Carroll Montana

Academic Leadership

The continued development and maintenance of a strong faculty is essential to the future of Carroll College.  The landscape of higher education continues to shift nationally toward a learning-oriented model, changing the role of the professor.  Knowledge in their field and the ability to conduct and present research will only become more important.

Endowment earnings provide support for distinguished faculty in their teaching and research efforts; therefore, the endowed positions are a catalyst for attracting and retaining eminent professors.

Establishing an endowed academic position
An endowed position can be established at a certain level from a donor's current gift or a pledge to provide the funds over a period of time.  An endowed academic position also can be arranged through a "blended gift," which is a current gift plus the establishment of a planned giving vehicle or arrangements in a will to augment and raise the level of the endowed academic position.  Alternatively, an endowed academic position could be established solely through a planned giving vehicle or will.

The five categories of endowed and named academic positions and the minimum funding levels to establish the positions at Carroll College are:

• Professorship: $100,000
• Distinguished Professorship: $250,000
• Chair: $500,000
• Distinguished Chair: $1 million
• Distinguished College Chair: $2 million

Eleven endowed positions have been established since the start of the Centennial Campaign, bringing the total to 13. 

Manion Chair in Biology
The primary purpose of this fund is to establish and maintain the James Manion Science Symposium in honor of the late James Manion, Professor of Biology at Carroll from 1950s to 1980s.  Research and writing programs for senior honors students will be incorporated into this program.  The Manion Chair is  Dr. Gerald Shields

Clarence A. (Bud) Ryan, Steve Ryan & Joe Pat Ryan Distinguished Professorship in Chemistry Endowment
The Professorship involves the awarding annually of research support to an outstanding professor(s) in chemistry or a related area who is (are) active in mentoring Carroll science students through undergraduate research opportunities.  The Ryan Professorships is held by Dr. Kyle Strode.

Byron and Irene Roberts and Albert and Marie Nix Professorship in Engineering
Established by the Roberts and Nix families in 1999.  The endowment will build and enhance the Math and Engineering program at Carroll College.  The Roberts/Nix Professorship is held by Dr. John L. Scharf. 

Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen Endowed Professorship in Peace and Social Justice
To honor the legacy of Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen, Father Stanley Malnar, M.D., director of Sacred Heart Medical Center's Maternity Clinic in Spokane, Wash., established the Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen Endowed Professorship in Peace and Social Justice. Archbishop Hunthausen, a 1943 Carroll graduate, taught chemistry, served as dean of men, and coached both football and basketball before his selection in 1957 as president of Carroll College. He continued to serve the Diocese of Helena as bishop until he was named Archbishop of Seattle in 1975, where he served until his retirement in 1991.  Father Malnar's initial gift has been augmented by several other major gifts to the professorship including gifts from the estate of Mary Koutecky (mother of Carroll first lady Scottie Trebon), Frank and Bonnie Becky, the Rev. Jerry Lowney, and Gene and Mary Lou Mallette.  Thanks to their generosity, the professorship is now close to the Distinguished Professorship designation.  In addition, several individuals have made estate intentions or planned gifts that will eventually fund the Hunthausen Professorship at the Distinguished Chair level. The Hunthausen professorship is held by Dr. Chris Fuller.

Endowed Professorship for Entrepreneurial Business
Established by an anonymous donor in December 1998.  The endowment provides funds in support of programs for entrepreneurial studies in the Business Department of Carroll College. A Business Department Chair shall be the holder of this Professorship.  The Chair of the Business Department will consult with the departmental faculty for input on the use of the funds for a variety of entrepreneurial projects and programs, including but not limited to, faculty development and enrichment, equipment needs related to such studies, seminar or lecture funds, and faculty or student entrepreneurial outreach efforts.  The professor has not been appointed. 

Fr. William F. Greytak Professorship in History and the Humanities
Established by the family of Carroll alumni Thomas Longin, class of 1962, and James Longin, class of 1963, to honor Fr. Greytak, who began his distinguished teaching career at Carroll in the Department of History in 1956 and continues to teach one course each semester as professor emeritus. The Greytak Professorship is held by Robert Swartout. 

Joseph A. Maierle and Morrison-Maierle Endowed Professorship for Civil Engineering
Established by the Carroll  College Engineering Advisory Committee.  The goal of the Committee is to raise funds for a Chair in Civil Engineering.   William "Shrop" and Harlan Shropshire donated the lead gift followed by Morrison-Maierle, Inc, Willis Wetstein and John Morrison. 

William J. Lannan Professorship in Physics
Established by Carroll donor and 1962 graduate in Physics, Roy Simperman, this professorship honors Professor Lannan, a 1954 graduate of Carroll who was Mr. Simperman's mentor in Physics. The Lannan Professorship is held by Associate Professor of Mathematics, Engineering and Physics, Anthony M. Spzilka,

Monsignor Joseph Harrington Endowed Professorship for Philosophy
Established by Margaret E. Perryman to honor Msgr. Harrington's long career, commitment to students and the college, and ongoing leadership.  Funds from the endowment will support the holder's scholarly efforts.  The professor has not been appointed.  

Margaret Perryman Endowed Professorship for Human Animal Bond Degree Program
Margaret Perryman, Class of 1969 and former Board member, established the professorship in support of this  leading-edge program.  Holders of the Professorship shall come from the Human Animal Bond Degree Program faculty.  The professor has not been appointed. 

Henry (Hank) Burgess Professorship in English
Established through the gifts of the legions of grateful English students Professor Burgess influenced and inspired over his five decade Carroll teaching career, the Burgess Professorship will support the scholarly research and writing of a member of the English faculty over an academic year.  The Burgess Professorship is held by Professor of English Ronald S. Stottlemyer. 

Dr. James and Joan Schneller Endowed Professorship in Catholic Mission & Identity
Established to stimulate and enhance on-going community-wide exploration and dialogue about our identity as a Catholic Liberal Arts college.  The professor has not been appointed.  

American Federal Savings Bank Endowed Professorship for Financ
eAmerican Federal Savings Bank established the Professorship advance Finance within the Business Department.  The endowment will provide financial support for the holder's scholarly efforts.  The professor has not been appointed.  

Building Academic Excellence through Institutional Effectiveness

Carroll College received Title III grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Strength­ening Institutions Program. Under this $2 million grant, the college is pursuing new initiatives to strengthen institutional plan­ning and assessment. Accreditation bodies across the U.S. are stressing assessment more than ever before, with a focus on students and faculty evaluating how classes and academic departments are meeting their objectives. Assessment is also necessary at the institutional level, so that a college can examine what it is doing well and where it needs to improve.

Technology pursuant to the Title III grant was installed across campus, including new computers, software systems and the training for faculty and staff to use it most effectively. The new technology has made online class registration, data tracking, information sharing, faculty advising, analysis of enrollment data and student recruitment efforts, and assessment of student housing, academic and extracurricular program offerings. This scientific approach will yield positive results in recruitment, retention and enrollment of the highest caliber students and in measuring the college's success in fulfilling its academic mission.

Catholic & Spiritual Vitality

Carroll College's Catholic and Spiritual Vitality goal is to enhance the quality of the whole learning experience by promoting spiritual vitality of the campus community through learning, dialogue, and action in the areas of Carroll's identity and mission as a diocesan, Catholic, liberal arts college; applying ethics and values in everyday life; and active involvement in social justice issues locally and globally.

Carroll College's Catholic and Spiritual Vitality priority will support

• Endowed Professorships in Catholic Mission
• Program endowments for student leadership and volunteerism, i.e., Sr. Annette Moran Endowment for Servant Leadership established by Dr. Thomas & Scottie Trebon
• Endowments for Catholic programs to supplement funding from the college's operating budget
• Funding to strengthen the mutual purposes of Carroll and the Diocese of Helena in serving the parishes, Catholic schools, clergy and laity in Montana and beyond

Tom and Scottie Trebon have been instrumental in advancing the mission of the college and have designated the Sr. Annette Moran Endowment in Servant Leadership as the initiative that most impacts students' lives. 

Dr. and Mrs. James and Joan Schneller are people of faith who represent what is good about a Carroll graduate - strong family connections, servants in their church, professional lives that reach out to those in need, and using their opportunities to help others in need, guiding young people to Carroll.  Last December, James and Joan added to the Moran Endowment because they see that tomorrow's leaders should be servants. 

Bishop George Leo Thomas and the Diocese of Helena, the college's founder and oldest benefactor - Carroll's owes our progress to the bishops who guided the college and fundraised for the college.  One hundred years ago, the college's faculty were primarily priests.  Today, priest faculty numbers are three, making the commitment to our Catholic identity of high importance to the Diocese.  The Diocese of Helena has made a multi-year pledge to enhance our Catholic Identity. 

Civil Engineering Phase II

To build upon the college's proven success in offering state-of-the-art education and training for future civil engineers, Carroll proposes to develop Phase II of the Civil Engineering Program to strengthen offerings in the four subject areas that are critical in today's world: environmental engineering, water resources, transportation systems, and engineering mechanics.

The Civil Engineering Program at Carroll College was established in 1995 and accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Carroll College is one of only two schools in the U.S. that offers an ABET-accredited Bachelor of Arts degree in civil engineering. The program received the ABET Innovation Award for the adoption of goals for mathematics majors that embrace the principles of ABET Engineering Criteria 2000, and for development of innovative cross-disciplinary curriculum tailored to the needs of mathematics and other disciplines.

The Civil Engineering priority will allow:

• Expansion of the existing civil engineering laboratory
• Acquisition of new equipment for water resources and water treatment
• Hiring a professor with expertise in environmental engineering and science, water chemistry and water treatment

As part of the Campaign, Carroll applied for and received a $191,000 Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education award for curriculum development. 

Developing a Master Plan for the Next Century

As Carroll embarked on planning for its second century, the college knew it needed to invest in its facilities and infrastructure. Responding to this need were Ray ('69) and Elaine Messer, who made a $400,000 gift to pay for the creation of an updated master plan-the key first step in shaping the future of Carroll facilities, including its founding structure, St. Charles Hall-and additional facility studies and planning.

The firm of Dober, Lidsky, Craig and Associates, Inc., was hired, with principal George Mathey working closely with a Campus Planning committee comprised of members of the college administration, faculty and staff. In this highly interactive and participatory approach to campus facility planning, a final plan addresses the needs of students and academic and administrative departments in creating cam­pus buildings and facilities to serve Carroll through its second century.

Enhancing Programs in Natural Sciences

During the 2007-08 academic year, Carroll College received a $522,125 grant from the E.L. Wiegand Foundation of Reno, Nev., to establish the E.L. Wiegand Undergraduate Research Center in the college's Simperman Hall science building. Renovation work be­gan in summer 2008, with the new labs and classrooms opening this fall.

The Wiegand grant funded renovation of six laboratories, classrooms, and prep spaces on Simperman Hall's second floor. The grant provided further resources that allowed the college to acquire new molecular-grade equipment. These improvements are an integral component of Carroll's new degree program in biochemistry/molecular biol­ogy. The project also significantly enhances undergraduate research opportunities in the life sciences and lays the foundation for curricular improvements that will better in­tegrate mathematics, physics and chemistry into biology courses.

In addition to the grant award, Dr. LeRoy and Irene Byrd, '60, and Dr. Donald ('59) and Joanne Olson donated a total of $46,500 for the purchase of laboratory equipment to complete the renovation.

Human-Animal Bond Degree Program

Carroll College has the foundation in place to offer the nation's first Bachelor of Arts degree in a subspecialty of human-animal studies. Housed within the college's Department of Psychology, the Human-Animal Bond Degree Program will focus on the beneficial relationship between individuals and animals. By grounding this innovative bachelor's degree within the social science of psychology, Carroll College is developing a new frontier for students and practicing professionals who are interested in working with animals in a social service setting, and advancing the academic discipline of human-animal studies.

To date, the growth of academic programs in human-animal studies, particularly at the undergraduate level, has not kept pace with the attention afforded to the discipline by individual scholars. The development of the Human-Animal Bond Degree Program aligns with Carroll College's mission and its Catholic tradition of producing undergraduates who are rigorously trained in the liberal arts and sciences and who are prepared to contribute to society through community service, leadership, and stewardship of the world that surrounds them. In addition, by providing continuing education and support in the field for practicing professionals, the college will also meet its institutional goal of developing programs that serve the broader community.

"As a college student, I studied zoology, animal science and animal behavior. But in all of my academic training, I never found that class that helped me to better understand why so many people across all cultures deeply value animal companions. The relationship that we have with animals is so important, it is worthy of its own new discipline. I am thrilled to offer this new curriculum to our students. Through learning, research and service our students will become the new leaders in this field." -Anne Perkins, Ph.D., head of Human-Animal Bond Degree Program

Progress To-Date - $253,192 raised

The Human-Animal Bond Advisory Board committed to raising operating funds for program start-up and to create student scholarships and an endowed professorship. In 2008, a generous gift from advisory board member Margaret Perryman, Class of 1969 and former Board member, established a professorship in Human-Animal Bond. Additionally, advisory board members and friends provided $153,192 in cash and pledges. 

Library for our Second Century

The Jack and Sallie Corette Library at Carroll College celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.  The world has changed dramatically since 1979, when Carroll's campus library first opened its doors.  We've ushered in the Information Age, and as a result today's generation of students is using technology to approach learning in a way unlike any before them.  To serve our community well, the Second Century Corette Library must function as more than an information resource; it must also provide seamless access to technology, a place for students and faculty to interact intellectually and socially, and physical spaces that accommodate our growing student body.

PARTICIPATING IN THE EVOLUTION OF LEARNING

Updates to the library's physical systems are essential to the facility's capacity to handle the increased electrical loads required for modern technology. Classrooms and study areas will be reconfigured into organic and free-flowing interiors that reflect our natural environment, maximize space, and inspire interdisciplinary collaboration by allowing people to come together in meeting spaces, study areas, and technology centers.

ESTABLISHING A TEACHING & LEARNING TECHNOLOGY CENTER (TLTC)

To support the integration of technology into the academic life of Carroll students and faculty, the library will be home to cutting-edge classrooms and computer labs, video conference rooms, and multimedia workstations and group study rooms.  The library will also be the new home for the Teaching and Learning Technology Center (TLTC), a facility that

will test and promote new teaching software and technology, and assist students and faculty in incorporating technology into their class assignments and lectures.

CELEBRATING CARROLL'S RESIDENTIAL NATURE

The new library will be a destination spot for learning, studying, and socializing on the northeast side of campus. All of our research tells us that students still love to be surrounded by books when they study, and the power of this physical element has been taken account in the interior design. Flexible "micro-environments" scattered throughout library will accommodate quiet and social, individual and group study styles, while cozy seating and a coffee shop are included in the new 24/7 study area. 

Student Scholarships

Student enrollment and retention hinges on one simple solution: increased scholarships for our students. Most Carroll students receive several scholarships through different endowed funds to pay their tuition and expenses. Scholarships maintain access to higher education and position students for the best chance of economic success after graduation.

Carroll College asks those who share the vision of Bishop Carroll to bring their faith into action in the Learn-Serve-Lead Centennial Campaign, assuring the future of Carroll students and alumni through a solid commitment to scholarship support.

Avail yourself of Centennial Scholarship Match

The Carroll College Board of Trustees approved up to $2 million to match dollar-for-dollar all scholarships established or augmented during the Centennial Campaign.

Gifts or pledges will be matched equally with funds from the college based on the following: 

• Gifts or pledges of at least $10,000 used to establish a new endowed scholarship
• Gifts or pledges of any size to an already established endowed scholarship account
• A cash gift of $10,000 or more for student cash grant scholarships (note: the match will be made to a fully-funded endowed scholarship)

A pledge of three years or less is recommended for a new endowed scholarship fund.

Often, scholarships are created and funded by individuals who, themselves, were assisted by scholarships during their own undergraduate years.  These generous people believe that their support of scholarships is a way to pay back. These scholarship donors find joy in lending a helping hand to a promising and grateful young person in need.  Recent Scholarship Matches: 

• To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the ordination of Rev. Dan Shea (class of 1965), an endowed scholarship was established through the generosity of his family and friends, including members of his parish at Our Lady of the Valley in Helena.
• Gene (class of 1955) and Peggy McMahon of Helena gave a cash grant scholarship that is being fully matched by Carroll to activate the Gene & Peggy McMahon Endowed Scholarship.
• Hank and Sharon Lang (class of 1957 and 1960 respectively), who are members of St. Mary's parish in Helena, crafted a unique answer to our students' needs. Hank's lifetime hobby of coin collecting that began in his undergraduate years at Carroll culminated in his decision to sell his treasures and put the proceeds toward a new endowed scholarship at the college to assist Saints students who are parishioners at St. Mary's.
• Dr. Jerry (class of 1963) and Cheryl Berberet are responsible for two endowed matched scholarships. Dr. Berberet set up a scholarship in his own name, specifically to offer tuition assistance for history majors. In addition, he and members of his family have also established an endowed scholarship in honor of his parents Bill and Grace.
• Dr. and Mrs. Joseph, class of 1956, and Janet Brakovec of Knoxville, Tennessee crafted the Brakovec Family Endowed Scholarship Fund to offer financial assistance for science and engineering majors with high grades and financial need.  This scholarship will be  matched.  Brakovec's benefits from national legislation that changed the rules for charitable gifts made from individual retirement accounts (IRAs). If you are over age 70 1/2, the Federal government now permits you to rollover amounts from your IRA to charity without claiming any increased income or paying any additional tax. These tax-free rollover gifts could be $1,000, $10,000 or any amount up to $100,000 in one year.

Our list of matching fund endowed scholarship supporters is constantly growing. Others who have seen how powerful this style of giving can be include Roy Simperman (class of 1962) and Carroll board of trustees members Karen Fagg (class of 1975), Caroline Boitano and Mark Semmens (class of 1982) jointly with his wife Rosemary (Walsh) Semmens (class of 1983).

Upgrades to Nelson Stadium

Nelson Stadium capital improvements include:

• Purchase and installation of an artificial playing surface;
• Additional bleacher seating behind the opposing bench;
• Stadium lighting; and
• Upgrade to the soccer complex.

Nelson Stadium, which opened in 2001, accommodates 4,000 fans, offers outstanding appointments, including deluxe skyboxes, and has hosted numerous national playoff games in addition to serving as the home of the five-time NAIA national champion Carroll Fighting Saints.  Demands on the stadium are guiding the planned improvements.  

The benefits of the renovation will be substantial to the College's future and level of athletic achievement. First, installation of an artificial playing surface in the Stadium is the priority in the Nelson Stadium renovation. A modern playing surface improves safety, security, and comfort of athletes; maximizes the use of College facilities and grounds; increases the number of events held on the field; and reduces the costs for field maintenance. Second, the proposed bleacher installation will increase seating capacity by nearly 2,000, which will directly address Carroll's immediate need to accommodate the crowds that arrive for Saints athletic events. Third, the soccer practice field upgrades will improve turf and make the field regulation size.  Lastly, field lighting will expand sporting and cultural opportunities at Carroll and in the Helena community.

Dr. Jack McMahon made a $100,000 initial gift for the field enhancements at Nelson Stadium.

Jack and Billie Jo (class of 1964) Collishaw believe that the improvements to the stadium offer a tremendous opportunity for the Helena community and have made a $250,000 pledge.