If you're considering taking out a car title loan, it's important to understand the details before signing any paperwork. Car title loans are secured loans that allow you to use your vehicle as collateral. These loans can be beneficial if you need quick access to cash, but they should be used with caution. Here are a few factors you need to know before taking out a car title loan.

How Do I Qualify?
Depending on your location, to qualify for car title loans in Montana, you must own the vehicle outright with no liens placed against it. You will also need proof of income and valid identification, such as a driver's license or state ID card. Additionally, some lenders may require additional information, such as insurance documents or registration papers for your vehicle.  

It's important to note that having bad credit does not necessarily disqualify you from obtaining a car title loan since these types of loans are secured by the value of your vehicle rather than your credit score. This is why borrowers need to know their vehicles' worth before entering into agreements with lenders to get the best terms possible.

The Risks Involved
The most obvious risk associated with taking out a car title loan is that if you default on payments, your vehicle could be repossessed by the lender to recoup their losses. Many lenders charge high interest rates and fees, making repaying the debt more difficult than anticipated and leaving borrowers in an even worse financial situation than when they began. For this reason, it is important for borrowers to carefully read all terms and conditions before signing any contracts or agreements with lenders, so they fully understand what they are getting into before committing themselves financially.  

Many lenders have been accused of predatory lending practices aimed at vulnerable consumers who may not fully understand what they are getting into when taking out these types of loans. It'sIt's important for borrowers to research potential lenders thoroughly and ensure they understand all terms and conditions before entering into any agreement, so they don't end up paying more than necessary in interest or fees over time.

What Are the Alternatives?
There are a variety of alternatives to car title loans that can help you get the cash you need without putting your vehicle at risk. One option is a personal loan from a bank or credit union, which can provide quick access to funds and generally have lower interest rates and fees than car title loans. These types of loans may require a higher credit score than car title loans but can still be an option for those with bad or no credit.
 
Another alternative is to take out a secured loan against an asset such as home equity, investments, or savings accounts. These loans can give borrowers access to funds and require less paperwork than traditional consumer loans since an asset secures them. These loans' interest rates and fees vary depending on the lender, but they are generally lower than car title loan rates.

 
If you need access to funds quickly, some lenders offer payday loans which can provide borrowers with a short-term loan, usually paid back within two weeks or less. These loans often come with very high-interest rates and fees, so it is essential to understand the terms before signing any agreement.
 
Car title loans can be a great way to access quick cash, but they should be used cautiously. Ultimately, it's up to each borrower to decide which option makes the most sense for them based on their financial needs and situation.

BOZEMAN — When Christine Foreman came to Montana State University 20 years ago as a postdoctoral researcher, only three of 54 tenure-track faculty and less than 12% of students in MSU’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering were female, mirroring a national underrepresentation of women in the field.

For Foreman, as for other women navigating male-dominated professions, the experience was daunting at times but ultimately galvanizing. In 2012 she was appointed director of MSU’s Women in Engineering program by Brett Gunnink, who had become the college's dean and made recruiting female students a top priority, consistent with MSU's land-grant mission and inclusive culture.

Today the engineering college has 22 tenure-track women faculty, and 660 of its students, or nearly 20%, are female. That progress will be celebrated Friday evening at the 20th annual Women in Engineering Dinner, which will convene nearly 400 attendees, mostly female engineering undergraduates, at the MSU campus.

“It’s really powerful to see so many female engineers and computer scientists together in one room, because often, in the lab or the field, we’re in the minority,” said Foreman, the college’s associate dean for student success and a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. “At the dinner, there’s an energy that comes from gathering this whole community. We can celebrate and take power from that.”

The event, which Foreman organizes each year with help from the Women in Engineering program’s student advisory board, kicks off with a networking session where students meet prospective employers who sponsor the event. The highlight of the dinner is professional female engineers speaking about their experiences and offering guidance.

This year, in celebration of the event’s 20th anniversary, the speakers are four MSU alumni who graduated two decades ago: Michelle Haught is an engineer-turned-entrepreneur who also teaches in MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Laura Jennings is a research professor at the University of Montana; Jessica Salo is a civil engineer focusing on municipal water and wastewater systems; and Libby Solomon leads hardware testing at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.

“Connecting with successful female engineers can have a really powerful role modeling effect,” Foreman said. “Hearing these speakers’ stories, hopefully students will learn that there are so many different paths open to them for achieving their goals.”

MSU pioneered efforts to recruit women students into engineering under Lloyd Berg, who headed the chemical and biological engineering department for 33 years until 1979. Many of those female graduates climbed to top positions in companies like 3M and Boeing, and the Women in Engineering program emerged as a way to connect them with MSU students at events like the dinner, which started in 2003 with 50 attendees.

Maddie Bach, now a junior majoring in electrical engineering, attended the dinner four years ago when she was in high school in Billings. The event includes up to 30 high school students from around the state each year.

“It was a good way to meet faculty and talk with students about their experience,” said Bach, who now serves on the Women in Engineering advisory board. “That really inspired me to get involved when I came to MSU.”

“The best part of the Women in Engineering program is the community,” Bach added. “I’m still in the minority being a woman in electrical engineering, but it’s really cool to get together with women in other engineering disciplines, whether for studying or at the events.”

Jenna Brogen, a senior majoring in civil engineering and the president of MSU's student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, got involved with Women in Engineering as a freshman and has served on the advisory board since she was a junior. “Especially during my first couple years in college, it was really rewarding to go to the events and learn about things like scholarship opportunities and connect with peers in a relaxed environment,” she said. “Mostly, it's a way to get together and build community.”

There’s still more to be done to show young women that engineering and computer science are professions where they can do more than just fit in — where they can excel, Foreman said. And the engineering college’s strides in the past 20 years mark not just progress but the creation of a supportive environment that's already empowering students who choose MSU, she added.

“Even if young women don’t feel those possibilities and that community where they are now, we want them to know that those exist at MSU,” Foreman said. “This is something we are very committed to.”

BOZEMAN – Though the rock you idly kick along that mountain trail isn’t sentient, it does have a long memory – one that a Montana State University researcher is tapping to reveal the geologic history of southwest Montana dating from hundreds of millions to billions of years ago.

Devon Orme, assistant professor of geology in MSU’s Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Letters and Science, has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to apply techniques she helped develop to unlock the unknown “deep-time” history of western North America.

Along with collaborators from Idaho State and Columbia universities, who will work in the Teton and Uinta ranges respectively, Orme and her students will analyze rocks in the mountains of southwest Montana to better understand the continent’s ancient tectonic activity. Some of the rocks they will study are more than 3 billion years old.

Montana State University Professor Devon Orme poses for a portrait in her Traphagen Hall lab on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, in Bozeman, Montana. The rocks she is holding were found together but their difference in age is over 2 billion years. MSU photo by Colter Peterson

All the ranges in the study are part of the Rocky Mountains, which stretch 3,000 miles from the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia in Canada to west-central New Mexico. The development of the Rockies is believed to have begun about 100 million to 80 million years ago, when the eastern edge of the Pacific oceanic plate continued to slide beneath the western edge of the block of Earth’s crust known as the North American Craton, which – in southwest Montana – sits “in our backyard,” Orme said.

The exact timing of this mountain-building event in southwest Montana is debated, and parts of what happened prior to that remain a mystery, as eons of erosion stripped away layers of rock and left a 2 billion-year gap in the geologic record known as the Great Unconformity. But now, Orme said, scientists can reconstruct the story by analyzing geochemical properties in rock that existed through the ages and is exposed in the Rocky Mountains.

“Rocks in the Beartooth, Bridger, Gallatin and Tobacco Root ranges hold the history and memory of geologic processes,” Orme said of the mountain ranges near Bozeman.

The research will build on a previous MSU study of the Beartooth Mountains in south-central Montana and northern Wyoming. A recently published paper in the journal Tectonics describes how the geologic history of the range was reconstructed with deep-time thermochronology using the mineral zircon, a process which Orme helped develop nearly 10 years ago. The technique exploits various degrees of damage to the crystalline structure of zircon and its uranium, thorium and helium content to find out when and how many times the rock was exposed to heat after being buried under sediment, then cooled after being uplifted during periods of faulting and erosion. The paper’s lead author, Chance Ronemus, conducted the work in Orme’s lab at MSU as a master’s student from 2019 to 2021.

Ronemus and the MSU team applied the method to rocks collected throughout the Beartooth range, including 2.8-billion-year-old samples taken from the top of Montana’s highest mountain, 12,807-foot-tall Granite Peak. The peak is well-known for being difficult to climb, so it wasn’t just the laborious sample analysis that “was a heroic effort by Chance,” Orme said.

The work proved that some of the rock comprising the Beartooths rose and fell many times before taking the shape we see today. It also helped validate the deep-time thermochronology method, which is being adopted by geologists around the globe who are excited by its potential, Orme said.

“In the last three years, use of the technique has exploded,” Orme said. Outside of North America, “researchers in China and India, for example, are applying it – it’s really cool to see the global ripple effect.”

Closer to home, the NSF funding will allow researchers to apply the technique to samples taken from a 400-mile segment of the Rocky Mountains. The three-year grant will provide opportunities for students from each institution to gain field and laboratory experience at all the study sites. From MSU, one graduate student and four undergraduate students will participate.

Primary objectives of the study are to fill a billion-year gap in the rock record along the western margin of the North American Craton, also known as Laurentia, and contribute to knowledge about Laurentian tectonics and the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia, which occurred between 750 and 630 million years ago.

The teams also will collaborate with the Idaho Museum of Natural History to create a mobile exhibit highlighting the ancient history of the charismatic mountain ranges in the study. The exhibit will visit museums that serve rural, Rocky Mountain communities and tell the stories the rocks on that mountain path have stored in their ancient memories.

"The mountains have a much longer geologic history than the geologic processes that shaped the topography we see today,” Orme said. “My goaI is to reconstruct this entire history.”

Taped nerd glasses have long been the uniform of the vintage nerd. But why? We explore more below - we’ll also list some of our all-time favorite nerds on film and give you some tips to avoid needing to deploy the taped glasses look! Let’s dive in.

Why Would Anyone Wear Taped Glasses, Anyway?

Glasses featuring obvious tape on the bridge of the nose remain a key element of the classic ‘nerd’ look. But why? Well, the tape is there as a repair, holding together specs that have broken. The implication is that the wearer isn’t fussed about how they appear or whether their classmates will laugh at their DIY eyewear. This plays into the long-standing idea of the nerd as somewhat of a social outcast who isn’t concerned about fashion or outer appearances - because they’ve got so many amazing things going on in their brains, after all!

Nerds on Film

The nerd has got an impressive movie pedigree! Here are some of our fave nerds on film:
Egon Spengler
The brains behind Ghostbusters, Egon is book smart but awkward on the social front: the perfect nerd! He lists his hobbies as ‘spores, mold, and fungus.’ He’s also become one of the best-loved of the original Ghostbusters crew.

Professor Julius
The Nutty Professor from the original 1963 film is one of the most stereotypical representations of the nerd out there. With his thick-framed, taped glasses, shy demeanor, clumsiness, and super brain, Julius F. Kelp creates a serum that allows him to turn into his alter ego, Buddy Love…

Evie O’Connell
It’s not just the guys who get to be nerds! Evie O’Connell from The Mummy, played by Rachel Weisz, is both brainy and beautiful. She may be a librarian, but she’s also got some skills with a sword.

Napoleon Dynamite
One of the biggest nerds of the movie world, Napoleon Dynamite, was all too aware that ‘girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!’ This doesn’t stop him from helping his friend to victory in the class presidency contest.

Eugene Felsnic
The vintage nerd Eugene Felsnic appears in the movie Grease. Felsnic takes a lot of stick from the cool kids due to his thick glasses, bad jokes, and embarrassingly poor social skills. We still love you, Felsnic.

How to Avoid the Taped Glasses Look

Just because we’ve now largely taken the stereotypical nerd to our hearts - and embraced our inner nerdishness at the same time - doesn’t mean we’re happy to wander around with taped glasses in the event our spectacles break.

So how to avoid a potentially costly (and extremely inconvenient) breakage? Well, first off, choose high-quality spectacles. Cheaper, off-the-shelf store pairs may seem like a good idea, but there’s a high chance they won’t go the distance, and you’ll end up with a breakage on your hands. Check out the range at GlassesUSA.com for a vast range of high-quality, but affordable glasses and sunglasses, including prescription options.

And there are plenty of little steps you can take to prevent your specs from breaking day-to-day.
Like these:
• Keep your glasses in their case when you’re not wearing them.
• Before you sit down: check you’re not about to land on your glasses - this is one of the most common ways that specs get broken.
• If you play sports, consider purchasing a pair of special, reinforced frames and lenses to wear during this activity.
• If you notice any screws coming loose on your frames, tighten them as soon as possible.

Steering Clear of Scratches

It’s not just major breakages to steer clear of; there are also plenty of simple ways to avoid scratches to your glasses lenses which could compromise the clarity of vision they provide and shorten your specs’ lifespan.

Cleaning your glasses regularly is the easiest way to avoid lens scratches, as this ensures that debris is removed that could otherwise cause damage. Simply hold your glasses under warm running water, add a couple of drops of washing-up liquid to the lenses, gently clean them, and then rinse off carefully. Dry thoroughly with a soft microfiber cloth. Do this a couple of times a week.

If you do notice a scratch on the lenses, it’s important to take your spectacles to your eye care practitioner; they may be able to repair it, rather than you having to fork out for a brand new pair.

The Taped Glasses Takeaway

Since the 1950s, taped glasses, usually featuring thick frames, have been synonymous with ‘the nerd.’ Attitudes to this archetypal character have changed over the decades, and the nerd has now risen to become a generally loved character with audience members - sometimes even the hero of the movie! We’re right there behind them, cheering on their determination to be their own unique selves and not conform, sticking it to The Man along the way if they have to.

But just because we’re in their corner doesn’t mean we fancy breaking our glasses to get the tape-on-the-bridge-of-the-nose look. So use the tips above to keep your spectacles in perfect working order, whether you’re rocking the current clear frames trend or opting for chic-geek oversized black frames look. 

When it comes to student and staff safety, Bozeman is prepared. Bozeman administrators make safety a top priority each day in all Bozeman schools. No parent or administrator wants to reflect upon the unthinkable, but the school system wants to make sure students are fully protected in any situation, beginning with the very youngest in elementary schools. All safety procedures are determined and enacted in cooperation with Bozeman Law Enforcement.

With the increase in violent crimes and incidents in school buildings and on school properties across the United States, administrators, and law enforcement are leaving nothing to chance. When students do not feel safe and secure, they cannot learn.

Bozeman School District Safety

The Bozeman Public Schools District 7 is committed to safety and has implemented a variety of security measures. School district administrators collaborate closely with the Bozeman Police department, Fire department, County Emergency Services, and local hospitals and healthcare centers so that all schools are prepared in the event of an emergency.

The School District employs four SROs or School Resource Officers (licensed, sworn police officers) that work full-time for the school district. Safety audits are conducted for all school properties and include checks on access, communication systems, and potential environmental hazards.

All school buildings offer limited access to students and staff and feature very specific visitor check-in procedures now. The staff is required to always wear ID badges to be recognizable and visitors must have a visitor ID badge when frequenting school buildings.

Safety drills are conducted with the children throughout the school year. Detailed safety plans for all types of emergencies have been created and are constantly updated. But it doesn’t end there. Bozeman elementary schools benefit from two very important initiatives: Project Connect and the Secure-in-Place soft lockdown procedure.

Project Connect

Children spend most of their day at school, and families trust school administrators, teachers, and staff to keep their children out of harm’s way.

All schools in the Bozeman school district have implemented Project Connect. This project involves having parents and community volunteers greeting students and overseeing movement within school buildings and on elementary school playgrounds. Volunteers submit to a background check and have training available for working effectively at the school where they volunteer.

Welcoming greetings, interaction with students during lunch hour, a friendly chat in hallways, or a cheery goodbye at the end of the day’s end all contribute to having friendly assistance outside the actual classrooms. These volunteers bring added protection to the children in their care during the school day.

Secure-in-Place

Bozeman schools undoubtedly have the option of using full lockdowns should serious threats to schools be perceived, but Bozeman has added an extra layer of safety protection for its students and staff.  What’s the difference between a lockdown and a Secure-in-place?

School administrators together with the Bozeman Police Department have created a safety protocol if there is any suspicious activity involving police in the vicinity of schools even if it does not present a direct threat to the school itself or the students within. It is a type of “soft lockdown” where school administrators lock all exterior access points, so no one will be leaving or entering, but school activities will continue normally within school buildings. Once police deem that a threat is no longer present in the immediate area of the school, the secure-in-place protocol is lifted.

In May 2022, the Secure-in-Place protocol was activated for the Hawthorne and Whittier elementary schools because an armed suspect was in the area. The suspect never constituted a direct threat to the school or children, but choosing to exercise caution, school and law enforcement officials activated the protocol. 

Continuous communication between school district administrators and the Police Department took place for the duration of the Secure-in-place order. Bozeman High also enacted the protocol for several hours when a citizen reported suspicious activity near the high school. When law enforcement determined that there was no threat, the protocol was rescinded.

Bozeman Schools Look to the Future

Bozeman schools have been looking toward the future of security and student safety for several years. They have been gradually implementing steps to increase security measures. Security experts have participated along with local law enforcement in updating safety measures and providing feedback, especially for new school designs and renovations.

In some schools, entrances have been redesigned to direct visitor traffic to a designated office before allowing entrance to the school. Exterior access is limited so guests must use principal entrances. Door locks and security camera systems for schools are being improved with children’s safety in mind. New technology advancements like automatic door locking have been integrated into new school designs while renovations of existing schools will increase safety by integrating advanced security systems as well.

While school should be a time for learning, growth, and enjoyment, violence is a reality in our society. New technological advancements and close collaboration with law enforcement and emergency personnel are improving security. Bozeman elementary schools are prioritizing the safety of its students and staff through investment and engagement.

On February 19, 2023, at 6:24 pm, Gallatin County dispatch received a call for a stranded snowmobiler near Storm Castle. The rider was alone and not able to free a snowmobile from a tree well in the darkness and heavy snow.  The stuck snowmobiler was using a GPS communication device to relay information via text messages.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue (GCSSAR) volunteers from the Valley Sky Section responded and deployed snowmobile teams. GCSSAR teams located the stranded snowmobiler and assisted in getting the snowmobile unstuck before all returned to the trailhead safely.  

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind recreationalists that traveling alone is a risk and being prepared by having a communication device can be extremely helpful if your adventures do not go as expected.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

A wedding is a celebration of love and commitment, marking the start of a new chapter in a couple's lives. It's one of the most significant events that a couple will experience and requires careful planning to ensure that everything goes smoothly on the big day. With so many details to consider, from the venue to the catering, it can be overwhelming even for the most organized couple. In the following paragraphs, we’ll go over four crucial steps that will help you plan your wedding, so you can enjoy the process and have the day of your dreams.

Set your budget

The first step in planning a wedding is to determine how much you can afford to spend. This is a crucial step as it will guide the rest of your planning and ensure that you stay within your financial means. You don’t want to fall in love with a venue you can’t afford or a wedding dress that’s way out of your initial budget. That’s why it's important to be realistic about your budget and prioritize what's most important to you. Is it the decoration or maybe the apparel for you and your partner? Whatever it is, make sure to prioritize and allocate the majority of your budget for the first things on your list.

To avoid forgetting a certain item, we recommend listing all the essential elements of your wedding, such as the venue, catering, and photography. It can serve as a checklist further down the road. Naturally, you can’t plan everything in advance, especially when it comes to money, so remember to include contingencies for unexpected expenses, such as bad weather or last-minute changes.

Pick a location

Choosing the perfect location for your wedding is a critical step in the planning process. There are many beautiful locations to consider, but it all depends on what you’re looking for. If you’ve always dreamed about an outdoor wedding, then you want to pick a sunny location. And what better wedding destination than the sunny State of Arizona?  The state not only boasts nice weather all year round, but it offers stunning scenery, from the Grand Canyon to the deserts, making it a unique and breathtaking setting for your big day.

Whether you're looking for a romantic beach setting, a rustic ranch, or a scenic mountain view, Arizona has it all. Research different locations, compare prices, and choose the one that best suits your needs and budget. Don't forget to consider factors such as accessibility for your guests, availability on your desired date, and the overall ambiance of the venue. The city’s capital, Phoenix, is a large and populous city where you’ll find everything you need for the big day. In case you want to shop for some presents for your bridesmaids or if you still haven’t got around to buying your wedding bands, we recommend a quick drive to Scottsdale where you’ll find many jewelry stores and professionals who’ll help you choose accessories for the wedding day.

Choose your vendors

Once you have a location in mind, it's time to start considering vendors. This includes finding a florist, photographer, caterer, and any other vendors you may need. It's important to research each vendor thoroughly, read reviews, and compare prices to find the best fit for your needs and budget. Try to book your vendors well in advance, as the best ones can get booked up quickly and have little free time left in their calendars. Consider meeting with several vendors to get a better understanding of their services and packages, and choose the ones that you feel comfortable with and that fits within your budget.

Plan Your Guest List

Finally, it’s time to plan your guest list. Make a list of everyone you would like to invite, including family, friends, and any special guests. This will help you get a better idea of how many people you need to accommodate and how much it will cost. Consider factors such as distance, accommodation, and travel costs when planning your guest list. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on your budget, as the number of guests you invite will directly impact your overall expenses. 

The bottom line

Planning a wedding can be a daunting task, but by following these four steps, you can ensure that your big day is everything you’ve dreamed of. Setting your budget at the beginning and taking the time to plan every detail will help ensure a stress-free and memorable day. With careful planning and a little bit of effort, you can have the wedding of your dreams and start your new life together surrounded by happiness and love.

BOZEMAN — Nearly 1,650 donors raised $374,663 for Montana State University programs, causes and groups during MSU Giving Day, a 29-hour online crowd-fundraising event held Feb. 15-16.

MSU Giving Day, which was designed to raise support and awareness in addition to funds, shined a light on 84 projects at MSU. Organizers said they were deeply grateful to the 1,649 donors who participated in the fourth annual event.

“It was gratifying to see the increased level of participation across the board this year,” said Stephanie Pressly, vice president of communications and annual fund at the MSU Alumni Foundation. “Dozens more MSU projects and programs encouraged 26% more donors this year over last year to rally to their causes. The Bobcat community showed its blue and gold spirit once again.”

As part of Giving Day, all MSU students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends were invited to participate by making a gift and championing projects during the event through its website, givingday.montana.edu. There, donors could view the groups and projects seeking funds and choose a project or groups to receive their gift. The website also provided up-to-the-minute progress, descriptions of all the projects in need of support, social media tracking, acknowledgment of donors, and announcements of challenges and gift matches. Special challenges and gift matching opportunities were announced throughout the 29 hours to allow donors to magnify the impact of their gifts.

In the first hour, more than 200 donors participated and gave $27,585.

“We were blown away by the number of donors who participated this year and helped so many MSU students,” said Samantha Patton, associate director of the annual fund at the MSU Alumni Foundation. “Although this is only the fourth annual MSU Giving Day, every year we are humbled that friends of Montana State choose to give and understand the importance of investing in future leaders and involved citizens.”

One group that sought funds through Giving Day, the MSU Alpine Ski Club, set a goal of $1,500 to aid with travel, lodging and meal expenses for the team to attend the Western Regionals race outside of Boise, Idaho. The group raised more than twice the amount it aimed for, finishing with $4,165. Rebecca Johnston, safety officer for the Alpine Ski Club, said the team was floored with the support they received in their first year with MSU Giving Day.

"It’s super rewarding because my freshman year, the club was barely anything and we were kind of struggling,” said Johnston, a senior majoring in marketing. “We didn't really have an adviser; there were seven kids my freshman year. Now we've grown to 20 active athletes, we have a full board of president, vice president, secretary and more. It's been really cool to be part of the change for the club and rewarding to see us raise so much funding.”

The team plans to reinvest its extra funds back into the program to cover travel costs next year, potential training opportunities and to lower dues for athletes.

Jabs First-year Experiences participated in MSU Giving Day for the first time this year. Housed in the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the program focuses on the critical first year of the college experience by inspiring and supporting new students to understand the value of their business degrees. The group raised more than $2,866, which will support formal and informal programs to engage business students.

“We are just grateful for the generous donors,” said Brenda Truman, the college’s assistant dean for student services and retention. “The money that we're raising through MSU Giving Day this year will help us provide a whole year's worth of critical engagement opportunities for those first-year students, which is so exciting.”

Truman added that, among other efforts, the program plans to place welcome tents on the first day of school to distribute snacks and help new students find their first classes; hold dinners with professors in the dining halls; and host the Jabs First Year Expo, which allows students to explore engagement opportunities like internships, study abroad experiences, student clubs, support resources and more.

“It's really validating that donors are reading about our project, seeing value in it and wanting to contribute to help the next generation of college students,” Truman said. "We're excited to start planning for the future. What are we going to do next year? How can these funds help us build on what we started and grow and expand and make it better for our students?”

The Inclusive Community Camp, or ICC, looks to MSU Giving Day to help fund it each year. ICC is a summer day camp that has been carefully designed for children both with and without disabilities. Middle school students spend part of the week working with MSU education students to develop leadership and mentoring skills and then another part of the week serving as junior camp guides to elementary school-aged children.

This year the program raised $2,900. According to Jamie O’Callaghan, co-director of the camp and a staff member in the Department of Education in MSU’s College of Education, Health and Human Development, donations will allow the camp to offer scholarships to families in need, as well as go toward operating expenses, materials for the attendees and support resources necessary to offer a camp for children that have diverse support needs.

“It feels wonderful to know that the work that we're doing is acknowledged by people spending their hard-earned money to support us. It’s incredibly fulfilling,” O’Callaghan said. “We're really thrilled to be able to participate in MSU Giving Day, and the support we've received means the world to us.”

More than 125 donors gave $14,436 to the Bounty of the Bridgers, MSU’s campus food pantry.

"It's always exciting to see high numbers in total donations, but also to see that it's coming from such a big group always makes us feel good that the community is really supporting this program,” said Margaret Davies, basic needs program manager with the Bounty of the Bridgers. “Seeing this success really means we'll be set up well to meet the needs that we've been seeing from students.”

Bounty of the Bridgers is a program that impacts student retention, helping keep them in school, Davies added, because if students are struggling to eat then it's hard to stay focused on their studies.

“The pantry tries to meet that need, and having such success on Giving Day means that we'll be able to continue to support students and get them to graduation," Davies said. 

To view full results from MSU Giving Day, visit givingday.montana.edu.

Some New Year’s resolutions have clear steps. If your goal is to complete a course at school, you can sign up, attend classes, and study. If you aspire to become physically stronger, you can start lifting weights. But if you’re someone looking to debut an improved smile, it can be hard to know where to start. Don’t worry — that’s where we come in. In this piece, we’ll give you 5 easy ways you can improve your smile this year. With a road map to a better smile, you can confidently take your first step towards the new you. 

Clear aligner treatment 

Everyone’s smile is different, so everyone’s steps to improving their smile will also be different. That said, many people aspire to have an aligned smile. Straightening your smile used to be a major undertaking — a task that wasn’t likely to be completed in under a year. Thankfully, the industry has evolved to make clear aligner treatment more affordable, convenient and manageable. How? At-home clear aligners. These treatments eliminate the need for in-person appointments and can therefore be completed from the comfort of your home. Which saves you from time-consuming appointments that turn your schedule upside down.

At-home clear aligners work best for people with mild to moderate conditions. Since these products treat slightly simpler cases than traditional options, they usually take less time to complete. These options can deliver results in an average of six months, so you’re likely to debut your new smile before the year ends. 

Consider a night guard

Bruxism is a condition where you clench or grind your teeth, often without realizing it. Night guards are clear, retainer-like trays worn overnight to prevent grinding and clenching. The trays act as a barrier between your dental arches to minimize the damage of bruxism. Not everyone needs a night guard, but if you think you might be a candidate be sure to inquire with your dentist at your next cleaning. Your dentist can’t exactly witness you sleep, so instead, they’ll examine your teeth to see if there is evidence of clenching or grinding. You can purchase a night guard through your dentist, or through reputable online retailers. If you do experience bruxism, this can help reduce damage from grinding and clenching in the long run. 

Wear a retainer

If you complete orthodontic treatments like at-home clear aligners, the best way to keep your freshly aligned smile intact is by wearing aftercare retainers. This is a crucial step because without a retainer your teeth will gradually move out of alignment. Your provider will give you specific wear guidelines, but generally, you’ll be asked to wear your retainers full-time for several weeks or months, then overnight indefinitely. People often get lax with their retainer wear for one reason or another, but it’s important you keep this habit going. Teeth can shift back even years after treatment is completed. 

Whitening treatments 

Not everyone is interested in taking on a commitment like orthodontic treatment. Thankfully, there are numerous other ways to improve your smile. Whitening treatments are a quick and easy way to give yourself a smile makeover.

Whitening treatments run the gamut. There are in-person treatments that you can get from your dentist and at-home kits you can do on your own. The main difference between these methods is that home kits use a lower concentration of peroxide. Another huge difference is that at-home kits can be highly affordable, making these treatments accessible to more people.

There’s a whitening option out there for practically every set of priorities. Beyond just the basic consumer preferences of affordability and convenience, teeth whitening kits are also available for more niche concerns like tooth sensitivity or environmental consciousness. Whatever your particular set of needs or values, there’s a whitening kit out there for you. 

Maintain excellent oral hygiene 

Look, we get it — maintaining your oral hygiene, including regular teeth cleaning, may not be the flashiest tip on this list. But your oral hygiene is the crucial foundation that makes all these other options possible. Without healthy teeth and gums, it’s risky to undergo treatments like orthodontia or whitening.

So be sure to stay on top of your oral hygiene. What do we mean by that? Brush your teeth twice each day and floss daily. And don’t forget to attend your twice yearly dental cleanings. Some people delay their dental cleanings because of price. Thankfully, there are ways to make this expense more approachable. Research dental colleges in your area, since these schools often offer significant savings on their services. There you can get your cleaning done safely and professionally, without the added expense that comes with attending an established dental practice.

Conclusion

There are seemingly endless ways to improve your smile, but by exploring these five paths to smile improvement, you may be able to set yourself up for a great year of smiling. 

Intermountain Health, formerly known as SCL Health in Montana, has established a new partnership with Montana State University Athletics, making Intermountain Health an official health partner of the Bobcats. This partnership includes a comprehensive sponsorship of Bobcat Athletics which will help increase awareness about Intermountain’s dedication to helping Bozemanites and beyond live the healthiest lives possible. Elements include game sponsorships, signage, broadcast, and digital.

We have a long history of collaboration and partnership with MSU College of Nursing and we are excited to now be an official health partner of Montana State University Athletics. Both organizations are committed to and passionate about improving the health of the communities we serve; our goal through this partnership is to help MSU and the greater Gallatin Valley create a healthier community.

Jen Alderfer, president of St. Vincent Healthcare and Intermountain’s Montana and Wyoming region

Montana State Athletics and Intermountain share a clear and common purpose in supporting our communities, including overall well-being for individuals, families, and communities. 
We are excited to have Intermountain in Bozeman and look forward to working with their team as our newest sponsorship partner.

Roger Wexelberg, General Manager of Bobcat Sports Properties

Committed to creating healthier communities throughout the region, Intermountain currently provides primary care services to the Bozeman community through the SCL Health Medical Group – Bozeman clinic conveniently located on Main Street, along with specialty services such as heart care, neurology, and in partnership with Ortho Montana, orthopedics for both adults and children. 

 
Intermountain will be the associate sponsor of the upcoming Cat/Griz showdown at MSU’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse as both the Women’s and Men’s basketball teams take on the University of Montana on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Caregivers from the Bozeman primary care clinic will be in attendance to celebrate the new partnership – be sure to check out their booth! For more information about the Bozeman clinic please visit sclhealth.org/bozeman.