Vol. 1 Issue 3 Fresh news every day at www.rocky.edu May 2007

Rocky Now: Keeping our friends and supporters informed aboutwhat’s new and exciting at Rocky Mountain College

It’s all about our studentsWhenever you wonder about whether your

contributions make a difference, it’s refresh-ing to read about students like DavidShumway.

BILLINGS —Dave Shumwaywas among thelargest class evergraduated fromRocky MountainCollege at itshistoric 125thCommencement,May 5. Dave,from Batavia,Illinois, wasdrawn to RMCby its location,close to themountains,YellowstoneNational Parkand pristinerivers. Heresearched col-lege outdoor recreation programs on the Weband liked what he saw at www.rocky.edu.

Dave interned in the marketing and publica-tions department, where he provided valuableservice with Web content, as well as photo-graphing and videotaping campus events.

Now, the summa cum laude graduate, whodouble majored in business management, andeconomics, will have a hand in presenting theRMC Web site to others. An award-winningphotographer and accomplished videographer,Dave is so well versed in Web design andmaintenance, RMC hired him. He is now work-ing in collegiate imaging and content manage-ment, two critical needs RMC has to present afresh look to prospective students as well asothers interested in RMC.

“I love this college and it’s a great opportu-nity to be involved as we tackle new challengesto grow the enrollment and the endowment,”he said. “I want to be part of that team effort.”

Former RMC presidents honored with DistinguishedLegacy Awards for longtime dedication and devotion

Praising Friends

For a special President’s Dinner at theCrowne Plaza on May 3, 106 friends ofthe College gathered to “Praise Friends,Raise Funds.”

Honored with Distinguished LegacyAwards were two former RMC presi-dents, Dr. Lawrence Small and Dr.Arthur DeRosier, Jr. The awards recog-nized their devoted service and ongoingcommitment to the College.

More than $35,000 was raised duringthe dinner, according to ShariVanDelinder, RMC director of specialprojects.

Presenting the award to Dr. DeRosier,RMC Interim Academic Vice PresidentAnthony Piltz praised Dr. DeRosier’s“building foundations,” from new build-ings to new programs, and also for hisadvice and support on a personal level.Among other successes, “Dr. DeRosierrescued Rocky from the brink. In his 15years at Rocky, the College more thandoubled its enrollment, to 800 students;increased its endowment from $700,000to nearly $20-million; erected a new stu-dent center and state-of-the-art library;

and renovated andbrought back into serv-ice several historicbuildings. Rockyerased its structuraldeficit in 1994, andNWCCU removed itfrom show-cause sta-tus in 1997,” Piltz said.The aviation, equestri-an and physician assis-

tant program all began during theDeRosier era. The ski program that nowboasts a national championship beganunder Dr. DeRosier.

Presenting the award to Dr. Small,President Mike Mace praised Dr. Small,as a “gentleman and a scholar,” whonever retired from RMC, helping tofound the RMC Institute for PaceStudies after serving as a professor, deanand president. Dr. Small also has writtenone volume on the history of theCollege, “Courageous Journey,” and hasjust completed the second volume withsections by Dr. DeRosier and PresidentMace.

R O C K Y N O W

Dave Shumway, shown shootingphotos in Yellowstone National Park,has his work displayed atwww.DaveShumway.net andwww.shumwayphotography.com,including the inventory of his RMCphotos.

Above, (L-R) RMC Chairman of the Board Jim Almond, Yellowstone County CommissionerBill Kennedy, Dr. Arthur DeRosier, Jr., and Rev. George Harper enjoyed the President’sDinner, May 3. Below, Dr. Lawrence Small listens as RMC President Mike Mace reads hiscitation.

A tradition at Rocky Mountain Collegethat adds beauty to the campus and estab-lishes a living memory for friends, col-leagues and special events is the planting oftrees. The greening of RMC is made possi-ble by the generosity of individuals as wellas groups who want to honor special peopleor commemorate special events.

Recently, for example, a tree was plantedin memory of longtime retired RMC profes-sor Bob Lyon, who was an avid supporter ofRMC’s speech and debate program after heretired. Family and friends of Lyon gatheredto celebrate his legacy, reading limericksand sharing memories.

Another recent tree planting honoredRMC ’05 graduate Roger Ntakirutinka, 28,from Rwanda, who died in a plane crash inOctober. The tree planting was organized bythe RMC Facilities Services, whereNtakirutinka worked for three years while astudent. Ntakirutinka was also active withthe RMC Institute for Peace Studies.

Trees are not always planted after someone has died. Currentlibrarian, Bill Kehler, had a tree planted in his honor by his col-leagues, members of the Montana Association of Librarians. Andtrees have been planted in celebration of Earth Day.

It’s all part of the campus beautification project begun in ernestwith generous donations from Dr. Charles and Patricia Morledge.

Because Rocky’s beautiful and spacious campus is used for walk-ing, bicycling, and jogging by many people who live nearby, andbecause the campus requires vigilant maintenance to make it attrac-tive to all its users, RMC recently asked for help to pay for mowing

equipment, new wells for watering,campus directional signs that com-plement the historic buildings, andother maintenance needs, explainedShari VanDelinder, RMC directorof special projects.

“It expands and continues the tra-dition of making this the mostbeautiful campus possible,” saidVanDelinder.

Typical of responses was a checkfor $250 from Phillip Key whowrote that “We appreciate beingable to walk our dogs on the beauti-ful campus grounds. And we doclean up after them.”

Juergen, Mindy, Pieter, Zanderand Maddie Bach wrote “My fami-ly and I live right across the street.Give us a call or email us when youneed some help with special proj-ects.”

Those kind of responses and themore than $4,300 in contributions in two weeks demonstrated whatgood neighbors Rocky has and that they appreciate what the campusoffers, Van Delinder concluded. Van Delinder said Rocky is proudof the area it is located in where homes, lawns and gardens are wellmaintained and show pride in the neighborhood. Realtors have men-tioned that Rocky’s campus also contributes to increased propertyvalues in the area.

For information about how to help with the ongoing beautificationproject, please contact Shari VanDelinder, 657-1173 orvandelis@rocky.edu.

RMC mourns one of its best: Ralph Sappington

Rocky Mountain College n 1511 Poly Drive n Billings, Montana 59102Ph: 1.800.877.6259

Find out more about what’s new and exciting at Rocky online at:

www.rocky.edu

The Billings Gazette carried the sad newsSunday: “Billings lost one of its strongestcreative forces last week. Ralph Sappington,noted trumpet player, composer, teacher,community volunteer and lover of jazz, diedSaturday after suffering a massive strokeMonday. He was 55.”

Sappington held a special place in thehearts of many at Rocky Mountain College.Among the projects he was working onwhen he died was collecting instruments totake to South Africa to donate to childrenthere. He planned to accompany RMCmusic students on the trip.

Before moving to Billings, Ralph had animpressive career performing and recordingwith the Righteous Brothers, The

Temptationsand theDukeEllingtonOrchestra.Once here,he servedseveralchurches inmusic min-istry, includ-ing a decadeat AmericanLutheran,and wasmost recent-ly a music

director at First United Methodist Church.Last fall, Ralph honored his jazz band stu-dents at Rocky Mountain College by com-posing a piece of music for each of them.

Services for Sappington were heldWednesday at First United MethodistChurch. A tribute concert will be held sometime in the future to help defray medicalexpenses, friends said. Also a memorial fundhas been established because theSappingtons did not have medical insurance:Ralph Sappington Memorial Fund, c/o FirstInterstate Bank, 401 N. 31st St., BillingsMont. 59101.For the complete tribute to Sappington inThe Billings Gazette, go to www.rocky.edu.

Memorial trees honor friends, colleagues and special events

PHOTO/ED STICKNEYAlice Lyon and son, Jason, are joined by friends and col-leagues when they planted a tree in memory of former RMCProfessor Bob Lyon.