Montana State University–Northern

Montana State University–Northern (MSU–Northern or Northern) is a public university in Havre, Montana. It is part of the Montana University System. Montana State University–Northern was known as Northern Montana College prior to the restructuring of Montana's public university system. It has an operating budget for fiscal year 2007 of $12.54 million.[5] In 1913, the Montana State Legislature approved the establishment of the Northern Montana Agricultural and Manual Training School at Fort Assinniboine, six miles southwest of Havre, but no money was actually appropriated. The State Legislature amended their original act in 1927 to include certain academic subjects and in 1929, the Legislature appropriated funds to establish the college as a branch of the University of Montana (later renamed the Montana University System). Northern Montana College opened its doors in September 1929 in temporary quarters in Havre High School, and moved to its present campus in 1932.

Montana State University–Northern

MSU-Northern Logo
Type	Public
Established	1929
Endowment	US$3.254 million (FY2005)[1]
Chancellor	Greg Kegel.[2]
Vice-Chancellor	Neil Moisey, Ph.D.
Students	1,105†[3]
Undergraduates	1,037†[3]
Postgraduates	68†[3]
Location	Havre , Montana , United States
Campus	Rural[4]
Colors	Maroon and Gold
Athletics	NAIA – Frontier Conference
Nickname	Men's: Northern Lights Women's: Northern Skylights
Affiliations	NWCCU, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, ABET
Mascot	Polar Bears (Aurora & Boris)
Website	www.msun.edu
† Fiscal Year 2015, Full-time Equivalent (FTE)

In 1994, the Montana University System elected to realign its smaller campuses with the two main universities, University of Montana in Missoula and Montana State University in Bozeman. Northern Montana College was renamed Montana State University–Northern on June 1 of that year.

Athletics

Montana State–Northern (MSU-N) athletic teams, nicknamed athletically for men as the Lights (as in Northern Lights) and for women as the Skylights, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Frontier Conference. Men's sports include basketball, football, golf, rodeo and wrestling, and cross country while women's sports include basketball, golf, rodeo, cross country, and volleyball.

Notable people

• Hunter Azure Is an American mixed martial artist who on 7/9/2019 won a fight against Chris Ocon on Dana White's Contender Series - Season 3, Episode 3. Hunter wrestled for Northern.[6]
• Jacob Bachmeier, one of the youngest state legislators in the United States. He graduated from Havre High School and currently attends Montana State University–Northern.[7]
• Michael Claxton, professional basketball coach and former professional basketball player, graduated from MSU–Northern in 2001.[8]
• Garrison Courtney former Chief of Public Affairs for the Drug Enforcement Administration, attended MSU–Northern in 1996.[9]
• Jesse Juarez is an American mixed martial artist who was a two-time NAIA All-American and was a 2005 NAIA National Champion wrestler for the Northern Lights.[10]
• Kingsley Ogwudire formerly with the Harlem Globetrotters and longtime member of the Nigeria national basketball team played basketball for the Northern Lights.
• Michael Rao current president of Virginia Commonwealth University, served as MSU–Northern Chancellor 1998–2000.[11]
• Flint Rasmussen at one time served as the Public Address announcer for the Lights and Skylights basketball teams.[12]
• Lawrence Romo former director of the Selective Service System, received his Master of Education degree from MSU–Northern.[13]
• Emmett Willson was awarded the 2004 Dan Hodge Trophy, while wrestling for MSU–Northern.[14]
• James Welch known for the novel Winter in the Blood briefly attended Northern Montana College.[15]
• Sherry Winn former Olympian, college basketball coach, current author and motivational speaker, coached the Skylights women's basketball team for five years.[16]

See also

• List of college athletic programs in Montana

Notes and references

1. Net assets or fund balances of Montana State University - Northern Foundation, "Foundation Center - 990 Finder". foundationcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
2. "Havre Daily News Article" Check |url= value (help).
3. "Montana University System - Annual Average Student FTE, FY05 - FY15" (PDF). Montana University System.
4. "America's Best Colleges, 2008". US News and World Report. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
5. "Montana University System Operating Budgets" (PDF). Montana University System. pp. 291, 295. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
6. , Sherdog web page
7. Hesse, Tom (January 27, 2017). "A Freshman Finds His Place in College and the Legislature". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
8. "Coach Profile". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
9. A Northern Tidbit, Bill Lanier, Northern Network News, the official newsletter for MSU–Northern, April 20, 2007, p. 4.
10. , Sherdog web page
11. Michael Rao's Biography VCU Web Page
12. A Northern Tidbit, Bill Lanier, Northern Network News, the official newsletter for MSU–Northern, April 17, 2015, p. 11.
13. "Selective Service System". Archived from the original on 2012-09-15.
14. Emmett Wilson's Biography Archived 2015-01-04 at the Wayback Machine, Win Magazine
15. Welch's Biography "ipl2 Native American Authors" Check |url= value (help).
16. "Havre Daily News Article" (PDF).

External links

• Official website