Dael Householder

Dael Householder says that even as an incoming freshman from Ismay, he knows the Montana State University campus from multiple trips here as a part of 4-H. Though campus wasn't a surprise when he arrived, he is excited about going to the Cat-Griz game Nov. 20 in Missoula.

"The coolest thing will be the Cat-Griz game," Householder says. "I played football until I was injured my senior year," he adds by way of explanation. He also played basketball, though he doesn't plan to pursue either sport while at MSU.

Taking their place will be a hefty line up of classes, including biology, chemistry, statistics and communications. He says he chose MSU and those classes because he hopes to go back to the Ismay area a few years from now as a veterinarian.

Why MSU? "I got tuition paid for being at the top of my class, and it's a place close to home that I can start for pre-vet," he says.

He has a bit of a head-start on veterinary work when it comes to working with cattle. His folks run Angus-Simmental-cross cattle on their ranch north of Ismay and east of Terry.

Householder says he's interested in becoming a veterinarian because he likes "working with cattle. That's what I'm mostly interested in, and then the small animals come along with it. It seems like an interesting occupation." He got started thinking about being a vet when he was very young. "We had a hired man who was going into pre-vet and through 4-H I took programs that were involved in that."

In addition to class work, he plans to spend his time becoming active in several clubs and making new friends. First on his list is Pre-Vet Club, and perhaps Block and Bridle and Collegiate 4-H.

Dorm life he expects to be fun, based on "talking with kids who have been there previously." Dorms "are somewhat homelike, almost like you have a family. You have a close-knit group."

by Carol Flaherty