Chancellor   Blackketter's   Welcome

Montana Tech is a premier institution of higher education in the United States. This is not just my opinion, U.S. News and World Report ranked Montana Tech as the No. 1 public college in America’s “Best Regional Colleges in the West” and also ranked our School of Mines and Engineering the 40th “Best in Undergraduate Engineering” in the Best Colleges 2012 guidebook. This is due in large part to our student-center and engaged faculty and staff. Students benefit from active faculty who conduct relevant scholarship and research that they bring right into the classrooms. This means both graduate and undergraduate students experience a great learning environment and have applied research opportunities.

As a student, you will be part of a distinguished student body. For example, this past year Casey Clark, a 2012 graduate, was selected as a 2011 Rhodes Scholar Finalist; Robert Hark, a current student, receipted a 2012 Goldwater Scholarship; and Brianne McClafferty, also a 2012 graduate, was awarded the 2012 Charles T. Stoner Law Scholarship from the NAIA. In 2011-12 our 40 academic programs supported over 2,800 students coming from 39 states and 14 international countries. While Tech is known world-wide for its mining and petroleum engineering programs, excellence is found in all our disciplines including science, health, business, communications, trades, technical education and a variety of engineering programs. Montana Tech continues to offer degrees that lead to employment and/or professional programs and our ten-year annual average placement rate of 96% or above means that our graduates are “In Demand.”

Tech also has excellent two-year associate and certificate programs. And, if you haven’t heard the College of Technology (COT) is undergoing a name change. The “COT” is now called the Highlands College of Montana Tech. The name change is part of the “College!Now” state-wide initiative to improve 2-year education in Montana. More than a name change, we are expanding the Highlands’ mission to have greater emphases on assisting students’ transfer to four-year programs and to be more responsive in meeting community needs.

If you are a veteran, Tech is a great choice. Recently G.I. Jobs, the premier magazine for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, awarded Montana Tech the designation of a Military Friendly School.  The 2012 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities, and trade schools that are best at embracing America’s veterans as students.

As a student or alumni, you will be proud to see the many campus physical changes over the past year. The renovation of the Health Sciences Building (former Petroleum Building) is complete allowing the Nursing Department and the Institute for Educational Opportunities to move to the North Campus. The HPER renovation and expansion is complete and Tech folks are enjoying the new facility with great views of the mountains. The Frank and Ann Gilmore University Relations Center is moving along with scheduled move in dates before school begins in August. There will be a grand opening of the URC on October 12, 2012. The URC is the first 100% privately funded building on the Tech campus and speaks to the dedication of our alumni.

This past year has allowed Vicki and me to travel across the U.S. to meet and learn about the amazing contributions our alumni are making in their workplaces and communities. The positive impact Tech alumni are making in solving national problems is incredible. For those already in the Tech family, I know you are proud to call Montana Tech “my university.” To rest, we look forward to having you join the family and being part of this great institution.

Don and Vicki Blackketter