Montana State University–Northern

Montana State University–Northern (also known as MSU–Northern, or Northern) is a public state university, part of the Montana State University System, located in Havre, in the U.S. state of Montana. 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 $12,540,000.^[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.

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

• Garrison Courtney former Chief of Public Affairs for the Drug Enforcement Administration, attended MSU–Northern in 1996.^[6]
• Jesse Juarez is an American mixed martial artist who was an outstanding wrestler for the Northern Lights.^[7]
• 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.^[8]
• Flint Rasmussen at one time served as the Public Address announcer for the Lights and Skylights basketball teams.^[9]
• Lawrence Romo current director of the Selective Service System, received his Master of Education degree from MSU–Northern.^[10]
• Emmett Willson was awarded the 2004 Dan Hodge Trophy, while wrestling for MSU–Northern.^[11]
• James Welch (writer) known for the novel Winter in the Blood briefly attended Northern Montana College.^[12]
• Sherry Winn former Olympian, college basketball coach, current author and motivational speaker, coached the Skylights women's basketball team for five years.^[13]

See also

• List of college athletic programs in Montana

Notes and references

External links

• Official website
• Official Athletics Website
• History of Northern (Northern Montana College and Montana State University–Northern)

Colleges and Universities in Montana
Public: University of Montana System	University of Montana–Missoula (Missoula) Missoula College UM–Western Montana Tech Highlands College UM–Helena COT Bitterroot College
Public: Montana State University System	Montana State University (Bozeman) MSU-Billings MSU-Northern MSU COT–Great Falls Gallatin College City College
Private institutions	Carroll Great Falls Rocky Mountain
Tribal institutions	Aaniiih Nakoda CC Blackfeet CC Chief Dull Knife Fort Belknap College Fort Peck CC Little Big Horn Salish Kootenai Stone Child College
Community Colleges (CC)	Dawson CC Miles CC Flathead Valley CC

Coordinates: 48°32′31″N 109°41′19″W / 48.542071°N 109.688662°W / 48.542071; -109.688662