Study Abroad Fair 2010

The Office of International Programs had their spring study abroad fair yesterday in the Strand Union Building. MSU offers over 250 study abroad programs to over 50 countries. The Office of International Programs works with international students studying at MSU as well as MSU students interested in studying abroad. Below are a couple of videos we shot at the fair so you can get an idea of the options available.

MSU's Aviation Program

Did you know that MSU offers an Aviation program? That's right! MSU offers an associate degree through our College of Technology for Aviation which started in 2006. Hilja, Kelsy and I were luck enough to be shown around Gallatin Field (Bozeman's airport) and even go on a quick flight around the city!

Superb flight characteristics, speed and an incredible safety record make the Diamond planes a perfect choice for flight training. MSU's planes are all less than three years old and have state of the art equipment like a Garmin GPS navigation system and even XM Radio!

Through MSU's program students earn 4 certifications; private pilot's licence, instrumentation licence, commercial licence and we are one of the only programs in the country to offer a twin-jet engine certification!MSU Students can pair the aviation program with any of our 120 degree options! What are you thinking about studying at MSU?

Spring Semester

Spring semester has started! The steam whistle on the campus heating plant signaled the start of classes at 8:00am on Wednesday. This is a campus tradition marking the beginning of the semester and commencement. With the start of the spring semester campus is again bustling with students.

There are many events coming up on campus and in Bozeman. President Waded Cruzado will be making her first campus address on Friday. There will also be events next week to commemorate Martin Luther King Day, starting with a community celebration on Monday and then on January 20th Kevin Powell a poet, journalist and hip-hop historian, and cast member of the first season of The Real World will be speaking on campus about race and ethnicity issues in America. The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will also be stopping in Bozeman January 22nd and 23rd. Of course many students are also taking advantage of the outdoor opportunities around Bozeman as well. The MSU Outdoor Recreation Center recently moved in to a great new facility and will be offering various outdoor related classes, outings and rental equipment. Also don't forget the next MSU Friday is on January 29th!

Residence Life @ MSU is the Good Life!

Living on campus is such a great experience! You will probably never live with as many people your same age in your lifetime. It is a great opportunity to meet tons of new friends and get familiar with MSU's campus and the Bozeman area. If you are a high school senior who has already applied to MSU, now is a great time to submit your MSU housing application!



Residence Life at MSU is the Good Life:

Free Cable Television
Including but not limited to MTV, TNT, ESPN, ESPN 2, FX, A&E, DISCOVERY, LIFETIME, and DISNEY
High Speed Internet Connection
Up to 300 times faster than a conventional modem
24 hour Computer Labs-Fitness Facilities in Residence Halls
Convenience Stores
Located in the basement of North Hedges, the "Hedge Hog"offers a variety of snack, grocery, drink, and deli items including sandwiches, soup, pretzels, pizza, frozen yogurt, hotdogs, donuts, fountain drinks, and much more! There is also a mini store in South Hedges
Academic Tutorial Centers
Storage
A great way to store your suitcase outside of your room
Kitchens
Most halls have kitchen facilities, which are available for recreational cooking. In fact, when I lived in the halls, our floor started a tradition of cooking "Sunday night dinners" and the task of cooking dinner rotated through each room. It was a fun bonding experience with everyone on my floor!
Laundry Facilities
Washers and dryers are located in laundry rooms found either in the basement or on individual floors of the hall, depending on the building. The machines are easily accessed by using your student Cat Card.





For more information about MSU's Housing, check out www.montana.edu/reslife. Which hall is your #1 pick for next fall?

Happy New Year!

I cannot believe how quickly winter break went by! School starts in exactly one week! Students are already starting to make their way back to campus and Bozeman. The residence halls open on Sunday, January 10th and classes start on Wednesday, January 13th. I am really excited to have everyone back on campus, but am not so excited to give up my front row parking spot!




New year, new semester, new president! MSU says goodbye to outgoing President Geoffrey Gamble after he served nine years in the position. Luckily, Dr. Gamble will not be going far. He has joined the faculty and will be teaching courses in the Anthropology Department. We are excited to welcome MSU's 12th President, Dr. Waded Cruzado. President Cruzado comes to Montana from New Mexico and is MSU's first female president. She will be a great addition to the MSU community!

Come see us on MSU Friday!

So, you're intrigued by our wide variety of academic programs, excited about how much fun living on the MSU campus would be or perhaps your pulse quickens at the thought of experiencing the outdoor adventure in Montana. Whatever it is that makes you pumped about MSU, I encourage you to come and get a taste by visiting us! MSU Friday is coming up on January 29th and I can promise you it will be a good time. This giant preview day gives students a chance to get a campus tour, check out the residence halls, chat with students and faculty, sit-in on sample classes, explore our research facilities including our Subzero Lab and much more. It is also a great time of year to come discover the glory of Bozeman. See for yourself how wonderful our local ski resort really is, dine at our locally owned restaurants, unwind in one of three near by hot spring resorts or simply shop to your hearts content at our downtown clothing & jewelry boutiques. The best way to find the right college for you is to get a feel for yourself. So, treat yourself to a mid-winter vacation and explore the academic opportunities Bozeman has for you. If January 29th won't fit into your schedule, we have another MSU Friday planned for March 12th. We also offer visits everyday, Monday through Friday (except on holidays) so come when you can and we will do what we can to accommodate you. Simply email us at admissions@montana.edu to make arrangements. We love visitors!

Scholarships!

MSU offers students millions of dollars in scholarships each year! Make sure you take the proper steps to be considered for some of this money!

The first step is applying for admission and sending your ACT and/or SAT scores directly from the testing company (ACT or College Board). Then go to MSU's scholarship web site. This page provides links and details about Montana resident scholarships and non-resident scholarships (out-of-state students), group affiliated scholarships and links to departments that offer scholarships. Deadlines for some of these scholarships are coming up fast so send in the required materials as soon as possible!

Besides scholarships be sure to send in your FAFSA by March 1st to be considered for financial aid! Many of our students receive some form of financial aid to help out with costs each year. A great place to learn more about financial aid is our Office of Financial Aid web site. It provides information on grants, work study and loans available as well as information on filling out the FAFSA.

Intramurals and the PE Complex

Winter is starting to set in here in Montana and what better way to keep warm than to take advantage of the newly renovated Hosaeus Fitness Center on campus. There are opportunities for students to take advantage of the cardio and weight rooms, a climbing wall, fitness classes like yoga, spinning and zumba, the swimming pool, indoor running track, racquetball and squash courts, basketball and volleyball courts and for those into the martial arts: a combative room. The best part about all of these amazing facilities right on campus is that they are free for students to take advantage of, so whether you wanted to swim some laps, have a quick jog or lift some weights, there is something for you and it's free!

For those that want to still be involved with sports but do not want to participate in NCAA Athletics, there are tons of intramurals available for you in both team sports or individual sports. You can get a team together for football, basketball, soccer, softball or you can individual compete against others in sports like tennis, cross country, badminton, or folf (Frisbee golf). Not only do you get to go out and meet new people, but you can get some exercise and a quick break from studying!

MSU's Greek System

MSU offers many ways for students to get involved and meet fellow students with similar interests. Actually, there are more than 160 student organizations on campus - so there is something for everyone.



Some of the most active club members are students in the MSU Greek System. There are 4 sororities and 6 fraternities on campus with approximately 7% of MSU students involved. Fraternity and Sorority chapters have been a part of the campus since 1917 and as a whole, have become the largest student organization at MSU.

Joining a greek organization is a great way to have a strong connection to a group of students sharing a a common bond. It is almost like a home away from home! I was a member of a sorority while I student at MSU, and it is something that I continue with as an active alum member too.

Whether you are looking for a way to increase your leadership skills, for a group of friends that will encourage your scholarly goals, or simply for a fantastic circle of friends that will last a lifetime, MSU has a chapter for you!

Are you thinking about joining the greek system or any other clubs at Montana State University? What clubs seem most interesting to you?

Christmas Stroll

I have just returned from a trip to eastern Montana. This was a great trip and I enjoyed meeting with many great students. This was my last trip for the fall and I am looking forward to a couple of weeks in Bozeman.

This weekend Bozeman is kicking off the holiday season with the annual Christmas Stroll. This is a popular event each year during which main street is closed to cars from 5:00pm-7:30pm Saturday night. Local community organizations set up stands to sell all sorts of food and goodies, the stores are open, there are sleigh rides, a visit from Santa and lots of holiday cheer. There are also many other activities going on this weekend including several home basketball games. Cheering on the Bobcats is a lot fun and the games are free for students to attend. Since, we have already recieved some snow there are also many outdoor activites to participate in this weekend including a cross-country ski tour in Yellowstone with the MSU's Outdoor Recreation Program.