ROCKY NOW Vol. 2 Issue 3
Fresh news every day at www.rocky.edu
March 2008
Rocky Now: Keeping our friends and supporters informed about what’s new and exciting at Rocky Mountain College
It’s all about our students Maria Schuster decided to do something about the residence hall decor where she lived. Students tak ing charge is part of the RMC tradition. Maria Schuster noticed when she first visited Rocky Mountain College that while the admissions office was inviting and attractive, the older residence halls were lacking in “vibrancy.” Accompanying her on the tour, her mom joked that maybe she PHOTO/IDEAWAVE could remodel Maria Schuster loved Prescott Hall them someday. when she first came for a campus visit, That someday but the lounges in the residence halls came when Maria were another matter. moved into Anderson Hall. She and her roommate, Nizhoni Robinson, sat in the rarely-inhabited lounge and imagined how it could embody the college’s sense of community. Maria presented a plan to the student senate to do a makeover of the lounge. The student senate provided $1,500. That amount wouldn’t go far, she knew, but it was a beginning. Recruiting other student volunteers and donations, she organized a repainting and refurbishing that transformed the lounge into a warm, colorful and inviting space. Soon it was full of people -studying, playing games, and having birthday parties. That success resulted in a demand to refurbish the larger Anderson/Widenhouse connecting lounge. The makeover was more exhaustive, including building a new fire place. It took five months, but it was open in time for school to begin. “When I think back to these projects I still cannot believe that I was able to complete them with my limited time, skill and resources, but this was exactly the spirit that drew me to Rocky,” she said.
Cliff Robertson! Famed actor, philanthropist and aviator will deliver RMC Commencement address Famous for his Hollywood film roles, for his principled stand against tinsel town corruption, for his charitable work around the world, and for his lifelong devotion to aviation, Cliff Robertson will address graduates at the 131st Rocky Mountain College Commencement, Saturday, May 3, 2008. “We are delighted that Mr. Robertson will honor us with his presence at Rocky Mountain College,” said RMC President Michael Mace. “We’re very excited to have such a renowned actor, philanthropist and aviator as our guest.” Mr. Robertson will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. RMC plans a film festival of Cliff Robertson films prior to his arrival in Montana. Mr. Robertson will be a guest of Cliff Robertson is the only actor to honor at the annual RMC President’s have won an Academy Award Dinner, scheduled for Friday, May 2, (film), an Emmy (TV), and a 2008. Theater World Award (stage) for best actor in the same year. “He has really taken an interest in Rocky and Montana. He requested that one of our student pilots take him for a spin in one of our aircraft so he can see the surrounding countryside,” said RMC Director of Development Shari VanDelinder. Known to the younger generation for his role as Uncle Ben in all three Spiderman movies, Mr. Robertson first became famous for playing John F. Kennedy in “PT 109,” a role President Kennedy wanted him to play. He won an Oscar for the blockbuster hit, “Charly.” He is the only actor to have won the Emmy Award (television), the Academy Award (film) and the Theater World Award (stage) for best actor in the same year. He supplemented his big screen work with roles on television, including the lead male role in the original prize-winning “Days of Wine and Roses” on Playhouse 90. He gave one of his finest performances in Gore Vidal’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Best Man,” opposite Henry Fonda. In film, he starred in the outstanding “633 Squadron;” in the “Devil’s Brigade,” opposite William Holden; and as a modern-day “Mosca,” opposite Rex Harrison in Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s updated version of Jonson’s “Volpone, The Honey Pot.” He then starred in “Too Late The Hero” opposite Michael Caine, “The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid” opposite Robert Duval, “Three Days of the Condor” opposite Robert Redford, and “Obsession” (For more on Robertson, please turn page)
Robertson: Known for his charitable work and love of flying (Continued from front page) with Geneviève Bujold. He also starred in, directed and wrote the acclaimed rodeo drama “J.W. Coop,” and directed and starred in “The Pilot.” After blowing the whistle on a check forgery scheme by Hollywood executives, he was blacklisted for a time by major studios. He is known for his honesty and integrity. For 10 years he was a spokesman for AT&T, which won him an Advertising Award for best commercial, but when he was chosen to be the keynote speaker at an AT&T stockholders’
Mr. Robertson devotes time to 50 national charities from United Way to Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. meeting during an AT&T workers’ strike, he refused to cross the picket line to deliver his speech. Mr. Robertson’s philanthropy extends from flying medical relief missions to Nigeria to flying famine relief missions to Ethiopia. He devotes time to 50 national charities from United Way to Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
Mr. Robertson is a licensed commercial pilot. He maintains and flies a stable of classic vintage aircraft, as well as his record-setting glider. He has won many aviation honors, including the Experimental Aircraft Association Award, the Soaring Society of America Award, and the A.O.P.A. William Sharples Award for Rescue Flying in Africa. He was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006 and he was founder of the EEA’s Young Eagles program, a campaign designed to educate young people through aviationbased activities.
Campus beautification continues: Removing aged trees, planting new ones As old and diseased trees that needed to be Steiner said. removed from the Rocky Mountain College The tree removal resulted from a complete campus were being felled, a major fund drive to assessment of campus landscaping and buildings raise money to plant new trees was already funded by a grant from the Getty Foundation. A underway. RMC staff, faculty, alumni and local arborist, Mike Garvey of Garvey’s Urban friends began pledging money for new trees in Forest, was hired to assess the health of RMC's response to the removal immediately. tree inventory. About two dozen diseased trees on the cam“The trees, grassy expanses and views of the pus of Rocky Mountain College are being felled Beartooth Mountains in the distance bring walkto eliminate a safety hazard, according to Terry ers from surrounding neighborhoods for theraSteiner, RMC director of facility services. peutic strolls,” an article in The Billings Gazette The trees, between 70-80 years old have outstated. The trees give the campus a “value lived their 40-year life span, and pose a hazard. beyond money,” Garvey told The Gazette, notThe trees suffer from age and disease, which is ing “They make people feel good.” why they cannot be recycled. They will be New and more trees will be planted to PHOTO/DAVE M. SHUMWAY removed to landfills. replace those removed. The new trees will be High above ground, a tree trimmer works to cut “As anyone who has visited our campus can branches before the main trunk is felled during more durable and longer living species. Linden attest, it truly is a beautifully landscaped cam- removal of aged and diseased trees on campus. is one because of its wonderful perfume when it pus, which is why we want to improve and A fund drive is underway to raise money to plant blooms in the spring. Other species that will be enhance it,” said RMC President Michael planted are ash, and a variety of maple and new trees. Mace. spruce trees. RMC has 627 trees on its 60-acre campus so the trees designated for Anyone wanting to contribute to the tree planting project may contact removal represent a small percentage. Shari VanDelinder, RMC director of development, 406-657-1173 or “We're not doing it because we want to, but because we have to,” email vandelis@rocky.edu.
Beloved by RMC community, Clara Klindt mourned The Rocky Mountain College community mourns the passing of Clara (Gore) Klindt, who died of natural causes on March 2, 2008. With the RMC family joining her, she celebrated her 100th birthday on Aug. 10, 2007. Clara was married to RMC’s legendary coach, Herbert J. Klindt, for 65 years. She was a great advocate of Herb during his coaching and teaching years. Clara loved all sports and outdoor events. She befriended countless RMC students and was a surrogate mom to many. Memorials should be sent to the RMC Klindt Athletic Scholarship Trust, c/o Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., 993 S. 24th St. W., Suite D, Billings, MT 59102-7433.
Rocky Mountain College
1511 Poly Drive ■ Billings, Montana 59102 Ph: 1.800.877.6259 Find out more about what’s new and exciting at Rocky online at: ■
www.rocky.edu