Revitalizing student life
Upon assuming the chancellorship at Montana Tech, Dr. Les Cook, with his extensive background in student affairs, was met with the expectation that he would prioritize enhancing the student experience. Over the past six years, campus leaders, alumni, and students alike have witnessed a significant transformation in student life, marked by the introduction of numerous new programs, expanded staff, and enhanced services.
Layton Bahnmiller (B.S. Mechanical Engineering, ’22; M.S. General Engineering, ’24) is an alumnus from Big Sandy who has seen the impact of Chancellor Cook’s tenure on the student experience.
“Not many students can say they personally know their Chancellor and received a quality education at the same institution, but that is the amazing thing about Dr. Cook and Montana Tech,” Bahnmiller said. “From being involved in Make A Difference Day, to listening to students over lunch, and cheering on our Orediggers, Les has grown and promoted student life through hard work and dedication to Tech and the Butte community. It has been empowering to see the passion and drive that he holds for the students here and for higher education. I feel honored to call him friend and mentor.”
ASMT President Taylor Liva, a Butte native, agrees with Bahnmiller’s assessment. “Over the past few years, Dr. Cook has made the conscious effort to be highly involved in student life on campus,” Liva said. “You can always count on him and Steph to be at athletic events, activities around campus, or just out in the community. It is very easy to see how Dr. Cook cares about each and every student here, and his impact on student life will be long-lasting.”
Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of Students Dr. Joe Cooper says that he’s seen an increase in energy on campus. Events hosted by the Admissions Office—like Tech Days, where prospective students have their initial encounter with Montana Tech—give a kickstart into life as an Oredigger.
“People are excited with the atmosphere that we have,” Cooper said. “That carries through to when they actually arrive for orientation. There has been a progressive evolution of our new student orientation program, and we’ve reached a new peak of excitement after completely reimagining the experience. It has led to us seeing some of the highest numbers, if not the highest numbers, we’ve ever seen of students participating in orientation.”
Associate Dean of Students and Executive Director of Student Success Sarah North Wolfe notes that her office also added SHARP, a summer bridge program, to much success in summer 2024. Thirty students participated, and moved into the residence halls early to attend a holistic experience meant to jumpstart their college journey. There were academic-themed sessions and activities to make students feel like Montana Tech and Butte are home.
“What stood out to me about that program is the relationships that the students built with each other and with their faculty and staff on campus,” North Wolfe said. “It created a sense of belonging that they built by really deepening those connections.”
A number of programs or positions have been added to help enhance the student experience. Chancellor Cook’s office spearheaded the effort to get the Outdoor Tech Program established at Montana Tech. The program helps students access equipment for outdoor activities, and schedules a number of outdoor adventures every year, from bear spray training in the courtyard, to guided tours of Lewis and Clark Caverns, Forest Service cabin camping trips, and climbing sessions at Recreate Climbing.
Montana Tech also now offers a Food Pantry, Casual Clothing Closet, and Career Closet, where community members can donate essential items to students in need. Program Manager of Outreach and Success Cheyenne Crooker’s position was created to ensure students had a designated resource where they could get connected to campus and community resources. Montana Tech has also expanded its mental health counseling and student wellness offerings by partnering with Mantra Health, which offers services 24/7 online, bolstering the
availability of on-campus counselor Cara DeBolt.
While Cooper and North Wolfe say the added programs may not all be groundbreaking or completely unique compared to what is offered at other colleges, they are committed to making sure each one fits and fills a need at Montana Tech.
“We’re putting the infrastructure in place, so that they feel connected here,” North Wolfe said. “In a recent pulse survey of all new students from this past fall, we asked if they think they belong. Overwhelmingly, they responded that they do feel like they belong here and they are pleased with their choice to attend Montana Tech.”
North Wolfe oversees the Academic Center for Excellence, which provides tutoring, academic advising, and mentoring to students. While those tasks may seem simple, North Wolfe says the job consists of much more than simply showing students their degree plan.
“We know students who come to Montana Tech are going to thrive here because they know how to work hard. I don’t do the hard work;the students do. The students are the ones who are building themselves up and who
are putting that hard work in,” North Wolfe said. “We just have to figure out how to harness and direct that hard work into helping them reach their goals. Advising is so much more than advising. It’s building relationships.”
A strong relationship with an advisor can profoundly shape a student’s academic and
personal journey.
“We know that when you say something out loud, you’re more likely to do it,” North Wolfe said. “By helping a student understand ‘What does success mean to me?’ it allows us to say ‘OK, now you know what you’re looking for, here are the tools to get you there.”
Cooper says he sees the impact of student success in the overwhelming growth of the Career Fair, which Chancellor Cook has put effort into bolstering. The Career Fair has had record participation in recent years. One of the biggest assets at the Career Fair, Cooper says, is that students have an immense sense of pride in their education and their university, and believe that they have what it takes to succeed.
“It builds the reputation of the institution when you’ve got students, faculty, and staff who truly believe we are the best, that this is a world-class institution,” Cooper said. “We’re not the best-kept secret anymore. We don’t need to be modest about what we’re capable of. Employers recognize that. They see that level of confidence and they
know the value Montana Tech produces.”
The increasing demand for on-campus living, evidenced by full residence halls even with the addition of the Living and Learning Center in 2019, underscores the positive impact of this experience on students. To meet this growing need, the university is actively exploring future options for expanding residential capacity.
“Now we are having conversations about what the next build is and when it will be,”
Cooper said.
More students are wanting to stay in on-campus housing past their freshman year.
“I think a part of it certainly is the housing market, but I’m confident a big piece is that our students are saying, ‘I had a great experience living on campus,’” Cooper said.
Chancellor Cook’s fingerprints are all over a number of small improvements that students might not even think of as they walk the halls of Montana Tech. Every semester new canvas photos of students engaged in activities on campus are added to the hallways. It’s not uncommon to see Cook and his wife Stephanie going around on the weekend, swapping old photos out with the new. Students have even told Cooper and North Wolfe that they have goals of being featured on a canvas before they graduate.
“You see actual images and examples of our students doing the things they do, swing dancing, working in the labs, athletics,” Cooper said. “It does make it a lot more vibrant.”
The Marcus Daly Dining Hall also underwent a $1 million renovation, and a new food service vendor was hired to enhance food service quality and the campus dining experience. The Dining Hall has also added a fan favorite—the soft-serve ice cream machine—that brings more joy to meals on campus, at Cook’s urging. While these
things may seem subtle, Cooper and North Wolfe believe that they are reasons students identify Montana Tech as home. There are swing dances and Dungeons and Dragons events. There’s Pride Club, Ski Club, and dozens of others. Montana Tech is a place where students find their community.
“Students are wanting to flock to this vibrant campus,” Cooper said. “They want to be
here. It’s not just first-year students, it’s returning students as well, who want to be
in the thick of it. That’s why on the weekends, at night, parking lots are still full. The
dining hall is now packed at meal times—sometimes it’s hard to find a seat, which is a
great problem to have.”