Recognizing Our American Indian Culture

Don Fish, MSU-GF Native American Studies Faculty, prepares for a Smudging Ceremony in the College's Courtyard for his Introduction to Native Beliefs class.

In celebration of American Indian Heritage Day,* MSU-Great Falls is offering daytime and evening cultural presentations by Don Fish on September 20, 2011. From 11:30 am to 12:45 PM, Mr. Fish is planning a special lecture and will open his Native American Beliefs course to the public. Then from 5:30 to 7:00 pm, a Native American drum group and traditional dancers will perform while Mr. Fish provides explanations on the cultural significances of the music, dancing, and regalia. The evening session will also include a social dance intended for audience participation. Both presentations will take place in Heritage Hall and are free and open to the public.

Don Fish is an enrolled Blackfeet tribal member, Adjunct Native American Studies Faculty member at MSU - Great Falls, and he also provides cultural educational consultations for various organizations.

MSU - Great Falls Receives $35,900 in Acce$$ Grant Funds

MSU - Great Falls received $35,900 in Acce$$ Grant funds from nonprofit Student Assistance Foundation (SAF) on Friday, Sept. 16. Since 2000, the school has received $253,215 through this program.

Dean Joe Schaffer and Director of Financial Aid Leah Habel accepted the grant award on behalf of the school from SAF Campus Outreach Manager Natalie Nefzger.

Acce$$ Grants are awarded each year by SAF through financial aid offices at all Montana postsecondary schools, including tribal and private institutions, and two-year and four-year schools. The amount awarded to each school is determined by enrollment numbers. Financial aid officers use the grants to help students in need pay for their education. Individual award amounts vary by individual and are determined by the financial aid office.

This year, the total award amount being distributed to colleges and universities is $1.25 million, bringing the grand total of Acce$$ funds provided by SAF since the program's inception in 2000 to $9.47 million.

Ground Breaking for College House

Join us to celebrate the groundbreaking for the third College House! Monday, September 26, 10:00 am at 1909 18th Ave South. Students from MSU-Great Falls will be helping a local family build their home throughout the school year, as NeighborWorks is partnering with the College for the third year in a row. Students from the Carpentry and Construction Trades program will get hands-on training while helping a family achieve their dreams.

Last year, Al Henry, Director of Operations and Construction for NeighborWorks stated, "The students will do everything from the ground up; they'll take part in the excavation, they'll take part in the foundation, the framing, the finish, the siding, the interior finish. They get it all."

To qualify for the house, buyers must complete homebuyer education classes and their annual income must fall below 80% of the adjusted median income for Cascade County.

Constitutional Freedoms, Censorship & Book Banning 

MSU-GF Students Gina Schermele, Saville McDaniel and Lindsey Forbes sign the Graffiti Wall.

Interior Design Students Stage Home for Parade of Homes

MSU-GF Interior Design Students, Tiffany Roland and Cynthia Semple, put the finishing touches on a NeighborWorks townhouse for the Parade of Homes.

As part of a continuing partnership with NeighborWorks, the MSU - Great Falls Interior Design students staged a NeighborWorks house for the 2011 Great Falls Homebuilders Association Parade of Homes. The students designed the main floor of the residence with furnishings from Ferrin's Furniture and artwork from Inspire Portraits. Additional home decor was provided by JC Penneys, City Lights and Ace Hardware.

The townhome, located at 1701 21st Ave South, is being billed as "an affordable home" by NeighborWorks. The students, including Tiffany Roland and Cynthia Semple (pictured above) chose a Mediterranean-inspired concept for the house, designed for a theoretical young couple with a tween daughter. New this year, the students have complied a room by room list of furnishings, cost and where to buy in case people would like to "design the same room" at their house.

Campus Corps 9/11 Day of Service

Campus Corps member Blake Teske cleans the interior of the house for their 9/11 Day of Service.

MSU - Great Falls Campus Corps held their 9/11 National Day of Service this past Saturday. Fifteen members gave up their Saturday to deep cleaning three new NeighborWorks houses, located at 1701 21st Ave South. This saved NeighborWorks more than $250 in cleaning costs, along with providing a clean environment for someone's future home.

This was their first project of the year, all of which are not-for-profit and volunteer based. The group's goals  isto inform the public about the Campus Corps program, regarding who can join, and talk about some of the great projects that they will be taking part in this year.

Free Preparatory Classes for Veterans

Veteran's Upward Bound

MSU - Great Falls, in partnership with the Veterans Upward Bound Program, is offering free college preparatory classes for Veterans. Classes will be held on the MSU-Great Falls campus, with the first class starting October 3rd and the last class commencing December 7th. All classes will be conveniently offered in the evening from 5:15 to 7:15 pm.

Eligible veterans can choose to take one or more of the following classes: Introduction to Computers, College Math/Algebra and College Writing/Grammar. To register for classes, Veterans can call 1-877-356-VETS or visit their website at www.vubmt.com.

Veteran's Upward Bound is a Department of Education program aimed at helping military veterans successfully enter post-secondary education by refreshing their academic skills. Veterans receive the services at no cost, which includes instruction, texts and materials. Low-income and first generation veterans must demonstrate an academic need with a goal of entering into a post-secondary education or training program.

Veterans are eligible for the Upward Bound program have served at least 180 days of active duty and received an honorable or medical discharge. Reservist members can also be eligible if they were called to active duty for more than 30 days or served active duty on or after 9-11-01. 

Dental Clinic Now Accepting New Clients

In anticipation of National Dental Hygiene Month* in October, the MSU - Great Falls dental hygiene program would like to inform the public of the low cost services they provide in their dental clinic.

The MSU-Great Falls College of Technology Dental Hygiene Clinic is a teaching facility, providing client services under the supervision of a licensed dentist and registered dental hygiene instructors.  Clients are evaluated and accepted based on student requirements to allow a variety of educational experiences.

Interested clients will be scheduled for an initial screening appointment at no cost to determine their eligibility and treatment needs. Following the screening appointment clients will be informed of appointment availability and approximate number of appointments sessions needed along with the commitment required. For more information go to the Dental Clinic website or to schedule a screening appointment call 406-771-4364.

*October is National Dental Hygiene Month.  During this month the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) stresses the value of working to increase public awareness about the importance of preventive services in keeping good oral hygiene and to encourage others to develop and continue with a daily oral health routine. The Dental Hygiene student will be promoting the services of the clinic throughout the month of October.

GF Americans Hockey Club Season Opener

Join the Great Falls Americans Hockey Club on September 30th at 7:30pm for their Season Opener. Fans will receive a limited number of hockey pucks bearing the MSU-GF logo.

MSU-GF students, faculty and staff can drop by the Community Relations Department to get a free ticket to the game. Tickets are limited and will be given out on a first come basis.

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