ROCKY NOW Vol. 1 Issue 6
Fresh news every day at www.rocky.edu
November 2007
Rocky Now: Keeping our friends and supporters informed about what’s new and exciting at Rocky Mountain College
It’s all about our students When a highly-regarded RMC professor recommends a student, you know that stu dent is worthy of recognition and support.
Again, a record! 20th Scholarship Benefit nets $400,000
I
PHOTO/BOB ZELLAR, BILLINGS GAZETTE
Nicole Ruske, as Rosalind Hay, listens to Jayme Green, portraying Paul, in the RMC Theatre production of the comic farce, “Moon Over Buffalo.”
This month’s featured student comes highly recommended by one of the College’s most demanding professors. On the occasion of the RMC Theatre production of “Moon Over Buffalo,” which received a rave review from The Billings Gazette, Dr. Claire Oakley noted one of the cast members, Nicole Ruske, is not only a theatre major. Nicole is a triple major, with her other two majors being biology and chemistry. Her role in “Moon” is her junior/senior theatre project. Nicole is applying to both medical school and Ph.D programs, so she could be both a researcher and clinician, which, Dr. Oakley notes would be “the crème de la crème de la crème.” Can she do it? “I have no doubts she will pull it off,” Dr. Oakley said.
t might seem like an old story if it wasn’t such a good story. For the third consecutive year, Rocky Mountain College’s Black Tie Blue Jeans event, held Nov. 2, surpassed its previous record for raising money. Last year's scholarship benefit raised $250,000, which topped the 2005 record of $200,000. This year the total net proceeds was in excess of $400,000. “It was a phenomenal PHOTO/DAVE SHUMWAY, RMC evening. Once again, peoRMC President Michael Mace and Wendy’s of Montana ple affirmed the impor- Chairman Sam E. McDonald, Jr., greet Patricia Morledge at tance of a Rocky Mountain the 20th anniversary of the College’s scholarship benefit, College education by sup- Black Tie Blue Jeans. porting our students,” said RMC President Michael president; his daughter, Deborah; his Mace. son, Gregory, who is president and CEO; President Mace said the event was sold and his wife, Eileen, are all involved in out, with a new record amount raised charitable pursuits. The family estabfrom ticket sales and table sponsorship, lished the Wendy’s Foundation, for as well as from the silent and live auc- which Deborah serves as executive tions. The auction sales raised more than director. $125,000. The evening's entertainment was proThe Dollars for Scholars part of the vided by the Midlife Chryslers, which evening also set a record, raising donated their fee to scholarships. The $158,915, said Shari VanDelinder, RMC dance floor was packed the entire time Director of Development. they played, and ovations kept them This was the 20th anniversary of the coming back to play more, VanDelinder event, which was held at the Billings said. The crowd reacted so favorably to Hotel and Convention Center. This year their performance they are already the RMC Lifetime Achievement Award booked for next year's BTBJ. went to Judith C. and Sam E. McDonald, “I always hope we'll do better each Jr. Best known as chairman of the board year, but I never dreamed we could do 60 of Wendy’s of Montana, Sam E. percent better than last year, ” McDonald, Jr., is the patriarch of a fam- VanDelinder said. “I think it's an indicaily that has shared its success with tion of how good our students are, and exceptional contributions to Billings and how much people want to help them get Montana. Sam's wife, Judith, who is vice their college education.”
Crow Tribe honors scholarship donors with bison hunt
When Larry Pretty Weasel came to hunt a bull bison on the Crow Rocky Mountain College, he was Reservation. The offer is a gift few already a basketball legend. His high receive, and Sovey, an RMC board school exploits had received national member who hunts, was honored to attention, with articles in The accept. Nelson is not a hunter, but he National Sporting News and the wanted to join the expedition. Rocky Mountain News. “This is an extraordinary experience,” But, more than his athletic prowess, Nelson said. it was his humility and sportsmanship For Sovey, the reward was harvesting that earned him two lifelong friends a bull bison, in the process helping the at RMC. That friendship was rekinCrow cull their herd and supplying dled when RMC Homecoming 2006 meat to the Billings Food Bank. reunited him with Ron Sovey and Crow Tribal Chair Carl Venne greeted Ron Nelson. the hunters and accompanied the huntSovey and Nelson, retired execuing party over red mud roads, assisting PHOTO/DAN BURKHART, RMC to unplug the trucks when they got tives with John Deere and Nike, respectively, were inspired to create a Welcoming Ron Nelson (back row, fifth from the left) and Ron mired in deep gumbo, and later in deep Sovey (front, far right) to Crow Tribal lands for a bison hunt scholarship for their friend and forsnow, over mountain tops, and to the were Larry Pretty Weasel (kneeling) and Crow Tribal Chairman mer classmate. To help American Crow “pasture” where the herd grazes. Carl Venne (back row, sixth from left). Guiding and helping with Indian students with scholarships to the hunt were Dexter Falls Down, R. C. Old Coyote, Tom “This is one way we can show our RMC, they created the Larry Pretty appreciation for what they've done to Carpenter, David Old Bear, Loren Old Bear, Eugene Bird In Ground, Sr., and Eugene Bird In Ground, Jr. Bob FitzGerald, Weasel Scholarship Endowment. help our young people,” Venne said of RMC director of major gifts (back row, far right), helped put Fast forward a year, with RMC Sovey and Nelson. together the Pretty Weasel Scholarship Endowment. Homecoming 2007 approaching. For Sovey and Nelson, it was a onceLarry Pretty Weasel contacted Bob FitzGerald, RMC director of in-a-lifetime experience. major gifts. To thank his two RMC friends, the Crow Tribe would “This will be one of the most memorable days in my life,” Sovey like to know if either one or both of his old friends would like to remarked.
Famed impressionist painting now adorns Prescott Hall People visiting Prescott Hall will now enjoy a beautiful oil painting by one of America’s famous post-Impressionist artists, Gifford Beal. The large 36” X 40” canvas, titled “Stream and Snow,” was painted by Beal in 1916. Museums with collections of Beal’s highly-prized work include the Metropolitan Museum of New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., the Phillips Collection, also in Washington, D.C., as well as famous regional museums, like the Maier Art Museum in Virginia and the Terra Foundation of the Arts in Chicago. Art galleries in Denver, Sante Fe, New York and Philadelphia also possess Beal’s work. Richard Goff, the grandson of Mr. Beal, and a former Rocky Mountain College Board Trustee, and RMC National Advisory
PHOTO/DAVE SHUMWAY, RMC
Obert Undem, RMC director of planned giving, stands next to the large canvas painted in 1916 by Gifford Beal, titled “Stream and Snow,” which was a gift to the College from Richard and Mary Claire Goff. The painting resides in Prescott Hall.
Rocky Mountain College
Council member, made the gift possible. Mr. Goff, and his wife, Mary Claire, have been long time friends and ardent benefactors of the College. Their son, Jon, graduated from RMC in 1993. Mr. Beal (1879-1956) was the brother of Reynolds Beal (1867-1951), another accomplished American artist whose work is included in collections of many of the same museums as Gifford Beal. “This is an extraordinary gift by one of this country’s best known 20th century artists whose work is critically acclaimed and widely admired,” said Obert Undem, RMC director of planned giving. “It truly is a treasure and we are fortunate to be able to have it and share it with people visiting Prescott Hall.”
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
Crow Tribe honors scholarship donors with bison hunt
When Larry Pretty Weasel came to hunt a bull bison on the Crow Rocky Mountain College, he was Reservation. The offer is a gift few already a basketball legend. His high receive, and Sovey, an RMC board school exploits had received national member who hunts, was honored to attention, with articles in The accept. Nelson is not a hunter, but he National Sporting News and the wanted to join the expedition. Rocky Mountain News. “This is an extraordinary experience,” But, more than his athletic prowess, Nelson said. it was his humility and sportsmanship For Sovey, the reward was harvesting that earned him two lifelong friends a bull bison, in the process helping the at RMC. That friendship was rekinCrow cull their herd and supplying dled when RMC Homecoming 2006 meat to the Billings Food Bank. reunited him with Ron Sovey and Crow Tribal Chair Carl Venne greeted Ron Nelson. the hunters and accompanied the huntSovey and Nelson, retired execuing party over red mud roads, assisting PHOTO/DAN BURKHART, RMC to unplug the trucks when they got tives with John Deere and Nike, respectively, were inspired to create a Welcoming Ron Nelson (back row, fifth from the left) and Ron mired in deep gumbo, and later in deep Sovey (front, far right) to Crow Tribal lands for a bison hunt scholarship for their friend and forsnow, over mountain tops, and to the were Larry Pretty Weasel (kneeling) and Crow Tribal Chairman mer classmate. To help American Crow “pasture” where the herd grazes. Carl Venne (back row, sixth from left). Guiding and helping with Indian students with scholarships to the hunt were Dexter Falls Down, R. C. Old Coyote, Tom “This is one way we can show our RMC, they created the Larry Pretty appreciation for what they've done to Carpenter, David Old Bear, Loren Old Bear, Eugene Bird In Ground, Sr., and Eugene Bird In Ground, Jr. Bob FitzGerald, Weasel Scholarship Endowment. help our young people,” Venne said of RMC director of major gifts (back row, far right), helped put Fast forward a year, with RMC Sovey and Nelson. together the Pretty Weasel Scholarship Endowment. Homecoming 2007 approaching. For Sovey and Nelson, it was a onceLarry Pretty Weasel contacted Bob FitzGerald, RMC director of in-a-lifetime experience. major gifts. To thank his two RMC friends, the Crow Tribe would “This will be one of the most memorable days in my life,” Sovey like to know if either one or both of his old friends would like to remarked.
Famed impressionist painting now adorns Prescott Hall People visiting Prescott Hall will now enjoy a beautiful oil painting by one of America’s famous post-Impressionist artists, Gifford Beal. The large 36” X 40” canvas, titled “Stream and Snow,” was painted by Beal in 1916. Museums with collections of Beal’s highly-prized work include the Metropolitan Museum of New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., the Phillips Collection, also in Washington, D.C., as well as famous regional museums, like the Maier Art Museum in Virginia and the Terra Foundation of the Arts in Chicago. Art galleries in Denver, Sante Fe, New York and Philadelphia also possess Beal’s work. Richard Goff, the grandson of Mr. Beal, and a former Rocky Mountain College Board Trustee, and RMC National Advisory
PHOTO/DAVE SHUMWAY, RMC
Obert Undem, RMC director of planned giving, stands next to the large canvas painted in 1916 by Gifford Beal, titled “Stream and Snow,” which was a gift to the College from Richard and Mary Claire Goff. The painting resides in Prescott Hall.
Rocky Mountain College
Council member, made the gift possible. Mr. Goff, and his wife, Mary Claire, have been long time friends and ardent benefactors of the College. Their son, Jon, graduated from RMC in 1993. Mr. Beal (1879-1956) was the brother of Reynolds Beal (1867-1951), another accomplished American artist whose work is included in collections of many of the same museums as Gifford Beal. “This is an extraordinary gift by one of this country’s best known 20th century artists whose work is critically acclaimed and widely admired,” said Obert Undem, RMC director of planned giving. “It truly is a treasure and we are fortunate to be able to have it and share it with people visiting Prescott Hall.”
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