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Issue 6
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Keeping our friends and supporters informed about what’s new and exciting at Rocky Mountain College
A ‘MAJOR’ DEAL ALL ABO UT T H E S T U D EN TS
Photo: James Woodcock, Billings Gazette
Cameron Sapp cradles an osprey during his summer work with RMC’s Yellowstone River Research Center.
When Cameron Sapp cradled an osprey in his arms so that a blood sample could be drawn to test for mercury, he remembered how he grew up not really liking birds, but “I’ve never been one to like anything until I experience it on my own.” The day he held the osprey he realized not only did he now like birds, but this was the highlight of his college year, “possibly of my college experience.” Sapp took advantage of an opportunity to join RMC’s Yellowstone River Research Center in the osprey study, a way to determine not only the health of the raptors, but of the river as well. “I consider this osprey research project to be my most significant achievement while at Rocky Mountain College. To be a research assistant on a project of this magnitude as an undergrad is a major deal in my opinion,” he said. Majoring in environmental science-ecology option and environmental management & policy, he has been inspired by his professors. “Kayhan Ostovar, Lucas Ward and Jennifer Lyman (professors in environmental Continued on back page
Cliff Edwards accepted the Rocky Mountain College Philanthropist of the Year Award on behalf of the Edwards family.
A FAMILY’S PHILANTHROPY Citing “service and generosity that have enriched our College beyond measure,” RMC President Michael Mace, bestowed this year’s Philanthropy of the Year Award on the Cliff Edwards family during a reception August 29, in the Great Room of Prescott Hall. President Mace said that he learned in business “that one does much when he does a thing well. He then thrives when he serves the common good first, rather
than his own interests. The Edwards family practices this principal daily.” The award recognized a significant gift from the Edwards family. In 2011, the Edwards family contributed $650,000 to RMC via a property exchange that provided RMC with a permanent home for its aircraft and flight operations at Edwards Jet Center near Billings International Airport. The Edwards Law Office secured a site to build a new office building at Poly Continued on back page
ROC K Y NOW
Keeping our friends and supporters informed about what’s new and exciting at Rocky Mountain College
NEW VENTURES JUST AROUND THE RIVER’S BEND INS ID E R
BY M I C H A E L R . M AC E -
President
Have you ever noticed how a river tells a story? Was that sand bar there last year. Did the river really cut into the bank in high spring river rush to wash away those trees? That eddy wasn’t there last year. I recently flew into the Flathead Valley. As the plane was beginning its approach I looked down at the Flathead River and noticed how in the course of the millennial history of this waterway how the river had cut through its old age wide bends in the
into new water. Both would discover what’s around the bend for them. And, for us, it’s new petroleum geology degree, giving our always a joyous time to celebrate the newhard sconces a new turn. ness that a fall semester brings. Hitting our goal of 350 new freshmen, Each year there is something new for we’re excited about helping them discover us just around the bend, too. This year we and explore what’s around the next bend welcome five new faculty members. They in life for them. Already the newcomers to include Ann Adair, assistant professor of the RMC family have demonstrated they business (BS, MS, Colorado State Universiunderstand the importance of leadership ty, Ph.D, Texas A&M University); Kathleen and service to the community as an integral Erin, assistant professor of business adminpart of their educational experience. Before istration and accounthe first day of classes, they volunteered, tancy (BA, University on a Saturday no less, to help out at several of California; MBA, San organizations, including Boys & Girls Club, Jose State University); Zoomontana, Montana Rescue Mission, Samuel Gross, assistant Billings Food Bank, Family Service, Inc., professor of mathematand Audubon Society. Their service, widely ics (BS, Kent State Unicovered by the media, earned a “thumbs versity. Ph.D, University up” from the Billings Gazette on its editoof South Carolina); Amrial page. brin Masood, assistant Just like the Flathead River, Rocky professor of Mountain College is always growing, just psychology (BS, Univeraround the river’s bend. sity of the Punjab. MS, University of South Alabama. Ph.D, Auburn Before classes began for the freshmen at RMC, they were using their Saturday to provide University); Josh Mccommunity service in Billings, exemplifying what RMC hopes to inspire in a college educational Dowell, assistant profesexperience that will carry over after graduation. sor of aviation BS, Rocky Mountain College; and river. Large oxbows, some now just mere Jason Stoke, assistant professor of physics slews during high water, had created hun(BS, Colorado State University. MA, dreds of curves and turns along the river’s University of Toledo. Ph.D, Colorado path, hiding what was ahead. School of Mines). Julie Seedhouse is the new Rev. Kim Woeste is the new Earlier that morning, I spoke at the We also welcome Julie Seedhouse . RMC vice president for RMC chaplain. advancement. RMC White Coat Ceremony, celebrating who joins the president’s cabinet as our vice the graduation day of our Physician Aspresident of Advancesistant graduates, truly a time of rejoicing ment. for the completion of a difficult course of Another noteworthy study and on to a career in medicine. That addition to our staff is Rev. same day, we had our incoming freshman Kim Woeste, who is our class on campus. new chaplain, filling the As we were coming in on final apposition vacated by the proach I was reflecting upon how these death of Rev. Kim Foster. two classes -- the PA class of 2012 and the After seven loyal RMC class of 2016 -- shared a similarity years as RMC’s CFO with that river I had just flown over. Carol Jensen will enjoy a We all go through life never stepping new bend in her river of in the same water twice. For our freshlife as she announced her man and for our PA’s their lives we’re just retirement in October. around the river’s bend. Both were startWe are in the planAlways a time for hugs, Shanna Olson is congratulated by her grandmother at the ing something new. Both were stepping ning stages of offering a White Coat ceremony.
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ALUMNI SUMMER LABORERS: RMC’S DYNAMIC DUO F O CUS O N A LUM NI
They’ve been coming back to work at Rocky Mountain College every summer since they graduated. The connection to the college where they earned their degrees is part of the motivation, said Matt Rockeman. Pitching in to help their former boss, Terry Steiner, RMC director of facility services, is another factor, said John Goodheart. “It sure isn’t for the pay,” Goodheart joked. Steiner said whatever it is that brings them back, he’s glad to see them. “Those two usually wind up with the dirtiest, toughest jobs,” he said. “These are the guys that built ‘The Wall’.” The Wall, stretching about 120 feet south of Loseamp, is constructed with 80-pound blocks. It was back breaking labor during the hottest days of summer. Goodheart and Rockeman were also the main labor for the irrigation system where the Ralston Cabin was located, north of Prescott. “They dug the trenches, laid the pipe, seeded it, basically did all the landscaping,” Steiner said. “It was heavy, hot, dirty work.” Rockeman is more used to the work than Goodheart. While both served as work study students for Steiner when they were students, Rockeman returned to a full time job after graduation. “I graduated in 2006 with a degree in physical education, went to Harlowton where I taught and coached for two years, and then returned to get a degree in English, so I wound up working for Terry from 2008-2011,” Rockeman said. Rockeman is now a full-time teacher in Park City. Goodheart worked summers for Steiner from 1999 until he graduated in 2003. He landed a job teaching music in Absarokee until 2007 when he was offered a music teaching position with Billings SD 2. This summer the dynamic duo is muscling down a wall, ripping out old shelving, and building new offices inside Aviation Hall where the St. John’s Catholic Day Care Center was located. 3
“This is exciting to have the whole building for aviation,” Steiner said. “Matt and John will again be doing the tough jobs to help that happen.” Next summer? It’s likely the two will return again, like the swallows to Capistrano, only they’ll be wearing tool
belts and slinging sledge hammers, not flitting around the cool pools and shaded cliffs of the legendary California mission. “I look around and try to see what big grungy jobs there are and figure that’s what Terry will give us,” Rockeman laughed.
Terry Steiner, RMC facility services director, John Goodheart and Matt Rockeman laughingly consider how to handle day care wall graphics in Aviation Hall. Since the St. John Day Care vacated, the entire building is being renovated with new classrooms and offices for the aviation program.
COMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER 14-16 The Rocky Mountain College Debate Team will host a British Parliamentary workshop and debate scrimmage on campus. For more information, contact Shelby Jo Long-Hammond, Rocky Mountain College director of forensics and assistant professor of communication, (406) 657-1054 / longsj@rocky.edu. SEPTEMBER 21 Rocky Mountain College President Michael Mace and the RMC Board of Trustees host the first annual RMC Board Emeriti Dinner. The RMC Board Emeriti is composed of distinguished former and current board members. This dinner hon-
ors all RMC board members. The dinner is at 5:30 p.m., in the Great Room of Prescott Hall. For more information: Vicki Davison, advancement director, (406) 657-1005 / vicki.davison@rocky.edu. SEPTEMBER 22 RMC Homecoming Game: Battlin’ Bears play Montana Tech, 1 p.m., Herb Klindt Field. Tailgate begins at 11 a.m. For more information: Robert Beers, RMC athletic director, (406) 657-1124 / robert. beers@rocky.edu. NOVEMBER 2 RMC’s 25th anniversary of Black Tie Blue Jeans Scholarship Benefit will be held
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SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CALLING: RMC PROF HAD ANSWERS FOCU S O N FACULTY
Why would the most popular sports magazine in the U.S. -- Sports Illustrated -- interview a Montana college professor about a Russian Olympian with the record for Olympic medals? The answer is simple for a reporter seeking someone who knows something about Soviet history, especially Soviet politics and sports. Dr. Jenifer Parks, Rocky Mountain College assistant professor of history, often pops up in Google searches for someone with extensive knowledge about sports in the Soviet Union, having published a book chapter on the Soviet entrance into the Olympic Games in 1952. Currently Dr. Parks is preparing a book that will follow the USSR’s Olympic bureaucrats from 1952 through the 1980 Summer Olympic Games held in Moscow, Russia. The Sports Illustrated cover story focused on U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps likely breaking Russian Larisa Latynina’s longstanding record. Latynina achieved her recrod during three Olympic Games 48 years ago, accumulating 19 medals, nine of them gold. “Another historian of Soviet sports at the University of Californina, San Diego, actually referred the reporter to me, I never expected to appear in an SI article. Appar-
at the Billings Hotel & Convention Center, featuring silent and live auctions , gourmet dinner, and music by the Midlife Chryslers. This year Honorary Chairs are Chris and John Dorr. Cocktails and silent auction, 5:30 p.m.; Dinner & live auction, 7 p.m. For more information: Vicki Davison, advancement director, (406) 657-1005 / vicki.davison@rocky.edu. NOVEMBER 2-3 RMC Parents Weekend. For more information: Office of Parent Relations at parents@rocky.edu / (406} 657.1007.
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ently there aren’t many people familiar with sadors. They were supposed to behave Latynina, so it was really flattering to be themselves. Be pleasant. Be approachable. consulted,” Dr. Parks said. She was great at that. She was pretty, softLaytnina, now 77, is little known although spoken. She was kind.” she was the most highly decorated OlymLatynina never got into trouble. Or if pian of all time until Phelps eclipsed her she did, it wasn’t much written about. record during the Olympic Games in London this summer. To put Laytnina’s accomplishments in context, Dr. Parks provided background on Soviet sports during the Stalin and post-Stalin era. “The Soviet Union was going through a transition,” Parks told Sports Illustrated. “[Joseph] Stalin died in 1952, and during Stalin’s lifetime, really the whole emphasis was we just Jenifer Parks admires the scenery in Seina, in Tuscany, Italy. (Photo: Courtesy) have to win so we can show how dominating we are. After Stalin’s death, however, and “There were ways they kept their ath[Nikita] Khrushchev came to power, still letes in line,” Parks told SI. “All of their they were supposed to win of course -- and international trips would have a KGB agent they did most of the time -- but there was of some sort keeping an eye on things.” more emphasis of using athletes as ambasParks remembered one story from a Russian reference book in her research. On a trip abroad, gymnasts appeared to go missing, raising fears they had gone out to a bar or found mischief. They were eventually spotted riding up and down an elevator, having never seen one before. Dr. Parks came to RMC in Fall of 2009 after finishing her Ph.D. in Russian and Soviet History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She enjoys teaching a wide variety of European and world history courses, including the world civilization survey covering ancient, medieval, and modern societies in every region of the globe. Her favorite subjects include medieval Europe, European imperialism, the post-colonial developing world, and Russian history. Her primary research focus is on sport and politics in the Soviet Union. John and Chris Dorr are the 2012 Black Tie Blue Jeans Michael Phelps shattered the record, Honorary Chairs. This will be the 25th anniversary for winning a total of 19 medals during his the scholarship benefit. Olympic career.
ALL UPHILL: RMC ALUM WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS FOCU S O N A LUM N I
For a good part of the summer it’s an uphill battle for Corey Erhardt. He’s one of a number of motorcyclists who attack steep vertical terrain to see if they can get to the top of formidable hills. When Erhardt muscled his 220 pound motorcycle through the spongy dirt at the Great American Hill Climb and pounced to the top, he won the second major hill climbing event of the summer. Erhardt, a 2004 Rocky Mountain College graduate, is accustomed to reaching the top of the hill first and fastest. Erhardt scored a win at the Big Sky Challenge in May in the first of the Rockwell Professional Hillclimb Series and then took top honors at the Great American Hillclimb in July. “He’s just fast,” promoter Bob Spadt told The Billings Gazette. He’s also nimble, according to other hillclimb experts, and you have to be both, able to maintain balance and direction as the bike tries to buck you off in the thick churned up muck that makes hillclimbs exciting. Experience also plays a big role. “I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was four years old,” Erhardt, 30, said. “My parents both rode motorcycles and four wheelers so we would go camping a lot when I was young.” When winter comes, Erhardt takes on the exact opposite challenge. Then it’s all downhill. He’s an avid snowboarder. The sport of hill climbing is unusual. There are not many opportunities to practice. You cannot simply find a hill and make practice runs to perfect your technique. “The hill we ran this past weekend is closed all year and only gets ridden once a year for the hillclimb.” he said. “We do not get any practice on the hills we ride for competition. A rider gets two attempts and that is it.” Some hills just do not get many riders over the top so it’s exhilarating when you accelerate and ram up and over. Erhardt has enjoyed that acceleration and exhilaration more than most. He has consistently scored hillclimb victories. He was ranked number one in 450 Exhibition in 5
Photo: Bob Zellar, Billings Gazette
Corey Erhardt triumphs at the Great American Hill Climb, claiming the title as he crested the hill.
2009; fifth in 450 Exhibition in 2011; and third in 700 Exhibition and fifth in Open Exhibition in 2011. “It’s a great hobby,” he said, “but, no, you don’t earn enough to quit your day job.” He wouldn’t want to anyway. For the past four years Erhardt has been lab supervisor and chemist for CHS, Inc. “It’s a great job,” he said. Erhardt oversees testing and certifying fuels for the refinery located in Laurel. The job was made possible by majoring in chemistry and biology at RMC. The Billings West grad said he considered Carroll College and RMC, but made the right choice for him by choosing RMC. “I fit. There were a lot of good people at Rocky. Claire (Dr. Claire Oakley) and Cristi (Dr. Cristi Hunnes) were certainly memorable,” he said. Erhardt “was a very nice young man,” Dr. Oakley remembers.
His favorable experience at RMC was improved when he met his fiancée, Tina Ayers. Corey and Tina were introduced after Corey’s mom met Tina while watching Corey at a hillclimbing event. “Yeah, she kind of fixed us up,” Erhardt smiled. Tina, a biology major, graduated in 2011; they will be married in February. Erhardt pitches in to help his alma mater, according to Dr. Gavin Kirton, RMC assistant professor, chemistry. He donated a lot of glassware to the chemistry department, including a lot of pipettes and burettes (the more valuable) as well as beakers, flasks, and cylinders. This was from his lab at the refinery, destined for the dumpster,” Kirton mentioned. “I think if you’re an alumnus you do what you can,” Erhardt said.
RO CKY NOW
A ‘MAJOR’ DEAL
R O C K Y. E D U
EDWARDS FAMILY
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studies) have all, hands down, had a major impact on my college experience. I would not be where I am today without their guidance and expertise,” he noted. The day with the ospreys was the culmination of a project he had worked on for nearly a year. “I would have to say that the best opportunities RMC offers are real life experiences. Some of my classes have never moved beyond the hypothetical. Others have allowed me to actually get out into the real world. Through the environmental science department I have done things from range inventories in the Pryor Mountains to bobcat surveys near Molt, Montana. I firmly believe that the hands-on experience I received is invaluable,” he said. Restani, a St. Cloud University professor who spends summers in Red Lodge, is also a master bird bander, so Sapp learned from one of the experts in handling wild birds. “I held an osprey chick while he drew blood and banded it. How cool is that?” he said. “This is huge for me.” The blood is analyzed to see if it contains mercury from a diet of local fish the chicks’ parents bring to them to eat. Sapp checked 62 nests along the Yellowstone. The study, from Gardiner to Forsyth, is designed to see if any have high levels of mercury, which can disrupt reproduction and young birds’ health. Participating in the osprey project is one of the reasons Sapp chose RMC:
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Small class size with the chance to interact closely with professors. “I didn’t want to go to a school where the professor may ever even know my name. At Rocky, professors I had for one semester my freshman year still remember my name now even after my fourth year,” he said. With plans to graduate this December, Sapp plans on graduate school with a desire to become a wildlife biologist. His advice to other students is simple. “Take advantage of every opportunity you see, and if you don’t see one, make one,” he said. While at Rocky there is a short window to draw on the experience and knowledge of professors, he noted. “I say short window because I feel like I was just graduating high school and now I’m almost done. I have the extreme pleasure of being able to wake up excited to go to class. I don’t ever want to wake up and not be excited to go to work or school.”
PHOTOS
Credit
Photographs appearing in Rocky Now are by Dave M. Shumway, RMC staff photographer and web content manager.
and 17th. But it was not only that gift that inspired presenting the award to the family. President Mace said Cliff and Susan Edwards, Chris and Kelly Edwards, and John and Hollis Edwards are being honored “not only for the family’s generous financial contributions, but also because of their delightful presence and support of RMC’s functions over many years.” Locating close to the RMC campus made the Edwards family “very happy,” Cliff Edwards said. “We feel like we are literally part of the RMC campus which makes it more special to us,” he said. Cliff Edwards said his family has always had a high regard for the college because of close contact with students who have worked at Edwards Jet. “For more than 11 years, we’ve appreciated the level of professionalism of the Rocky students who have worked for us. They’ve been integral to our work force and they’re simply excellent,” Edwards said. Edwards also praised the equestrian program, where his daughter-in-law Hollis has been integral to the therapeutic riding program. Acknowledging that, while he graduated from Carroll College where he served two terms on the board, he “admired the magnificent work done to ensure Rocky Mountain College is one of the nation’s best small liberal arts colleges.”
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