2015-2016 The MSU Graduate School Annual Report

Montana State University Graduate School Annual Report Academic Year 2015-2016

Creating Knowledge, Elevating Discovery, Striving for Innovation

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About The Graduate School

Greetings from the Dean

Centers & Institutes Committed to Research

I am delighted to bring to you this year’s Graduate School annual report. It always is gratifying for me to take a comprehensive look at the past year’s achievements.

Graduate Education in the News

As you read through these pages, you’ll notice one theme emerges again and again: commitment. Graduate education is successful when everyone, the administration, the faculty, students and staff, is committed. In this annual report, you’ll meet students, faculty, staff and alumni who have demonstrated commitment to excellence in graduate education, research, and scholarship. These individuals uphold The Graduate School’s goal of creating knowledge, elevating discovery and striving for innovation; and many have been recognized for their stellar scholarship and outstanding contributions to their field.

Faculty Commitment to Excellence Catching Up with an Alumnus

Philanthropic Commitment to Graduate Education Commitment to Native Student Success The Graduate School “By the Numbers” Fall 2015 Enrollment Degrees Awarded 2015-2016 Annual Giving Montana Hall— Yesterday & Todayool

As Dean of The Graduate School, I am committed to ensuring graduate education continues to thrive at MSU. My staff and I have put student success at the forefront and work daily to create a collaborative environment across campus. This year, our work was furthered by a dedicated group of graduate students who served on the Graduate Student Network, a volunteer group working to promote professional development Dr. Karlene A. Hoo activities and to serve as ambassadors for graduate education at MSU. This student group not only helped to plan and execute a successful fourth Graduate Student Summit and Research Rendezvous poster session but also to volunteer for community activities.

Notable highlights of this past year include the first cohort of eight Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates. In addition, MSU continued to earn prestigious recognition on a national level with five graduate students receiving competitive fellowships from NASA and the NSF. We continue to see more and better faculty advising, mentoring, and advocacy for graduate students success as well as the administration’s continued commitment to invest in graduate student recruitment, assistantship support, and dissertation-year fellowships. All of these efforts will aid in increased student enrollment, retention, and completion. Finally, we are pleased to see more alumni willing to share their stories, develop relationships with The Graduate School, and donate to graduate education.

The commitment of so many has made our past year’s accomplishments possible and gives me great confidence and vision in what lies ahead for graduate education at MSU. Whether you are a student, faculty, alumni or friend, I hope you’ll stay informed about all of our activities by visiting our website, following us on Facebook, or stopping by our offices in Montana Hall.

Sincerely,

Karlene A. Hoo, Ph.D. Dean, The Graduate School

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About The Graduate School Vision: The Graduate School strives to foster an environment that produces outstanding graduate scholars who contribute new ideas and knowledge using creative and innovative approaches to solve challenges in an evolving world.

Mission: The Graduate School enriches the graduate student experience by providing excellent service, timely oversight, and relentless advocacy for student success.

Graduate School at a Glance • Montana State awarded its first master’s degree in 1902 and its first doctoral degree in 1956.

• The Graduate School staff is comprised of the Dean and ten professional staff members.

• The University Graduate Council, a key component to The Graduate School, serves to advise the Dean on matters of policy. Its key activities are to make recommendations to the Dean about graduate programs and curricula, to promote all aspects of graduate education, and to put in place policies that result in the success of graduate students.

• Montana State’s Graduate School is a member of the Western Association of Graduate Schools.

Graduate School Staff Dr. Karlene A. Hoo, Dean Office of Fiscal Management Maya Bronston Office of Admissions Krista Baziak Melis Edwards Amber Fischer Office of Student Services Donna Negaard

Office of Degree Programs & Certificates Amanda Brown Lauren Cerretti Office of Analytics & Systems Management Laura Collins Jennifer Miller Ann Vinciguerra

Montana State Quick Facts ☛☛ Founded: 1893 ☛☛ Accreditation: Regional accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities ☛☛ Affiliation: Public unit of the Montana University System; Montana’s LandGrant University

☛☛ Fiscal Year 2016 Research Expenditures: $118 million ☛☛ Carnegie Classification: R2: Doctoral Universities— Higher Research Activity ☛☛ Fall 2015 Enrollment: 15,688 students total; 1,987 graduate students

Did you know...

The Graduate School now has a Wikipedia page!

Click here to visit it and find out about the history, the current Graduate School dean and more.

4 Meet a Student Assistant

Graduate School News

Taylor Eder, an earth sciences major from Poplar, Montana, was one of seven native students selected into the 2016 Yellowstone Altai Sayan program, a National Science Foundation funded partnership between MSU and Bioregions International. The group traveled to the Darhad Valley of Mongolia where they worked alongside indigenous partners conducting research supporting cultural continuity, and revitalization, and began building a lasting relationship between the groups.

The Graduate School welcomed Bozeman native Amber Fischer to its admissions staff in January. Mrs. Fischer came to The Graduate School from the MSU Registrar’s Office where she served as an enrollment processing specialist. Since her arrival, Mrs. Fischer has been busy processing the increasing number of applications, helping newly admitted students navigate the next steps, assisting faculty and staff in using the CollegeNet® application software, and much more. She is a Montana State alumna with a B.A. in liberal studies and minor in Native American studies. A warm welcome to Mrs. Fischer!

In Her Own Words I’ve always been interested in environmental issues.

In my culture, the connection with the Earth is so deeply rooted that it is expressed in everything from

Dr. Barbara Komlos joined The Graduate School staff as administrator of both the Sloan Indigenous Graduate Program and the National Science Foundation Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate grant. Her experience teaching English as a second language and developmental writing sparked her interest in working with Native American students and her current position allows her to work with Native graduate students at all points from recruitment through degree attainment. Dr. Komlos holds degrees in Spanish & International Studies (B.A., Emory University), Applied Linguistics and TESL (M.A., Georgia State University) and Higher Education (Ed.D., Montana State University), and has taught the first-year seminar, Spanish, and Spanish for Health Professionals at MSU.

language, to ceremony, to how you do things. I think

Dr. Barbara Komlos

it’s important to preserve our culture and to celebrate

A heartfelt thank you to Graduate School student assistants!

who we are; language is so vital to that and is being lost….Both the people of the Fort Peck tribes and the Indigenous Darhad people are traditionally seminomadic but through the process of colonization are experiencing a drastic transition in their way of life…. The impacts of time and colonization have led to a loss of culture, traditional practices, and language that are vital to who they are. The Fort Peck tribes and Darhad people are at a different stage in the process of colonization but both face the same problem.

This trip presented a unique opportunity to share information cross-culturally with the Darhad people and bring their perspectives back to Fort Peck.

Amber Fischer

Each year, The Graduate School relies on student assistants to help staff the office. These undergraduate students are part of the Work-Study program and play an essential role in day-to-day operations at The Graduate School. They are the first point of contact for people calling or visiting the office, and assist staff in all areas. The Graduate School is pleased to help these students develop professional skills and enjoys the energy and enthusiasm they bring to work.

Their hard work is truly appreciated.

Student assistant Taylor Eder (front row, 2nd from left) in Mongolia as part of the Yellowstone Altai Sayan program. (See story to the left.)

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Centers & Institutes Committed to Research The Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE), an interdisciplinary research center working to develop beneficial uses for microbial biofilms and finding solutions to industrial biofilm problems, celebrated its 25th anniversary during the 2015-2016 academic year. The CBE was established as a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center and has a three-part mission to conduct research, offer educational opportunities and provide outreach.

Matthew Fields

CBE director Matthew Fields, noted that outreach and partnerships with industry are among the center’s most important activities. Outreach leading to collaboration is key to the CBE’s vitality and interactions with biofilm researchers and industry representatives worldwide help the center create a stimulating setting where research may prosper.

The 53 graduate students who conduct research at the CBE benefit greatly from these partnerships. “Academic collaboration with industry is a great way for students to see first-hand the realworld relevance of their research,” Dr. Fields stated. “Additionally, by interacting with individuals working in industry students can begin to explore a variety of career opportunities.”

CBE highlights for 2015-2016 include: • Graduate students were part of 17 papers and four book chapters • Ph.D. students delivered research presentations at the American Chemistry Society Annual Meeting (Neerja Zambare) and the American Society of Microbiology Annual Meeting (Tatsuya Akiyama, Laura Camilleri & Greg Krantz)

• CBE bio-statistician Al Parker was awarded an Environmental Protection Agency Scientific and Technological Achievement Award. This award is given to top contributors to the advancement of science and technology through their publications in peer-reviewed articles and books.

• CBE affiliated faculty member Phil Stewart received a $3 million National Science Foundation award for the creation of a new nanotechnology center at Montana State University.

CBE associate research professor Darla Goeres was awarded a $500,000 Burroughs Wellcome Innovation in Regulatory Science Award to develop new methodology to assess the prevention of biofilm formation on medical devices.

Darla Goeres

The Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery (CMHRR) was created in 2014 to address the mental health challenges unique to Montana and similar rural states by building a bridge between scientific discovery and the implementation of innovative approaches to prevent, diagnose, and treat mental illness. Over the past year under new director Matt Byerly, MD, the CMHRR has started the development and implementation of several research projects while also playing a key role in building collaborations with faculty members at MSU as well as with prominent stakeholders across Montana. Currently the CMHRR employs one graduate student and offers MSU graduate students opportunities for collaboration in graduate projects on a case by case basis.

6 MSU dietetics program and dietetic internship receive accreditation Excerpted from the MSU News Service MSU’s Montana Dietetic Internship program recently received full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. Accreditation was based on a self-study, a site visit report from a visiting team and MSU’s response to the team’s report.

After this rigorous evaluation, the program was reaccredited for seven years.

The Montana Dietetic Internship is a graduate-level non-degree practice experience for graduates of MSU’s Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics. After completing the internship, students are eligible to take the national board exam to become certified as a registered dietician.

Interns complete several weeks of the internship in the Bozeman area before proceeding to complete rotations in one of five locations: Billings, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell and Missoula. Each intern also completes a two-week rotation at a critical access hospital in a rural community.

“The strength of the Montana Dietetic Internship is rooted in a complex collaboration among multiple healthcare facilities, state and private agencies, and MSU faculty and administration,” said Coleen Kaiser, director of the Montana Dietetic Internship. She added that the program currently has contractual relationships with 62 sites in Montana, involving approximately 75 preceptors.

Graduate Education in the News New Ph.D. Programs The strategic plan aims to increase the number of doctoral degrees awarded each year to 80. In an effort to reach this goal, The Graduate School has been working with departments to create new Ph.D. programs. Tricia Seifert, associate professor and Department of Education department head, and Ian Handley, associate professor of Psychology, shared the following about the new Ph.D. programs in their departments.

Responding to the need to train researchers to impact educational policy and practice across the state, Montana State University received approval from the Montana Board of Regents in March 2015 to offer the state’s only Ph.D. in Education. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities granted accreditation to the program in August 2015. Several students, enrolled in the Doctorate of Education program applied for the Ph.D. last September. Having completed additional coursework and a dissertation, the first Ph.D. in Education graduate walked across the commencement stage to receive her degree in May 2016. Currently, nine students are enrolled in MSU Graduate students are mentored by renowned faculty.

First eight students graduate from MSU’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice program the Ph.D. in Education program with emphases in Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, and Adult & Higher Education. Ten new Ph.D. students will begin their studies in fall 2016.

The Ph.D. program in Psychological Science emphasizes closely mentored independent doctoral research with supporting coursework, research discovery expectations, and training in the teaching of psychology. The goals of our graduate program are to train students to think critically about theory and evidence, gain expertise in their area of specialty, understand and use statistical procedures, and to design, conduct, and publish high-quality psychological research. Students and their advisors work together to devise a program of coursework and research best suited for the students’ career goals. The opportunity to conduct research with a faculty member is an important component of our graduate program as it provides training useful for the ultimate pursuit of obtaining research careers in academia and various organizations. General areas of faculty research interest include: cognitive, developmental, health, learning, physiological, social psychology, and applied statistics and research methods.

The Psychological Science program currently has six Ph.D. students for 2016-2017. In the next academic year (2017-2018), we anticipate at least 12 Ph.D. students in the program. Our graduate students commonly author and co-author scientific conference presentations, and often receive funding awards for conference travel. Further, given the strong research focus of this program, graduate students often author and co-author peer-reviewed publications.

Excerpted from the MSU News Service Students from Fort Belknap, Billings, Laurel and Helena were among the first eight to graduate this spring from MSU’s new doctor of nursing practice program.

Launched in 2013, the program aims to help address Montana’s shortage of health care providers, particularly in rural areas.

The program was designed, in part, to help address a shortage of primary health care providers in Montana, according to Helen Melland, dean of the College of Nursing. Students who graduate from the program Associate Dean of the College of Nursing, Donna Williams (fourth from left), with MSU’s first Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates. are eligible to become board-certified as nurse practitioners in their area of specialization.

“All of Montana is considered a medically underserved state,” Dr. Melland said. “Studies show that most nurses tend to stay in their communities, and these students are currently living in various locations throughout Montana, so we expect that these nurses will become health care providers throughout the state.”

In addition to the 83 academic credits that are needed for graduation, the degree requires students to complete 1,125 hours in clinical settings. Students in the program choose from one of two options: family and individual nurse practitioner or psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner. Mirroring a national trend, the doctor of nursing practice program replaces the master’s-level nurse practitioner program that had been offered at MSU since the late ‘50s.

Dr. Melland said she is delighted that the program is helping students achieve their goals while simultaneously helping to address a need for health care providers in the state.

8 Ph.D. students contribute to broader understanding of what lies beneath West Antarctica

Student Commitment to Excellence

Adapted from the National Science Foundation news release

Kristen Emmett, Ph.D. student in ecology, received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Her research examines vegetation change and climate impact modeling.

MSU graduate students Alex Michaud and Trista Vick-Majors published a paper in Geology about an ancient lake under the West Antarctic Ice Shelf.

Their research provides the first look into the biogeochemisty, geophysics, and geology of Subglacial Lake Whillans. The findings stem from the Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling project funded by the National Science Foundation. The new insights will not only allow scientists to better understand the biogeochemistry and mechanics of the lake itself, but will also allow them to use that information to improve models of how Antarctic subglacial lake systems interact with the ice above and sediment below. These models will help assess the contribution that subglacial lakes may make to the flow of water from the continent to the ocean, and therefore to sea-level rise. Dr. Michaud and Dr. Vick-Majors both earned a Ph.D. in Land Resources and Environmental sciences in spring 2016 and are now in post-doctoral positions.

“I have joined the Aquatic Ecology group at the University of Quebec, Montreal, as a Post-doctoral Fellow. My research there will focus on the carbon cycle and microorganisms in the boreal forests of northern Quebec.

These forest ecosystems are facing big changes, both due to climate change and to increasing hydroelectric development to support growing populations in southeastern Canada and the Northeastern U.S. At MSU, I had the opportunity to study carbon and microorganisms in a variety of aquatic environments and to build a strong record of publications, both of which helped me to secure the post-doc of my choice.� ~ Trista Vick-Majors, Ph.D., LRES/Ecology & Environmental Sciences, 2016

Graduate Students Awarded Prestigious Fellowship

Melody Lindsay, Ph.D. student in microbiology and immunology, received a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship. Her research aims to advance the understanding of early evolving life on Earth by investigating ecosystems in Yellowstone hot springs.

Doctoral students Nicholas Loutrel (Physics), Sarah Mailhiot (Mechanical Engineering) and Jeffrey Simkins (Chemical and Biological Engineering) received National Science Foundation East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute awards for summer 2016. NSF partners with science and technology agencies in East Asia and Pacific countries to allow American graduate students to complete research abroad.

Alex Michaud and Trista Vick-Majors

Drawings of historic local homestead earn MSU architectural students national prize Excerpted from the MSU News Service Detailed architectural drawings and historic research of a homestead on the Gallatin River near Four Corners resulted in a national prize for seven Montana State University architecture students.

Graduate students taking professor Maire O’Neill’s course in architecture documentation won second prize in the National Park Service’s Charles E. Peterson Prize for drawings of the Damon Gabriel homestead. The homestead was established in 1889, and its rare two-story hand-hewn log barn was probably built earlier.

The award carries a $2,500 cash award for the MSU School of Architecture and winning drawings are archived in the Library of Congress. Members of MSU’s winning team were Andrea Duroux, Chelsea Holling, Theresa Lindenau, Jessica Proctor, Hannah Stroebe, Urvi Shah and Kate Tilleman.

Graduate Student Network In an effort to create programs to help students thrive academically, professionally and socially, the Graduate Student Network was formed.

Students work in conjunction with Graduate School staff to create professional development workshops, offer networking opportunities, and act as the “face” of The Graduate School by promoting graduate education on campus, to alumni, and to prospective students.

In its inaugural year, the Graduate Student Network found students busy with several activities. In addition to planning the Graduate Student Summit, Network members planned an Elevator Pitch Workshop with Les Craig of the Blackstone Launch Pad and a round-table style CV/Resume Workshop with faculty members from across campus. The group also completed two community volunteer activities over the summer and plans to include similar opportunities each year.

Right: Graduate students practice clinical skills during their intensive summer session.

Graduate Student Summit & Research Rendezvous The third annual Graduate Student Summit took place October 29–30. The focus of the event was to provide students with professional development training to complement their graduate education and research experience. The free event drew over 150 graduate students and featured panels and workshops on fellowships, career development, and more. Panelists and workshop leaders represented a variety of academic disciplines and work sectors. Keynote speaker Dr. Robert Augustine, Senior Vice President for the Council of Graduate Schools, gave a motivational talk and led a lively networking workshop. He joined 35 faculty, staff and community members who lead the workshops and panels.

New to this year’s event was the Graduate Student Research Rendezvous, a poster session and competition featuring the research of graduate students from all academic colleges. The inaugural Research Rendezvous drew 43 graduate students. This was a great opportunity for graduate students to grow professionally and for the public to learn about the innovative research being conducted at MSU. Research Rendezvous Winners Architecture, Arts, & Humanities 1st place: Jesine Munson (Art History) 2nd place: Nicole Stine (Architecture) Natural Sciences, Agriculture, Nursing, Health & Human Development 1st place: Mandi Roe (Microbiology & Immunology) 2nd place: Fermin Guerra (Microbiology & Immunology) Top & Middle: Students share their research & compete for prizes in the first Graduate Student Research Rendezvous.

Bottom: Graduate Student Summit keynote speaker Robert Augustine, Council Of Graduate Schools Senior Vice President, with committee members Anna Zelaya (left) and Jennifer Clark (right).

Social Science, Education & Business 1st place: Danika Holmes (Earth Sciences) 2nd place: Spencer Johnson (Education) Mathematics, Physical Sciences & Engineering 1st place: Jacob Artz (Biochemistry) 2nd place: Neerja Zambare (Chemical Engineering) The Graduate School wishes to thank the following graduate student volunteers for serving on the Graduate Student Summit planning committee.

Without their hard work and dedication, the event would not have been possible.

Christopher Brown Sarah Mailhiot David Buckingham Cooper McCann Arianna Celis, Co-Chair Jeff Simkins Jennifer Clark, Co-Chair Andrea Varella Anali Huggins Chelsey Wilson Logan Johns Neerja Zambare Catherine Johnson Anna Zelaya, Publicity Chair

MSU accounting students complete hundreds of tax returns for students, community members Excerpted from the MSU News Service Seven graduate students in the Master of Professional Accountancy program teamed with undergraduates to prepare more than 450 tax returns for individuals in the community. Students prepared the returns for free as part of the national Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

VITA is a win-win for both the student volunteers and the community members who choose to take advantage of the program, according to Anne Christensen, an MSU accounting professor who directs VITA at MSU.

11 program gave them opportunities to meet and collaborate with other students as well as gain a better understanding of how research and broader impacts go hand in hand.

Fifteen graduate students took part in the Sharing Science Workshop and Practicum, a program developed at the Museum of Science-Boston. Students participated in a two-hour workshop, in which they learned strategies for sharing their STEM expertise in informal learning environments, as well as an outreach activity as their “practicum.” Outreach activities included MSU’s NanoDays/MicroDays and the Gallatin United Way KidsLink afterschool program.

“A huge benefit to the students is that they’re dealing with real clients and real issues,” Dr. Christensen said. “The community benefits by getting free tax help.

And, for many of the people we work with, receiving a sizable refund because of tax provisions can make a real difference. It’s exciting to students that they can apply what they learn in the classroom to help people.”

In addition to VITA efforts locally, graduate student Jenn Adams joined four MSU undergraduates who traveled to Alaska over spring break to prepare tax returns in several small villages. Collectively, the group processed almost 300 returns.

Students who participated said that preparing so many returns in a short period of time helped solidify their knowledge of the tax preparation process. Additionally, students cited the cultural experience of working in small, remote villages accessible only by plane as an important part of the experience.

Collaboration with Extended University Offers Graduate Students Workshop Opportunities In partnership with The Graduate School, 31 graduate students had the opportunity to participate in two science communications and outreach programs offered through MSU’s Extended University.

Communicating Ecosystem Science was a six-week program available to students affiliated with the Institute on Ecosystems. Sixteen graduate students representing four colleges learned practical skills such as science writing, communicating about controversial topics, and working with journalists. Participants reported that the

The idea of collaboration was put to work as Sharing Science student Alex McMenamin (Microbiology/Immunology) combined forces with Communicating Ecosystem Science student Madison Nixon (Land Resources and Environmental Sciences). In May, the pair hosted Montana’s first-ever Teen Science Café, a National Science Foundation-funded effort to bring science to teenagers in a friendly and interactive format.

“We were excited to partner with The Graduate School to recruit so many great students representing many colleges, departments and fields of study,” said Suzi Taylor, assistant director of outreach and communications at Extended University.

“The graduate students were passionate about sharing their work with other people and are dedicated to improving their skills in science outreach.

It was also fun to see the students learning about each other’s research and forming partnerships and friendships.”

Tim Gauthier, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering, led a “reverse engineering” activity with students from Irving Elementary School as part of the Sharing Science Workshop & Practicum.

Student Profile Unexpected Connections Draw Mongolian Student to MSU Armed with a Fulbright grant and strong will, Dorj Sukhragchaa aims to develop sustainable land rehabilitation practices for his homeland

Three generations of the Sukhragchaa family enjoy a beautiful winter day in Bozeman.

While some individuals pick a career path early in life and stick with it, others take a circuitous route changing direction as interests morph, opportunities arise and unforeseen contacts are made. Dorjderem “Dorj” Sukhragchaa didn’t plan on becoming a biologist nor did he aim to work at a mine, but both experiences led him to pursue an M.S. in Land Rehabilitation at Montana State University.

His hard work and dedication earned him a Fulbright grant to pursue graduate studies in the United States. While there were many American universities to choose from, Montana State University, with its ties to Mongolia, Bozeman’s safe and welcoming community and environment similar to home, was the obvious choice for Dorj and his family.

Growing Up in Mongolia Dorj grew up in cold and snowy central Mongolia. Although his father is a college-educated economist, Dorj describes him as “a mountain man” who made sure his family spent a lot of time in nature. These were formative experiences for Dorj, and while he had other career ambitions as a child, his interest in the natural environment never wavered. He credits his father with influencing him to become a biologist.

undaunted. Dorj signed up for a two-week project and found himself enthralled with biology field work. He stayed on for the remainder of the summer and switched his major upon returning to school. Dorj went on to earn a B.S. in ecology and conservation biology and an M.S. in zoology.

Career Transitions After graduation, Dorj worked as a researcher at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences’ ornithological laboratory. While he was enthusiastic about his work, the pay was minimal. When his first child was on the way, he made the tough decision to take a more lucrative job at Oyu Tolgoi, a mining company in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. For the next nine years, his position provided financial stability for his young and growing family.

Before working for Oyu Tolgoi, Dorj considered himself antimining, but he came to realize that “mining is inevitable unless we want to go back to living in the stone-age.”

He now holds the belief that scientists and mining companies can work together to reduce damage and lessen the footprint of mining. Dorj was able to use his position as an environmental scientist within the company to work on reclamation projects.

Mining reclamation is a relatively new concept in Mongolia.

With little experience to draw upon, Dorj’s staff endured one failure after another. This led Dorj to consider continuing his education abroad and a series of coincidences lead him to the land rehabilitation program at MSU.

Becoming a Biologist

The Bozeman-Mongolia Connection

Biology professor Batsaikhan Nyamsuren had room for students to participate in various summer field projects. Dr. Nyamsuren was a tough teacher feared by students, but Dorj was

Through his work at Oyu Tolgoi, Dorj came in contact with road ecologists at Montana State’s Western Transportation Institute (WTI). WTI scientists visited Mongolia to begin work on the

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Dorjderem “Dorj” Sukhragchaa project and the contract allowed Dorj to visit Bozeman in 2012.

Life in Bozeman & Looking to the Future

After returning home, he was contacted by a BioRegions staff member. Cathy Zabinski, a Montana State professor of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, was coming to Mongolia to work on mining reclamation research. Would he like to meet her? Dorj was in the process of applying for a Fulbright grant, so it was a timely opportunity to find out about an American university. He said yes to visiting with Dr. Zabinski.

With graduation nearing, Dorj reflects on his time as a master’s student at MSU. He is grateful for the guidance and mentoring he has received from Dr. Zabinski and recommends future graduate students consider a good match with their advisor above funding opportunities or the reputation of a university.

“Choosing the right professor is the key to success in graduate studies and fundamental to your career development,” he said.

“Dorj impressed me with the biodiversity preservation programs he put together as environmental scientist for Oyu Tolgoi,” Dr. Zabinski stated. “So a year later, when he contacted me about doing graduate research at MSU and asked questions about how to revegetate arid lands, I thought it could be a great experience for all of us.”

While completing the land rehabilitation program at Montana State will go a long way in furthering his career, he’s not the only member of his family to benefit from living in Bozeman. During his initial trip to Bozeman, Dorj felt it would be a safe and healthy place to raise a family, and as he nears the end of his master’s program he has no doubt “it is the best place for young couples with children.”

Delving into Land Rehabilitation Dorj applied for and received a Fulbright. He believes his professional career provided him with valuable lessons that ultimately earned him the grant.

Under the guidance of Dr. Zabinski, Dorj began working on a Master of Science in Land Rehabilitation in fall 2014. A summer internship with the Bridger Plant Materials Center enabled him to better understand how to create revegetation programs that could be applicable in Mongolia. This work is the basis for his thesis, Consistency of heavy metal tolerance of some plant species through successive generations.

Dorj plans to finish his master’s in fall 2016 and is considering enrolling in a Ph.D. program “but it will depend on several things which are still a bit vague at this point,” he said.

As he contemplates the path his life has taken and his road to MSU, Dorj says, “Everything came together as if I had planned it precisely but the reality is that it mostly had to do with my hard work and strong will.”

Whether he pursues a Ph.D., returns to Mongolia to practice land rehabilitation or finds a new way to apply his knowledge to his work, Dorj’s time at MSU will continue to shape who he is.

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Faculty Commitment to Excellence Faculty Members Awarded Prestigious Grants Excerpted from MSU News Service

Neil Cornish

Ron June (right)

Physics professor Neil Cornish was part of an international team that received a Breakthrough Prize for their discovery of gravitational waves. The Breakthrough Prize is an annual award that recognizes the world’s top scientists in life sciences, fundamental physics and mathematics. The team will share a $3 million award.

Ron June, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering and Paul Stoy, assistant professor of land resources and environmental sciences, each received a $500,000 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Dr. Stoy studies the exchange of water, energy and trace gases between the land surface and the atmosphere. His work quantifies how landuse change and land management, including conservation, impact climate. Dr. June’s research aims to discover advanced treatments for osteoarthritis, an agingrelated disease in which cartilage deteriorates, resulting in painful joints and decreased mobility.

The CAREER Award is the NSF’s most prestigious award to support early career development of faculty researchers. It’s particularly notable because it is awarded to a single person instead of a team, honoring outstanding faculty who haven’t yet received tenure.

Robert Petrone and Allison Wynhoff Olsen.

Allison Wynhoff Olsen and Robert Petrone, faculty members in the English department, received a $50,000 grant from the Spencer Foundation to continue their research to contribute to a better understanding of the experiences of rural English educators, and particularly how to better prepare and support English teachers to work in rural areas.

Faculty Receive Prominent Recognition Excerpted from MSU News Service INSIGHT into Diversity magazine presented mechanical and industrial engineering professor Sarah Codd and assistant professor of geography Julia Hobson Haggerty with Inspiring Women in STEM awards. The award is presented to 100 women nationally as a tribute to their success working in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The award is

15 presented to whose work and achievements encourage others in their field and inspire a new generation of young women to consider careers in STEM. Stephanie McCalla, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, earned recognition and financial support from the Rising Stars program of the Institute of Transitional Health Sciences. Dr. McCalla will join a cohort of 12 scientists for the two-year rising stars program that provides targeted and structured career development assistance to promising earlystage investigators from a five-state (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) region. The recognition will provide $15,000 in funding for Dr. McCalla’s research into developing methods to more easily identify biomarkers that can be present after a patient has had cardiac event.

Art history professor Melissa Ragain will spend a year at Harvard University as a recipient of a Radcliffe Institute fellowship. Dr. Ragain is one of 54 scholars selected to the 2016–2017 fellowship class and is the first scholar from Montana to be selected for the prestigious fellowship, which is awarded to less than 4 percent of its applicants. During her year in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dr. Ragain plans to complete her book “Viewers, and Other Animals: Formalism and Environmental Aesthetics after WWII,” which tracks the development of environmental aesthetics in Cambridge during the mid-twentieth century.

Tricia Seifert, an associate professor of adult & higher education, recently won the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services’ CACUSS Award of Honor. The award, which is widely recognized as the association’s most prestigious, is given for significant achievement and distinguished contribution to the development and promotion of student services and/or active

participation within CACUSS. Dr. Seifert was recognized for her contributions in supporting student affairs research in Canada, her contributions to CACUSS through presentations and mentoring graduate students, and her commitment to student learning and research.

First Montana Plant Science Chair brings international perspective to improve wheat crop Excerpted from MSU News Service A scientist raised near the area in Turkey where wheat was first domesticated nearly 10,000 years ago is bringing the newest contemporary technologies to Montana State University to strengthen the vitality of Montana wheat. Hikmet Budak, MSU’s first Montana Plant Sciences Endowed Chair, arrived in Bozeman from Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey. The focus of his work will be using cutting edge research to help the university develop wheat that will stand up to the four traditional stressors of Montana’s most important crop – wheat stem sawfly, drought, heat and micronutrient deficiencies.

The first endowed chair in the history of the MSU College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, Dr. Budak was hired following a national search that ultimately attracted top cereal scientists from around the world. The idea for the position began as an idea of the Montana Grains Foundation as a way that would help Montana’s wheat farmers stay sustainable and remain competitive. More than 60 Montana grain producers and several agribusinesses around the state partnered to support the endowed chair.

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Catching Up with an Alumnus Wayne H. Dickinson, Ph.D., Chemistry, 1996 • • •

Education History: B.S., Chemistry, University of Washington Current Town: Atlanta, GA Occupation: Principal Scientist, Kemira Chemicals

In His Own Words Why did you want to attend graduate school? What drew you to Montana State University?

Wayne Dickinson, then and now.

I was 42 years old and living on the east coast. My work as a chemical oceanographer had diverted into electronics and instrument design, so I was ready to re-establish my foundation in chemistry while still able to anticipate a new career position. I looked at five schools in the Northwest and fell right in with the interdisciplinary program at the Center for Biofilm Engineering, which appealed to five areas of interest; electrochemistry, materials science, surface science, sensors and water chemistry. Growing up in Seattle, the Big Sky always had a strong appeal; dry, snowy, wide-open and beautiful. A recreational dream. My wife was okay with the big adventure, and so we chose Bozeman and MSU. “I had an unforgettable experience as a graduate student and amazing good fortune at MSU. There was nothing like working in a hot, non-air conditioned lab all day, then going down to the Gallatin to dive into a pool of cool, clear, blue water. Or trudging through the snow to my research site on a little creek in the valley where, miraculously, bugs were growing that solved a decades old problem of bio-corrosion. Skiing, bicycling, hiking; early morning breakfasts on Main Street; trips to Yellowstone and Glacier and Pony. It was all a gift.”

What are you doing today? How did your graduate degree prepare you for life after school?

I’m Principal Scientist at a chemical company with business in the oil, mining, paper and water treatment sectors. I evaluate customer process needs, research possible solutions, identify preferred chemistry, develop new formulations and make recommendations to address the customer challenges. My focus is on controlling mineral scale formation, corrosion, and microbiological growth. My graduate degree and dissertation topic offered the perfect springboard for this path. I had solid footing in electrochemistry and corrosion science, water chemistry, microbiology and instrument design.

Graduate school taught me how to express my ideas. I overcame my fear of public speaking and the intimidation of publishing research, and I became a proficient writer and speaker. I emerged from graduate school with confidence in my knowledge and in my scientific capability.

If I knew then what I know now…

Advice to future graduate students I wouldn’t change a thing. I wanted to see what it was like to work as a chemist and apply what I’d learned. My working career provided several mentors and consolidated my competence in analytical chemistry, electronics, and instrumentation. I’d always felt graduate work was the way to become a real chemist and after eighteen years in oceanography, several factors conspired to get me to apply. It was one of two or three best decisions I’ve ever made.

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Philanthropic Commitment to Graduate Education Overview of the year Fundraising efforts moved ahead during 2015-2016 academic year. The Graduate School continues to maintain a strong relationship with the MSU Alumni Foundation. Foundation development directors were instrumental in cultivating one-on-one relationships with major donors and annual fund staff helped secure additional support through Phonathon, direct mail and other appeals. In 2015-2016, annual fund giving was up 13% with over $18,000 donated from 204 alumni and friends.

In March, Graduate School Dean Karlene Hoo and staff member Ann Vinciguerra attended a fundraising workshop presented by Penelope Hunt, senior consultant at Martz and Lundy. Using case studies and scenarios, Ms. Hunt led exercises on refining the case for support, creating fundraising strategies for

meaningful interactions with donors and delivering a solicitation. The workshop intended to get academic leaders from across campus further engaged in MSU’s $300 million comprehensive campaign, What it Takes.

To date, almost $220,000 has been donated to The Graduate School against a campaign goal of $300,000.

Cultivating Philanthropic Support in Houston In August 2015, Graduate School Dean Karlene Hoo traveled to Houston, Texas with the MSU Alumni Foundation’s Senior Director of Development, Traci Weller, to meet with MSU alumni and friends. They visited graduate school alumni, as well as members of MSU’s Houston Alumni Chapter, during an evening social event at Champs Sports in the Galleria area of Houston, where alumni and friends gathered to hear firsthand updates about MSU’s Graduate School while enjoying the opportunity to connect with fellow Bobcats.

When you support graduate education at Montana State University, you are saying “Yes!” to Creating Knowledge, Elevating Discovery, Striving for Innovation.

Your thoughtfulness today will have an impact on the world of tomorrow.

Connecting with stakeholders from the graduate school allows Dr. Hoo the opportunity to share successes and challenges within The Graduate School, but also convey opportunities for alumni to help strengthen the School’s greatest needs. Ms. Weller stated, “Dr. Hoo’s dedication and passion for strengthening MSU’s Graduate School is inspirational, as is her commitment to meeting with Montana State’s valued alumni and friends.”

The Houston Chapter, led by David Ayers (’81), frequently hosts events in the Houston area to connect local alumni to each other and back to Montana State University, allowing alumni to learn about MSU, have fun and network both professionally and socially with fellow Bobcats. For information about alumni events in your area, please visit www.musaf.org/calendar.

Support Graduate Education Philanthropic support for graduate education provides funding that goes above and beyond state and research dollars. Unrestricted support will help provide an academic setting that inspires innovation and discovery, and will help to assure MSU can continue to recruit top-notch graduate students.

Graduate school is a place where tomorrow’s leaders gain expertise in their field. Today’s students will carry with them lessons learned in graduate school to their life beyond. As the scientists, engineers, nurses, educators, agronomists, artists, and architects of tomorrow, a graduate education will help them develop What it Takes to use creative and innovative approaches to solve challenges in an evolving world.

Your gift in support of graduate education is an important investment in the future.

Donate on-line at: montana.edu/gradschool/give_now. To find out more about making a gift, contact The Graduate School: 406-994-5729

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Commitment to Native Student Success Historically, participation in higher education by Native Americans, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, has been much lower than all other ethnic groups. In general the hard sciences have not been as accessible for many indigenous students, who value learning that recognizes relationships and connections to the land and its people. Montana State University is a partner institution in two programs with a focus to increase the number of Native American students earning STEM graduate degrees.

The Montana University System Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership (SIGP) is a scholarship program supported by the A.P. Sloan Foundation. Since 2012 Native students in eligible STEM degree programs at MSU have benefited from Did you know... these competitive scholarships Indian Country Today named Montana State University to supplement their graduate one of the country’s best universities for Native students! research/teaching stipends.

Click here to read the news service article.

The SIGP program includes professional development and mentoring activities in support of students’ academic success.

Currently there are nine Sloan Scholars working toward either an M.S. or Ph.D. degree. It is expected that the increasing participants in the program will enable greater mentoring among the different sets of cohort in support of quality experiences and successful degree attainment. Currently there are nine Sloan Scholars working toward either an M.S. Current Sloan Scholars with Dr. Barbara Komlos.

or Ph.D. degree. It is expected that as the numbers increase the additional mentoring among the different sets of cohort will result in greater quality of the research experience and shorter time to successful degree attainment. Furthermore, a long-term goal is for alumni to contribute not only to their respective disciplines, but also to continue to broaden participation through their professional work and other contributions in their communities. (See montana.edu/gradschool/sigp/ for more information.)

The Pacific Northwest Circle of Success: Mentoring Opportunities in STEM (PNW-COSMOS) is an Alliance funded in 2014 by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate – Transformation (AGEP-T) program. The common goal of this Alliance is to increase the number of American Indian/Native Alaskan students who complete (STEM) graduate programs. There are four alliance institutions, Washington State University, University of Idaho, University of Montana, and Montana State University; and four partnering institutions, Heritage University, Montana Tech, Northwest Indian College, and Salish Kootenai College.

Together, the Alliance is creating, applying, and studying a model of culturally compatible recruitment and mentoring for American Indian/Native Alaskan to support their unique needs.

At MSU, co-PI Sweeney Windchief has developed the Indigenous Mentoring Program (IMP) for STEM faculty interested in providing culturally appropriate mentoring for Native graduate students. Presently, fifteen faculty, representing 44% of the STEM departments, are participating in the IMP pilot program.

This number includes faculty who are not currently advising STEM Native graduate students. It is anticipated that the IMP will benefit the mentor-student relationship, and contribute to students’ positive learning experiences and decrease their time to degree attainment.

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The Graduate School “By the Numbers�

In an effort to promote graduate education and student success, The Graduate School provides training and support to students as well as all faculty and staff. Graduate School staff aims to create an environment conductive to collaboration and teamwork. To achieve these goals, the following activities took place during the 2015-2016 academic year.

Professional development

Training

150

Number of Graduate Student Summit attendees

2

Just for Fun

1

Graduate School Open House for students, faculty & staff

1

Popcorn machines purchased

27

Number of Elevator Pitch Workshop attendees

1

Coffee Talks for administrators

Outreach

22

New faculty advising session

60/12

Graduate Student Recruitment Weekend: Number of students/ Number of departments

Number of CV/Resume Workshop attendees

1

DegreeWorks workshops for faculty & staff

2

New Student Orientations

2

Electronic thesis & dissertation workshops for students (in partnership with the library)

18/54

Community volunteer activities: Number of student volunteers/Number of hours at the Gallatin Valley Food Bank & the Community Cafe

2

CollegeNET trainings for faculty & staff

11

University Graduate Council meetings

20

Fall 2015 Enrollment

By College Business

Total graduate enrollment for Fall 2015 was 1,987 graduate students, which included 552 doctoral students, 1,109 master’s students and 326 certificate and non-degree students. The biggest increase in enrollment was in doctoral programs, up almost 5% from Fall 2014. Graduate certificates have also seen a significant increase in enrollment.

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Nursing

80

Arts & Architecture

93

Agriculture

195

Engineering

213

Education, Health & Human Development

413

The Graduate School

462

Letters & Science

499

By Degree Type Education Specialist Master of Nursing Doctor of Veterinary Medicine 1st Year

10

Master of Engineering

12

Professional Master

14

Master of Fine Arts Master of Arts

Number of students:

154

11

Number of countries:

47

42 47

Doctor of Education

69

Doctor of Nursing Practice

70

Master Certificate

International enrollment

1

Top 3 countries:

India, China, Canada

101 122

Master of Education

192

Non Degree

192

Doctor of Philosophy Master of Science

413 691

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Degrees Awarded 2015-2016 Academic Year

By College Nursing

18 22

Business

42

Arts & Architecture

53

Agriculture

59

Engineering

93

The Graduate School

136

Letters & Science

179

Education, Health & Human Development

By Degree Type Education Specialist

1

Doctor of Education

5

Master of Engineering

5

Total number of degrees awarded:

Professional Master

7

Doctor of Nursing Practice

8

Master of Nursing Master of Fine Arts Master of Arts Doctor of Philosophy Master Certificate Master of Education Master of Science

Degrees Awarded

602

Male / Female:

284 / 318

10 14

International students:

17

38

47 56 62 101

269

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Annual Giving The Graduate School recognizes the following alumni and friends who made donations in support of graduate education during the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Unrestricted Gifts to The Graduate School “Donations in support of graduate education are money spent for the good of human kind and have the ability to make a big difference in the world. Graduate students receiving support are those who are hard workers with a genuine enthusiasm for their work, and donations of any amount can have an impact on the student and the research they produce.” ~ Dorjderem “Dorj” Sukhragchaa, Fulbright Grant Recipient & Master’s Candidate, Land Rehabilitation

Mr. Gary & Mrs. Peggy Aasheim ~ Mr. David Adams ~ Mr. Roger & Mrs. Marcia Ala ~ Mr. Dale & Mrs. Heidi Alberda ~ Mrs. Audrey & Mr. Larry Ardison ~ Ms. Kelly Arnold ~ Mrs. Susan Asher ~ Mr. Merle & Mrs. Rose Marie Aus ~ Mr. John Bach Jr. ~ Dr. Graeme Baker ~ Mr. Charles Benson Jr. ~ Dr. Daniel & Mrs. Sherry Biggerstaff ~ Dr. Dean & Mrs. Sharon Branson ~ Ms. Angela Brennan ~ Ms. Patricia Britton ~ Mr. Joe Brookshier Jr. & Mrs. Tracey Brookshier ~ Mr. Herschel & Mrs. Patricia Buck ~ Mr. Thomas Buller ~ Mr. William & Mrs. Barbara Bunker ~ Ms. Sarah Burgard ~ Dr. Joseph & Mrs. Angela Burger ~ Dr. Anne Camper PhD & Mr. Randy Camper ~ Dr. Terri Cassidy ~ Cebulla Associates ~ Dr. Joan England & Dr. Chris Christensen ~ Mr. Lynn & Mrs. Eleanor Christian ~ Mr. Matthew Clay ~ Mr. Larry & Mrs. Nancy Cole ~ Dr. Willis Conover Jr. ~ Ms. Margaret Craft ~ Mr. Douglas & Mrs. Tina Craig ~ Mr. Richard Darsow ~ Dr. Patrick Davis & Ms. Suzanne Richards ~ Mr. Paul & Mrs. Mary Davis ~ Dr. Gordon & Mrs. Kathy Decker ~ Mr. Joseph DeLuca ~ Ms. Elizabeth & Mr. Kevin Dennehy ~ Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation ~ Mr. David Dewey ~ Mr. Jason Ditsworth ~ Mr. Erik Doran ~ Mr. Gajendra Dubal ~ Mr. Alan Dyer ~ Mrs. Carolyn & Mr. Charles Egan ~ Mr. Charles & Mrs. Carolyn Egan ~ Mr. James & Mrs. June Eldred ~ Mr. Ervin & Mrs. Norma Ely ~ Far East Industries, Inc. ~ Dr. Gregory Fox & Dr. Christine Fastnaught ~ Mr. Gary Fellows ~ Mrs. Maxine Ferguson ~ Mr. Gerald & Mrs. Linda Fisher ~ Mr. Richard French ~ Mr. Rajendrakumar Gandhi ~ Mr. Tim Germeraad ~ Ms. Stephanie Gibson ~ Mr. Patrick & Mrs. Julia Glancy ~ Ms. Candace Goodman ~ Dr. Rob Gregoire Jr. ~ Dr. David & Mrs. Kelley-Jean Griswold ~ Mr. Edward Handl & Mrs. Betty Handl RN ~ Mr. Robert Harney ~ Ms. Carol Harper & Mr. John Laird ~ Mr. Patrick & Mrs. Meagan Heinen ~ Mr. Michael & Ms. Amy Heppler ~ Mr. Tyler Hinshaw ~ Dr. Huddee Ho PhD & Mrs. Zhuoning Ho ~ Dr. Laura & Mr. John Holte ~ Mr. Michael Hudson ~ Mr. Donald & Mrs. Leslie Huffman ~ Mr. Jay Huller & Ms. Jean Hodges ~ Mrs. Laura & Mr. Eric Humberger ~ Ms. Sheila Johansen ~ Mr. Derrick & Mrs. Stephanie Johnson ~ Mr. Howard & Mrs. Janece Johnson ~ Mr. Jon & Mrs. Janet Johnson ~ Col. Patrick & Mrs. Noreen Johnson ~ Mr. Richard & Mrs. Paula Johnson ~ Mr. Rodney & Mrs. Lucy Johnson ~ Ms. Kaitlin Jones ~ Dr. Leonard & Mrs. Catherine Joppa ~ Mr. Albert Kalanick ~ Mr. Nam & Mrs. Hae Kim ~ Mr. John Kimble ~ Mrs. Kay & Mr. Terry Klepey ~ Dr. Kenneth & Mrs. Karen Kress ~ Ms. Judith Kuhl ~ Mr. Gerald & Mrs. Catherine Kuntz ~ Mrs. Esther Lantz ~ Mr. Jeffrey & Mrs. Tana Larson ~ Mr. Russel & Mrs. Susan Leland ~ Mr. Daniel & Mrs. Christine Long ~ Mr. David Maehl & Mrs. Meredith Maehl RN ~ Mr. Mark & Ms. Dawn Major ~ Mr. Logan Mannix ~ Dr. William Marchese ~ Ms. Sherrie Martin ~ Mr. Donald & Mrs. Brenda Mast ~ Mr. George & Mrs. Rosalie McCormick ~ Mr. Jonathan McIntyre ~ Mr. Clark McKee ~ Mr. Sean McKenzie ~ Mr. Allen McNeal ~ Ms. Amber McQuillan ~ Mrs. Carolyn Miller ~ Dr. Dennis Miller ~ Ms. Tonya Miller ~ Mr. Chris Monsour ~ Mr. Brad & Mrs. Sheri Moore ~ Ms. Mary Mulcaire-Jones ~ Mr. William & Mrs. Edna Munson ~ Mr. Ron Nash ~ National Philanthropic Trust ~ Mr. Mike & Mrs. Kristen Nelson ~ Dr. Cheryl & Rev. John Nilsen ~ Mr. Duane & Mrs. Linda Oberquell ~ Ms. Kayleen Offringa ~ Mr. Leo & Mrs. Bonnie Olson ~ Dr. Robert & Mrs. Jerryann Olson ~ Dr. Joel & Mrs. Carol Padmore ~ Mr. Ronald & Mrs. Nancy Paige ~ Dr. Arlene & Mr. Neil Parisot ~ Mr. Gail & Mrs. Jean Patton ~ Dr. Janine Pease ~ Mr. Richard Pedersen ~ Ms. Loween Peterson ~ Ms. Ingrid Pfau ~ Mr. Michael Pipp ~ Mrs. Roberta & Mr. John Prange ~ Ms. Helen Quarles ~ Ms. Jereen Rice ~ Mrs. Mary Jo & Mr. Dixon Rice ~ Dr. Bruce & Mrs. Peggie Riley ~ Rocky Mountain Engineers ~ Dr. Brad & Mrs. Mary Rogers ~ Mr. Dale & Mrs. Melanie Rowlison ~ Mr. Richard Ruff & Mrs. Mary Kleis ~ Mr. Chuck & Mrs. Janet Saxton ~ Mr. Timothy & Ms. Sandra Schwartz ~ Mr. William & Mrs. Cheryl Schwarzkoph ~ Mr. Daniel Schwendtner ~ Mr. Kevin & Ms. Francine Segrud ~ Mr. Wayne Shaw ~ Ms. Cassandra Shenk ~ Mr. Stephan & Mrs. Doris Sherick ~ Mr. Kenneth Siderius & Ms. Cathy Malarchick ~ Dr. Darryl Siemer ~ Mr. Michael & Mrs. Mary Ann Sierz ~ Mr. Darold Skerritt & Ms. Judith Lind ~ Mr. Robert & Mrs. Mary Jane Solberg ~ Mr. Gene & Mrs. Margaret Spangrude ~ Mr. David Spaulding & Mrs. Mollie Squires ~ Mr. Owen St Clair ~ Mr. Charles Stalnaker Jr. ~ Mr. Robert Stark ~ Mr. Phillip & Mrs. Susanne Stenberg ~ Dr. David Strah ~ Mr. John Sulgrove ~ Mr. Bob Sullivan ~ Mr. Fred Tadewaldt ~ Mrs. Donna & Mr. Thomas Tarantino ~ Mr. Stan Taylor ~ Mr. Mike & Ms. Becky Telling ~ Ms. Terry Thall & Mr. Jon Seaman ~ Ms. Audrey Thompson ~ Ms. Julie Tomich ~ Mr. David & Mrs. Mary Tonkovich ~ Ms. Emily Tutvedt ~ Mr. Andrew & Mrs. Mary Veis ~ Ms. Julie & Mr. Chad Walker ~ Mr. John Rausch & Ms. Annette Walstad ~ Ms. Nancy Walters ~ Ms. Ginger & Mr. Frank Warren ~ Mrs. Sue Warren RN & Mr. Edward Warren ~ Mrs. Christy & Mr. John Wasem ~ Mr. Richard Watkins Jr. & Mrs. Carolyn Watkins ~ Mr. Gary Wegher ~ Mr. Thomas Wellnitz ~ Mr. Bill Wertman ~ Mr. Robert & Mrs. Sandra Western ~ Mr. Stephen Wilcox ~ Mr. Randy Williams ~ Mr. Robert & Mrs. Glynis Williams ~ Dr. Robert & Mrs. Brenda Witters ~ Dr. Kay Wohlhuter ~ Dr. Grace Wood ~ Ms. Gretchen Woodhull ~ Ms. Yihan Xiong ~ Ms. Janette Young ~ Ms. Oliwia Zurek ~ Ms. Linda Zygmond

Gifts in Support of Graduate Education Through Colleges College of Agriculture: Bair Ranch Foundation ~ Bank of Baker ~ Dr. Charles & Ms. Annie Boyer ~ Mrs. Tanya & Dr. David Cameron ~ Cornwell Ranch ~ Mrs. Sharon Ditterline ~ Grande Ranch Co. ~ Lazy SR Ranch ~ Malesich Ranch Co ~ Dr. Wayne McProud ~ Mill Iron Ranch Co ~ Montana Stockgrowers Association, Inc. ~ Ross 8_7 Ranch, Inc. ~ Sieben Ranch Company.

College of Education, Health & Human Development: Dr. Lawrence & Ms. Vici Bice ~ Ms. Dallas Dallman ~ Ms. Sofie & Mr. Travis Garcelon ~ Dr. Patricia & Mr. Wendell Ingraham ~ Mrs. Kay & Mr. Terry Klepey ~ Mr. Robert Palmer ~ Dr. Lynda Ransdell ~ Mrs. Maggie & Mr. Ian Secrest. College of Engineering: Mr. Joel & Mrs. Linda Biederman ~ Mr. Steven Bugni ~ Mrs. Chandra & Mr. Jesse Covin ~ Dr. Alfred Cunningham PhD & Mrs. Brooke Cunningham ~ Ms. Janet Oppio ~ Dr. John Pierre ~ Mr. Raymond & Mrs. Erin Schultz . College of Letters & Sciences: Mr. George & Ms. Phyllis Belsey ~ Big Hole Lodge ~ Mr. Jay Boak ~ Ms. Glenda & Mr. Stan Bradshaw ~ Mrs. Marjorie Burgan ~ Mr. Page Dabney ~ GM Chart Carpentry ~ Dr. Rodney Hoxsey MD & Mrs. Claudia Hoxsey ~ Mr. Jeremiah & Mrs. Teri Lynch ~ Mr. Harold & Mrs. Marilyn Nash ~ Mr. George & Mrs. Laurie Palmer ~ Dr. Mac Peterson ~ Mrs. Patricia Schmechel ~ Mr. Gregory & Mrs. Monica Shouse ~ The Wildwood Foundation ~ Mrs. Marci & Mr. Brian Topel ~ Mr. KC & Mrs. Karen Walsh ~ Mrs. Faye Bergan & Mr. Jerry Wells ~ Mr. Jerry & Mrs. Debra Williams ~ Mr. Brant Oswald & Ms. Pauline Ziniker ~ College of Nursing: Dr. Nora & Mr. Thomas Gerrity

The donor list found above was provided by the Montana State University Alumni Foundation and includes all gifts received between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016. If there is an error or if your name has been omitted, please contact the Alumni Foundation at 800-457-1696.

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Montana Hall – Yesterday & Today The Graduate School make its home in Montana Hall, one of MSU’s most iconic landmarks and campus’ second oldest building. As with many 100+ year old buildings, Montana Hall has its own rumors, stories and traditions both old and new. For instance, legend has it that in 1920 agriculture students coaxed a cow up into the building’s cupola.

They discovered that cows can easily ascend stairs, but stubbornly refuse to descend. In order to get the cow down the stairs, the cupola was removed and Montana Hall went without a cupola until a new one was constructed for MSU’s centennial anniversary in 1993.

Fact or fiction? That’s up to you decide. Either way, The Graduate School enjoys its location in Montana Hall among university administration and steeped in MSU history. In December, Montana Hall became the focus a new tradition, “Lights on Montana Hall.” This celebration was designed to build a sense of community among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends during a dark and cold time of the year and will take place on the first Wednesday each December.

P.O. Box 172580 | Bozeman, MT 59717-2580 | 406-994-4145 | 800-255-7962 Visit us at: www.montana.edu/gradschool

Commitment to Graduate Education