develop community in mountainous Morocco

BY C A ROL SCHMIDT

J

ust as Cloe Medina Erickson, ’00 M Arch,, has always known that it was her destiny to work in Morocco, Kris Erickson, ’97 Photo, has known that he was made to climb mountains. The two have found a way to combine their passions by helping villagers restore an ancient building located in a remote and mountainous area of Morocco.

Cloe and Kris Erickson are the principals of Erickson Creative Group, a community development organization based in Livingston, Mont. Erickson Creative is organizing efforts to renovate a very large 400-year-old Moroccan fortified granary, or igherm, into a library and community center for a cluster of five Berber villages.

Last year six MSU architecture students traveled to Morocco to work with Cloe on the renovation of the igherm in Zawiya Ahansal, a remote area of Morocco’s central High Atlas Mountains. This year, she hopes to take 10 students to help villagers complete the project.

The Ericksons first saw the igherm in 2003 while on their honeymoon in Moroc-

co. The two had met while students at MSU, she an architecture student from Bigfork, Mont., and he a photography student from Havre, Mont. They didn’t start dating until after both had graduated. By then Kris had already made a name for himself as a world-class ski-mountaineer and alpinist and photographer, and Cloe had a successful business.

“I always knew Morocco was in my destiny. My parents fell in love there, and my middle name, Medina, is a tribute to the country.”—Cloe Erickson For both, coming to MSU was natural.

Kris had lived in Bozeman for a time growing up while his mother, Joanne Erickson, ’89 EdD, got a doctorate in education at MSU. She is currently interim head of the MSU Department of Education and

Collegian | 22

program leader of the MSU Ed Leadership Graduate Program.

“I was always an athlete,” he said.“I played sports and climbed and skied all my life.”

He started out as a landscape design major, but “I was always the one taking photographs, so photography was a natural fit.”

While in college he became acquainted with Gordon Wiltsie, an adventure photographer based in Bozeman, as well as the late Alex Lowe, ’88 Math, the MSU graduate who was considered one of the finest climbers of his time.

“Having a guy like Alex Lowe call you by name when you are a 19-year-old climber was a little like having Michael Jordan know your name when you are a playground basketball player,” Kris said. The two became colleagues and Erickson was on the expedition in Tibet where Lowe was killed by an avalanche in 1999.

Erickson said at the time he started there weren’t a lot of alpinists who were also photographers, so he served a niche. Since then, he has criss-crossed the globe many times, compiling an enviable list of first

Below left: Cloe Erickson(right) and The North Face athlete Heidi Wirtz(left) enjoy a laugh with local children in the village of Taghia.

Kristoffer Erickson rests at a belay during the first ascent of “La Bas,” a 700-meter route in the Taghia Cirque. “La Bas” was the first American route pioneered in the region.

Below: Mustapha Jini runs to school with fellow classmates. The Moroccan government only provides a sixth grade education in remote regions such as Zawiya Ahansal.

PHOTOS BY KRISTOFFER ERICKSON

in Arabic at the university’s prize-winning ascents that can be found on his Web site: Arabic language program. www.kristoffererickson.com, as well as an “I wanted to do something…larger,” she impressive portfolio of expedition-based said.

“And, I always knew Morocco was in photography. Kris is a sponsored athlete for my destiny.

My parents fell in love there, The North Face, and his photographs are and my middle name, Medina, is a tribute now a staple in adventure magazines includto the country.” ing National Geographic Adventure, Climbing, She traveled to the Middle East periodiPowder and Skiing, among others. Known in cally to study Arabic in Morocco, Egypt and mountaineering circles as “the invisible man” Yemen and is now nearly fluent in Modbecause he is usually behind the camera ern Standard Arabic. When she and Kris during noted alpine adventures, he is now decided to marry, the mountains of Moconsidered one of the world’s finest climbers rocco seemed a natural destination for their and alpinists. honeymoon.

Before departing they learned Cloe has also had an adventure developabout Zawiya Ahansal and the phenomenal ing her chosen career as an architectural climbing in the area from a French climber preservationist. She came to MSU knowing who had visited the region several times. she wanted to be an architect. However, “We just fell in love with it,” Cloe recalls. within two years of working for an architec“The climbing was amazing, and we were the ture firm in Bozeman following graduation, first Americans to ever climb there.” It was Cloe decided she “didn’t want to spend the on that visit that they first saw the igherm, rest of my life designing trophy homes.” She which looks nothing like Montana granaries. quit and built up a successful business mak“It’s just such a great building,” Kris said. ing architectural models for area firms. Her new business provided her enough flexibility “It’s like the castle for the area.”

Cloe said the 300-400-year-old fortified for her to return to MSU to take classes granary is located in what is considered a Spring 2010 | 23

holy village in Morocco. Founded centuries ago by a Muslim saint, the village is on a historic pilgrimage route between Marrakesh and Timbuktu and populated by descendents of the saint. Caravans pass near the remote Berber villages in the area, which are poor and agrarian based.

The Ericksons couldn’t get the people, the place or the building out of their minds.

Four years ago, from her base in Livingston, Cloe began organizing the Igherm Restoration and Library Project, www.igherm. wordpress.com, working with the people in the villages to develop a project of most benefit to them.

“We decided that we were going to keep going to this place, we needed to do more than just enjoy the natural surroundings there,” she said.“Plus, the building had this amazing architecture, and that’s my number one passion.”

In 2006 Kris convinced The North Face, which supports service projects in mountainous areas, to fund a climbing/social service expedition to the area. Climbers Conrad Anker (a close friend of Kris’ who

“To go to another country and be a part of a real project and work with locals on an innovative concept is something I am really proud to offer to students,” —Cloe Erickson

The igherm stands as a sentry on the landscape in the village of Amzrai and reflects the region's history, traditions and way of life.

Below: A young woman in the village of Taghia walks home after a day of working in the fields.

PHOTO BY KELLY GORHAM

The Ericksons, Kris, Cloe and daughter Noor at home in Livingston.

now lives in Bozeman), Heidi Wirtz, Renan Ozturk and Kevin Thaw and Erickson made a first ascent in the Taghia Cirque of Morocco, which is near the igherm, then helped build trails for the herders and helped rebuild the village’s school roof. “La Bas: Climbing and Philanthropy in the Enchanted Taghia Cirque, Morocco,” a film by The North Face and Rush HD, is a documentary of that trip. The North Face has hosted benefit showings of the film to fund scholarships for students who wish to accompany the Ericksons.

Last summer Bill Rea, an MSU architecture professor, and six MSU students, and another from Colorado State, worked with Erickson and the villagers on the renovation and lived with local families. Erickson and Rea hope to take another 10 students to work on the project this summer. “To go to another country and be a part of a real project and work with locals on an innovative concept is something I am really proud to offer to students,” Cloe said.

“Working with Cloe has been a pure joy for me,” Rea said. “As a faculty member, she is the type of alum that inspires. She is able to blend her passions into a career while having a positive impact on a community.

She is also an eternal optimist, always ready with ‘It’s going to be good’ and you know what she’s always been right.”

Cloe hopes that the renovation of the rammed-earth building will largely be complete this year. Erickson is now helping the community to outfit the library with books Collegian | 24

and computers and training the villagers to operate them. The library, which Erickson estimates will be used by about 10,000 Berbers, will be a source of money for the community and for future maintenance of the igherm as travelers will pay a small fee to use the computers and Internet.

“You don’t want to go and just do something for a community,” Erickson said. “It’s important that it becomes their responsibility and the people there really have ownership of the project.”

Recently, there has been another Erickson on the Moroccan project. Year-old Noor, whose name reflects her parents’ love for Morocco, has accompanied Cloe to work on the igherm. “The people there are so family oriented that they just love having Noor there,” Cloe said.

“She is the door that opens for us when we are there,” Kris adds.

Both Ericksons say it is definitely a challenge to schedule time together with two dynamic, globally based careers. But they are careers they both feel fortunate to have developed.

“The work is extremely rewarding,” she said. “You feel like you are living life and just not going through the motions.”

To learn more about the Ericksons and the work of the Erickson Creative Group, see: www.ericksoncreativegroup.com

Estate gifts reflect deep commitment to MSU

BY A N N E PET T I NGER C A N T R E L L

M

ontana State University students will have more opportunities in years to come thanks to the generosity of a group of donors, whose estate gifts totaling more than $1 million in direct student support were announced in the span of just a few weeks last fall.

The largest of the estate gifts came from Sami Wafa Dajani, ’32 Chem, ’33 M Chem, ’82 HonDoc “I traveled (to almost) every country of the Western World and met very nice people, but none were so charming and loving…as the people of Bozeman and MSU,” Dajani wrote in a 1999 letter to MSU Alumni Association Executive Director Jaynee Groseth, ’73, ’91 “MSU and the (citizens) of Bozeman were very kind to me,” he told Groseth in the same letter.

“It was through their help I was able to complete my university education.”

Dajani was a native of Palestine and came to Sami Wafa Dajani Montana State to study chemistry. After graduating, his career included positions with the United Nations and with the governments of Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Kuwait.

His love for his alma mater was strong and continued for years after he graduated.

He died in 2006, and last fall the Alumni Association and MSU Foundation learned that Dajani had left a significant portion of his estate for MSU student scholarships and support.

In the span of about a month last fall, three other large estate gifts in addition to Dajani’s were announced. A bequest from Lorraine (Rene) Jones Lock, ’45 Ag, ’54 M Ag, created a scholarship endowment to support students in the College of Agriculture.

“I traveled (to almost) every

Com, MSU Foundation assistant vice president for gift planning and counsel.

“On average, about 10 estate gifts are country of the Western World distributed to the Foundation each year, and we learn from another 10 to 15 people that and met very nice people, they have included MSU in their plans,” Schell continued. “The amounts vary from but none were so charming one gift to the next, but what is most important is the impact the gift has on campus. and loving…as the people of Our students and the university as a whole will benefit from the generosity of these Bozeman and MSU.” individuals for generations to come.

“An estate gift really carries on the legacy —Sami Wafa Dajani of the individual who has given it, and it serves as an ongoing example of that person’s deep commitment to MSU,” Schell said. “For someone to include MSU as a ‘loved one’ in his or her estate plan is beyond heartwarming—it’s inspiring.”

Groseth agrees. She said she and her husband, Rolf, feel so strongly about the importance of Lorraine (Rene) Jones Lock Mark Cook giving back to the place that has helped shape them that they have made Lock passed away in 2009. Mark Cook, ’28 provisions to leave a portion of their estate Eng, died in 1974, and his estate will supto MSU, too. port student research, thanks to a plan put “We’re committed to making sure an in place in 1971. And, John Magaret, who individual’s wishes are carried out, so it’s passed away in 2008 and is not an MSU important that people let us know their alumnus, provided scholarships for students in the Department of Mathematical Science. plans,” Schell said. “Also, knowing gives us While it is not unusual for the university the opportunity to thank those people for to benefit from a number of estate gifts each their commitment and their loyalty.” year, it is uncommon for four estate gifts People who have supported or are totaling more than $1 million to be revealed considering supporting Montana State in just a few weeks’ time.

University or any of its departments, col“These four gifts are representative of the leges or other campus entities are invited commitment both alumni and non-alumni to contact Schell in the MSU Foundation’s have to MSU—its students, its faculty and Office of Gift Planning at 406-994-2053 or its future,” said Melanie Bury Schell, ’95 Sp- 800-457-1696.

Spring 2010 | 25

Pro ’Cat

Bobcat head coach leaves the Tour behind

BY M E LY N DA H A R R I S ON

Collegian | 26

L E S L I E S PA L D I N G H A S PA S S I O N FO R H E L P I N G OT H E R S E N J OY T H E G A M E

M

ontana State University head golf coach Leslie Spalding is on par for a winning season this spring.

Four of her top players graduated last year, leaving a young, but promising, team behind.

“We have three freshmen and a sophomore as our top four players this year,” The 2010 Bobcat golf team Spalding said. “It’s definitely an adjustment period, but it is exciting to be such a young team with so much talent.”

Spalding became MSU’s third women’s golf coach in 2007 after an impressive professional career.

Spalding grew up in Billings, Mont. She was the youngest of three girls and “always bored.” When her father joined the local golf club for business purposes, Spalding tagged along. The golf pro, George Winn, saw she had natural talent and encouraged her to take lessons and practice. She was soon spending a lot of time there.

“I learned to love practicing and playing, but I especially loved winning trophies,” —Leslie Spalding Spalding said.

Spalding played high school golf in Billings. She was the 1986-87 Montana “After my 10 years on tour, I was exState Class AA High School champion. She tremely burned out. I searched for a career went on to win the 1991-92 Montana State doing something other than golf. I taught Women’s Amateur Championships. golf for two summers in Billings during this Spalding attended the University of search and found a true passion for helpAlabama on a golf scholarship and was the ing other people enjoy golf,” Spalding said.

1990 Neva McCall/Alabama Intercollegiate “Finally I discovered that my love of golf champion and the 1991 Women’s Southern never went away. I don’t have to play it to Intercollegiate (WSIC) champion. While at love it, because I get more satisfaction out of Alabama, she earned a B.A. in telecommuhelping other people improve than anything nications/film with a minor in marketing.

I’ve ever done.”

Spalding turned professional in 1992 and Spalding came to MSU at the request of began on the LPGA tour in 1996. Her best her friend and former MSU head golf coach, career finish was a tie for third at the 2001 Britney Basye. Until this year, Spalding’s ShopRite LPGA Classic, posting a career-low team was made up of players recruited by 64 in the final round. In 2002, she posted Basye. This year she has her own recruits and back-to-back, top-10 finishes with a tie for her own team. ninth at the LPGA Corning Classic and a tie “I can mold them the way I want to,” for seventh at the Kellogg-Keebler Classic.

Spalding said.

“Finally I discovered that my love of golf never went away. I don’t have to play it to love it, because I get more satisfaction out of helping other people improve than anything I’ve ever done.

Spring 2010 | 27

Despite the absence of seniors, Spalding’s 10 players ended the fall season with the lowest round in Bobcat golf history.

“I think we can play even better than that,” said Elise Nelsen, a junior in business marketing from Albuquerque, N.M. The team’s goals for the year include scoring even lower than in the fall, placing in the top three in the Big Sky Conference rankings and winning the Big Sky Conference Championships.

“If we win Conference we go on to the Regionals in Phoenix,” Spalding said. “I really believe this is the team that can do that.”

An indoor practice facility that opened in spring 2009 is helping the team lower their scores. Previously they practiced in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse during Bozeman’s snowy winters.

“All we had was a mat and a soccer net,” Spalding said.

The new facility located in Bobcat Stadium has training aids such as video equipment and mirrors, and they can hit at targets on the football field from mats.

“It gets frustrating in the winter when you want to go out and play on grass and you can’t,” said Nelsen. “The new facility helps because we can hit balls and chip.”

When February rolls around the team begins traveling to warmer climes including Arizona and California.

Another goal Spalding emphasizes is teamwork—to be a team, rather than an aggregate of individual players.

“This is the best team I’ve seen in a long time,” said Nelsen. “Right away everybody clicked—we’re like a family—and I’m confident we will play well this year.”

Join us at the MSU Golf Tournament May 21: shotgun start, scramble format, hors’ d’ ouvers and fabulous auction with proceeds benefitting the women’s golf team. Register by calling Coach Spalding at 406-697-4500 or e-mail lspalding@msubobcats.com.

Class Notes Class Notes are compiled by Jennifer Anderson. Alumni Association members 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://alumni.montana.edu/ classnotes/. Or drop a line to the MSU Alumni Association, P.O. Box 172940, Bozeman, MT 59717-2740.

1930s Bernard “Barney” Myers, ’34 GenStu, ’54 M Sci & Tech, Billings, will be celebrating his 100th birthday this year.

tana Professional Engineers Hall of Fame the beginning of November.

He has worked at Morrison-Maierle for his entire professional career of 52 years and counting. Since Montana began enforcing a licensure program for professional engineers in the 1940s, Willis is only the 11th P.E. to be honored in the Hall of Fame.

Esther (Elliott) Finlayson, ’59 Nurs, Conrad, Mont., remembers the “Hello Walk” from Montana Hall down the hill as having been a great part of MSU tradition. It used to be painted with “hello.., hi.., how are you,” cheers and made for wonderful contacts and friendships.

Thomas Shiplet, ’49 ME, Arvada, Colo., retired from NASA. He and wife, Eleanor (Meyer) Shiplet, ’51 ME, have four children, 12 grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren.

1950s

1960s

Leland Cade, ’50 AgEd, Lavina, Mont., retired from Montana Farmer-Stockman in 1987 and has since written 11 local history books about Golden Valley County, Mont., and other areas. Wife, Janet Elliott of Ft. Benton, died of brain cancer in 1998. Sister, Marian (Cade) Sutton, ’50 Bus, resides in Renton, Wash.

Gayle (Wheat) Gransbery, ’62 Nurs, ’93 M, and husband, Don Gransbery, ’64 AgBus, moved from Lewistown, Mont., to a subdivision near Park City, Mont., in January.

They now live between oldest son, D.J., and middle son, Wayne, and family. Everyone in the whole family, including daughters-in-law, are proud MSU grads.

Doris (Nye) Swan, ’50 HmEc, lives on a ranch in Highwood, Mont.

She currently has four grandchildren attending MSU. Another grandchild graduated last year.

Ronald Phillips, ’68 Arch, Yakima, Wash., has retired from practicing architecture in Yakima after 40 years. He and wife of 41 years enjoy going to California and Seattle to visit their two sons, their wives and grandchildren.

Ethel (Hinerman) Maki, ’57 Nurs, and husband, Lloyd, ranch northeast of Cascade. Their son, Ken, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel USAF and is presently a director of Homeland Security in Washington D.C. Willis Wetstein, ’57 CE, Clancy, Mont., was inducted in to the Mon-

Jean (Salvevold) Park, ’70 HmEc, and husband, Gerald Park, ’69 IArt, Anchorage, Alaska, have just celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary. They are retired educators and spend their time split between Anchorage and Tempe, Ariz.

Karen (Antonietti) Buley, ’78 Nurs, Missoula, Mont., works in obstetrics at Community Medical Center. Her recently completed anthology of nurses stories, “Nurses on the Run-Why They Come, Why They Stay,” is available from Dog Ear Publishing. The collection includes essays from 25 nurses, including four MSU alumni. See www.karenbuley.com.

Larry Johns, ’59 IArt, Sumner, Wash., retired from the Boeing Company in 1993.

Karen (Munson) Morgan, ’59 Micro, Portland, Ore., served as a member of a team of clinical laboratory scientists who traveled to Beijing and Xian China in November. The team of 16 visited seven medical facilities to exchange information. They also visited Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall of China and the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum.

1940s

partner have produced in the Idaho Snake River Appellation is sold out up to the 2009 vintage. Try a taste at Fraser Wines, 1004 La Pointe Street.

1970s William Anceney, ’70 Bus, Lakewood, Colo. The wine he and his

Mike Frisina, ’72 F&WL, ’74 M, ’04 HD, was recently invested with the designation Most Distinguished Mongolian Conservationist, during a ceremony at the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He and wife, Margaret (Miller) Frisina, ’72 Psy, make their home in Butte, Mont.

Wayne Leininger, ’72 RSci, ’74 M, Lewistown, Mont., earned his Ph.D. from Oregon State University in December 1983.

Bobbi (Ponke) Haugen, ’73 Bus, ’97 BuEd M, Billings, Mont., currently teaches business and health occupation courses at MSU-Billings College of Technology.

Mylen Bohle, ’75 AgEc, ’79 Agron, Prineville, Ore., has started his 21st year with Oregon State University.

He serves as Central Oregon Area Extension Agronomist.

Dale Alger, ’76 ElEd, works for the Roundup public school system as a librarian in the Roundup Community Library. The library serves both the public and school system. His wife, Tomi, graduated from Eastern Montana College in 1975. She acts as librarian at Roundup Central Elementary School.

Collegian | 28

Loren Willis, ’79 Bus, St. Paul, Minn., enjoyed a bike ride on the Cannon Valley Trail, Minn., with his wife in August. He said the trail runs from Red Wing to Cannon Falls, along the former roadbed of the Chicago Great Western railroad.

Many of the old mile markers the railroad used are still present.

1980s Russell Crawford, ’81 Bus, lives in the Netherlands with wife, Lora, and son, Patrick. Russ acts as the partner in charge of the KPMG U.S. Tax Center.

Danny Choriki, ’83 Psy, ’85 M, New York, N.Y., has served as vice president of product support for nearly 2 ½ years at ADTECH, a subsidiary of AOL. ADTECH utilizes the software system that puts advertising into Web pages. He still loves New York City after 25 years.

Gerald Landby, ’84 Hort, East Helena, has been elected to join the National Board of Directors of the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) and was installed as the new Northwest regional director in September 2009.

CLASS N OT E S merce. The couple own and operate Rockford Coffee. Currently, Rockford Coffee has nine employees.

2000s

Paul Funk II, ’85 Spcm, Harker Heights, Texas, has been promoted to the grade of Brigadier General.

He is currently serving as Deputy Commander, Combined Arms Center–Training, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Douglas Davis, ’88 CET, and wife, Deborah (Thompson) Davis, ’85 Nurs, have two sons playing sports at MSU. Leo plays football and Steven plays basketball. Son Matthew is 16, Ryan, 11, and Daniel, 8.

They make their home in Billings, Mont.

Bruce Larsen, ’89 Econ, serves as a director in the Washington National Tax Office of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LL.M. program, from which he graduated in 2001 as an adjunct professor.

1990s Karen (Kuhry) Hickey, ’93 ElEd, Moore, Mont., was awarded the Pam Atchison Memorial Award from the Montana State Reading Council in October 2009. The award recognizes the Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

Julie (Peterson) Christensen, ’94 Spcm, Saint Paul, Minn., is a realtor with Edina Realty and enjoys serving on the Board of Directors of the St. Paul Figure Skating Club.

Cynthia (Mesko) Hufnagel, ’97 ElEd, Bakersfield, Calif., has earned her master’s in education technology from Fresno Pacific.

Her husband is an accountant for Nabors Well Service. She is in her 13th year teaching in Arvin, Calif., at Sierra Vista. She enjoys her little first graders. Cynthia would like to hear from any MSU friends.

Kristin (Johnson) Wilson, ’97 HHD, and husband, Ryan, Bozeman, have been recently awarded the Small Business Person(s) of the Year Award for Bozeman by the Bozeman Area Chamber of Com-

Jed Erickson, ’02 Hort, Bozeman, earned the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Bozeman, from the Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce. He founded Bear Paw Landscapes six years ago when he was just 23 and fresh out of the Horticulture and Landscape Design program at MSU. Matt McCune, ’02 ME, Bozeman, recently served as keynote speaker at the Bozeman Chamber Business Expo.

Paul Quick, ’03 ME, Denver, Colo., is employed by the Denver Zoo. He is currently developing a small scale demonstration system that will utilize event waste to create energy to power all processing equipment, as well as blenders, light, and other event equipment.

He stays very busy overseeing other projects at the zoo as well.

Brandon Arntson, ’03 AnSci, and wife, Apryl (Sweeney) Arntson, ’05 RSci, Drummond, Mont., announce the birth of son, Hazen, born April 3, 2009.

I N M E MORY Doris (Plumlee) Brinck,* ’34 Chem, Sweetwater, Tenn., died Aug. 13.

Marvin Daniels,* ’38 SciTech, Bigfork, Mont., died Aug. 5.

James Boyd,* ’39 HmEc, ’42 AgBus M, ’53 AgBus PhD, Bozeman, died Dec. 19.

Marion (Mitchell) Kelly,* ’40 HmEc, Vancouver, Wash., died March 22.

William Lodman, ’40 AgEc, ’40 AgEc M, Lewiston, Mont., died Aug. 26.

Jane (Henk) Martin,* ’40 HmEc, Chaska, Minn., died Aug. 28.

Ernest Hogan, ’41 AgLandRes, Idaho Falls, Idaho, died Oct. 21.

Francis Ramstad,* ’42 ChE, Guymon, Okla., died June 11.

Ruth (Grainger) Dreyer,* ’43 HmEc, Glasgow, Mont., died April 10.

BIRT HS Bryon Agan, ’97 CE, and wife, Tara, had a baby girl, Bailey Michelle, on Oct. 25. They live in Lacey, Wash.

Donald Gumprecht,* ’43 PreMed, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, died Nov. 26.

Amy (Sterling) Borger, ’97 ElEd, and husband, Mike, have been blessed with their fourth child, a baby boy, Keaton Jack, born May 20. Keaton joins siblings, Troy, Shane and big sister Jordan. They make their home in Great Falls, Mont.

Lorraine “Rene” (Jones) Lock,* ’45 Ag, ’54 Ag M, Billings, Mont., died Sept. 17.

Chad Farrington, ’97 Bus, and wife, Jane, Boston, Mass., welcomed a healthy baby boy, Jackson Walker, born April 18, 2009.

Curtis Konvalin, ’97 Bus, and wife, Jennifer (Mahler) Konvalin, ’99 Bus, Rapid City, S.D., welcomed a baby boy, Conor, on Jan. 26, 2009.

He joins big brother, Colby 4.

Robert Turner, ’97 Hist, and wife, Erin (O’Connell) Turner, ’99 Hort, Polson, Mont., welcomed their first child, Conner Samuel, on July 7.

Chad “Chip” Lippert, ’99 Bus, and wife, Christina, welcomed their second child into the world. Baby girl, Ella Yvonne, was born on Sept.

29. They live in Billings, Mont.

Robert Durnford,* ’44 EE, ’49 EE M, ’65 EE PhD, Bozeman, Mont., died Dec. 5.

Dorothy (Olsen) Balch,* ’47 Nurs, Milwaukie, Ore., died Nov. 21.

Clyde Hinton,* ’47 EE, Poulsbo, Wash., died Aug. 30.

Phyllis (Davey) Lindeen,* ’47 Nurs, Pompeys Pillar, Mont., died Jan. 10.

Mary (Hammond) Devine, ’48 Art, Butte, Mont., died Aug. 5.

Bozeman, Mont., died Oct. 6.

James Henshaw, ’52 AnSci, Spokane, Wash., died March 2.

Quentin Brawner,* ’54 AgEdu, Livingston, Mont., died Nov. 4.

Roland Mosher, ’54 AnSci, Augusta, Mont., died Dec. 4.

Elaine (Mason) Risken,* ’55 Nurs, Liberty Lake, Wash., died Feb. 20.

Robert Thomas,* ’55 Arch, San Jose, Calif., died Nov. 15.

James Thurston,* ’55 ChE, ’57 ChE M, Brigham City, Utah, died Dec. 5.

Thomas “Tom” Glennie, ’56 AgEc, Judith Gap, Mont., died Oct. 5.

John Harris,* ’56 AgEd, ’64 Educ M, Belt, Mont., died Aug. 23.

Susan (Kade) O’Neill, ’56 Nurs, Eugene, Ore., died Oct. 3.

Robert Turner, ’56 AgEng, Silverton, Ore., died Oct. 12.

Jim Peterson,* ’57 SecEd, Peoria, Ariz., died July 27.

John Robischon,* ’57 CE, Olympia, Wash., died Aug. 5.

Walter Russell, ’57 EE, Bozeman, Mont., died Aug. 3.

Wynne Calvert, ’58 Phys, Iowa City, Iowa, died Nov. 10.

Clayton Landa, ’59 GenStu, Sandy, Utah, died Nov. 24.

Martin Perga, ’60 ChE, Joliet, Mont., died May 30.

Marve Robinson, ’60 EE, East Wenatchee, Wash., died Nov. 1.

Ann Sandberg,* ’60 GenStu, ’64 GenStu PhD, Bozeman, Mont., died Dec. 31.

William Trewhella, ’60 EE, Fort Collins, Colo., died July 19.

John Parkins,* ’61 Eng, Las Vegas, Nev., died July 11.

William Clanton, ’63 AgLandRes, ’71 Sci&Tech M, Bozeman, Mont., died Oct. 23.

Wallace Quammen,* ’48 Eng, Seattle, Wash., died Oct. 04.

Larry Morrow,* ’64 AgEd, ’65 AgEd M, Columbia Falls, Mont., died April 6.

Lois Jenkins, ’51 Micro, Twin Bridges, Mont., died Aug. 28.

Beatrice Barton-Whitehead, ’64 Micro, Sun City, Calif., died Oct. 18.

Marvin Costello, ’52 AgEd, ’57 SciTech M, Stevensville, Mont., died Nov. 17.

Richard Hazen, ’65 EE, Redondo Beach, Calif., died March 4.

William Heckman,* ’52 Arch,

Spring 2010 | 29

continued on page 32

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

FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Dear Friends, It certainly feels like a new year and a new decade at Montana State University. We welcomed our new President, Dr. Waded Cruzado, to her position of leadership. Our Student Alumni Association is now under the leadership of Nathan Carroll. The Alumni Plaza and “Spirit” are becoming a noted feature on our campus. The Alumni Association Board of Directors has embarked on exciting and aggressive plans for engaging students and alumni in the life of the university. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The Alumni Association will be planning events around Montana and the nation, introducing Dr. Cruzado to our alumni and allowing her to see the beauty of our state and the amazing accomplishments of our graduates. Please take the time to join us at one of these gatherings or come to campus for an event, game or activity.

I know that you will enjoy this issue of the Collegian. The stories are amazing and inspirational. The photos of our Alumni Plaza should make you proud. You will see how students today enjoy their university experience, much like you did. Faculty and staff are committed to Montana State today, just as they have been in the past. Telling the MSU story is easy. I hope that you take the opportunity to tell others about your alma mater.

For all of you who have joined the Alumni Association as Life Members, your dues have been invested in the Alumni Endowment. It was this source of funds that was used to build the Alumni Plaza. If you aren’t a life member, join today. You will be helping advance MSU as part of the Alumni Association.

Your university is doing well. It is the loyal support and dedication of alumni that continues to make Montana State University an institution of excellence. When you are in the area, drop by the Alumni Office.

Remember, there is always a pot of coffee or a soft drink awaiting you.

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

The Montana State University Alumni Commencement Reunion May 6, 7 and 8, 2010 To register go to alumni.montana.edu

Attention Classes of 1960, 1950 and 1940!

Make plans to be in Bozeman and at MSU for your GOLDEN, DIAMOND and SAPPHIRE reunions, respectively.

•• Start calling your college friends now and plan to all come together at Commencement.

•• Register now for Commencement Reunion 2010.

•• See the finalized Schedule of Events for Commencement 2010.

•• See Lodging and Transportation information.

Jane Edwards, ’58, from Anaconda, Mont. and her granddaughter

Collegian | 30

Come home to don the MSU cap and gown once again in recognition of your Golden, Diamond and Sapphire Reunions!—This is the perfect time to come together with friends and get reacquainted with today’s faces and places of Montana State University.

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

Leave an Enduring Legacy The Alumni Association is pleased to introduce the Alumni Plaza, a project to instill pride and provide a focal point for spirit on campus. The vision for the Alumni Plaza is to capture the rich tradition of spirit at MSU and express it in a physical space built around a six-foot high bronze bobcat, where the campus community and visitors alike can gather, connect and celebrate. The Bobcat was selected as MSU’s mascot in 1916 for its cunning intelligence, athletic prowess and independent spirit. These attributes are elegantly reflected in Spirit, the plaza’s centerpiece, a bronze sculpture named for Montana State’s first bobcat.

Blue and Gold Fridays

The Association is offering for sale two versions of collector quality, limited edition small copies of Spirit to fund the project.

To learn more about the Alumni Plaza and how you can help support it through a limited edition Spirit bronze purchase, visit www.bobcatspirit.com or call 406-994-2401.

S P I R I T, T R A D I T I O N A N D L O YA LT Y

Alumni Calendar of Events March 24

Women’s History Month reception—Keynote: President Waded Cruzado

Bozeman

March 30

Listening/Learning session with President Waded Cruzado

Bozeman

April 2-3

MSU American Indian Club Pow Wow

Bozeman

April 3

Native American Alumni brunch

Bozeman

April 5-9

MSU Senior Week

Bozeman

April 7

Graduation Information Fair

Bozeman

April 9-10

Triangle Classic Spring Football Weekend Friday night banquet; Saturday spring game

Great Falls

April 20

Dessert Dialogues with MSU Libraries

Bozeman

April 22

College of Business new alumnae graduation celebration

Bozeman

April 30

Bobcat Fest – downtown

Bozeman

May 6-8

Commencement Reunion Weekend for classes of 1960, 1950 and 1940

Bozeman

May 8

MSU Commencement

Bozeman

May 13-14

College of Business Women’s Circle of Excellence conference

Bozeman

May 19

MSU Retired Faculty dinner

Bozeman

June 26

Cat-Griz Golf Battle

Deer Lodge

Summer golf outings for the Bobcat Club and Athletics can be found at www.msubobcats.com Watch Montana State-ments for updated calendar of events or check the Web at alumni.montana.edu/events.

Spring 2010 | 31

Show your Montana State school pride by wearing MSU apparel on Fridays throughout the year. Check out the latest Bobcat gear at the MSU Bookstore’s Web site www.msubookstore. org. Look sharp, be proud.

Let the world know that you are an MSU graduate.

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

Aegean Adventures Cruise

Israel & Jordan: A Grand Journey

Twelve nights of luxurious and highly personalized accommodations and cruising to historic and scenic ports of call including Isatanbul, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Delos, Mykonos, Santorini, Katakolon, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Crete and Athens.

Discover the magnificent wonders of Israel and Jordan and immerse yourself in local cuisine, architecture and landscapes, people and culture. Limited passenger numbers encourage camaraderie with unique opportunities to explore a region in a more expansive manner.

Sept. 21-Oct. 4, 2010 $3699/person (includes airfare from many major cities)

2010 MSU Alumni Association Adventure and Educational Travel People are enjoying a great time on MSU’s organized tours. Check out our trips for 2010 at http://alumni.montana.edu. Send us your traveling “wish list” and we’ll look into it. Watch for 2011 travel in this summer’s Collegian.

The Romantic Rhine: Switzerland, France, Germany and Holland Sept. 18-26, 2010 $2287/person

A seven-night cruise aboard the newest Avalon ship being introduced to the fleet this year.

IN MEMORY continued from page 29 Ronald Godbout, ’70 Hist, Butte, Mont., died Aug. 22.

Vernon Hendrickson,* ’70 Bus, Littleton, Colo., died April 6.

William “Kelly” French, ’71 AgMe, Hobson, Mont., died Nov. 2.

Robert Louie,* ’71 Bus, San Gabriel, Calif., died June 14.

George Poston, ’71 I&ME, ’72 Educ M, Helena, Mont., died July 22.

Nov. 19–Dec. 1, 2010 $3495/person

Mediterranean Inspiration Cruise Oct. 17-30, 2010 $3699/person (includes airfare from many major cities)

Twelve nights on board Oceania Cruises visiting some of Italy’s most amazing ports with stops in Monte Carlo, Corfu, Montenegro and Croatia. An amazing itinerary with diverse ports of call is sure to create your own Mediterranean Inspiration.

For more information All trips are listed on the Cat Treks Web site—alumni.montana.edu/resources/ travel Or, call to request a brochure: 1-800-842-9028.

Harold Smith, ’71 Sci&Tech, Helena, Mont., died July 19.

Shane Powell, ’88 Art, Pocatello, Idaho, died Sept. 21.

William Kloos, ’73 CE, Portland, Ore, died Nov. 4.

Carla Albrecht-Allen, ’90 Bus, Billings, Mont., died Sept. 18.

Robert Zychek, ’75 FTV-Photo, Post Falls, Idaho, died June 25.

William “Bill” Talbott, ’98 FTV-Photo, ’98 HHD, Sheridan, Wyo., died Dec. 26.

Lona (O’Connor) Corey, ’78 Nurs., Albuquerque, N.M., died Feb. 27.

Thomas Hartford, ’05 Bus, Browning, Mont., died Feb. 3.

Clinton Fairbanks, ’78 AgBus, Geraldine, Mont., died July 27.

*Life member of the Alumni Association

William Giroux, ’83 ME, Council Bluffs, Iowa, died Sept. 13.

A Collegian | 32

Outfit your Bobcat crew with gear from the MSU Bookstore

Jen, ’95 PE, and Mitch, ’97 Hist, Kayser, and son Spencer and daughter Bailey Jen is the granddaughter of Brick Breeden, for whom the fieldhouse is named

clothing | gifts | accessories shop online at www.msubookstore.org

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