MSU All Staff Council Newsletter
Featured Staff Member
Jeff Schultz - College of Arts & Architecture Publications Manager
I have been a member of the MSU community since 2016 where I worked at University Printing as a digital technician before moving to the School of Architecture to manage their small in house printing facility. My career in printing began at a small newspaper in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1979 inserting the comics and ads into the morning papers. I eventually became a 6 color offset press operator, and later moved into the digital processing sector of the printing industry. A lot has changed in the printing industry since then, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share what I have learned with the students of MSU.
Born and raised in Butte, Montana, I enjoy fly fishing, golf, motorcycle riding, and learning more about Butte’s rich mining heritage. My free time is spent with my wife Monica and daughter Lauren, along with our two dogs, Jack and Lucy.
National Mentoring Month
The custom of mentoring comes from ancient Greece named for Mentor, the adviser of the young Telemachus in Homer’s book, The Odyssey. Mentoring is more than professional development. It is special relationship between two individuals where a more advanced individual provides professional knowledge from a more experienced perspective. Mentors offer advice, provide support and answer questions. Mentors can also provide valuable professional and career advice as well as coaching mentees on long term development. Mentoring is not just for the workplace. You can also be mentored in beauty, life skills, craftsmanship, and a variety of hobbies.
Do you want to make this National Mentoring Month extra special? Say thank you to those who have supported, coached, and provided you advice over the years. What better way to show your gratitude to your mentors? Saying thank you may sound like nothing or even be a little embarrassing but being grateful can go a long way.
National Mentoring Month Activities
1. Be a mentor for someone
Join a mentoring program if available or be a helping hand to someone who needs assistance. The best part about being a mentor is that there is no age limit.
2. Find a mentor to guide you
Decide what goals you want to achieve. If you want to improve professionally, search for a mentor in the professional community. Finding a mentor to work with will be easier once you know what goals to achieve.
3. Treat the mentors in your life
Thank your mentor with a nice gift this month or take them out for lunch. Mentors tend to be very patient and deserve all the appreciation given to them. Even if money is an issue the simple gesture of thanking them for their time and work in you makes all the difference.
Why We Love National Mentoring Month
1. Mentoring creates unity
Mentoring allows people to grow and improve themselves. It brings people from all walks of life together. Goals are so much more attainable when there is a mentor who helps you accomplish your vision.
2. Seeking a mentor builds courage
National Mentoring Month is a great way to introduce yourself to others and build courage. It can be daunting to ask someone to mentor you, but it all starts with deciding where you want to be successful.
3. Mentor others to help your community
Many states offer chances for young people to join mentoring communities. Even if you are changing professions or are looking for a new start, the mentoring programs allow for people of all ages to meet others to help them to achieve their goals.
MSU Extension Offers Updated Legal and Financial Information For Caregivers of Those With Memory Loss
MSU News Service
January 3, 2023
BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension has partnered with the Montana Alzheimer’s Work Group, the Department of Public Health and Human Services, Alzheimer’s Association-Montana Chapter and AARP Montana to offer Montana-specific information for caregivers and others concerned about memory loss.
The Work Group has a revised website with vital information on Alzheimer’s in Montana, including resources for health care professionals and caregivers; a list of support agencies; and online education videos. Visit mtalzplan.org for more information.
“Many people don’t realize we have more than 22,000 people aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s in Montana,” said Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension family economics specialist and member of the Alzheimer’s Work Group. “Dementia places substantial emotional, physical and financial stress on affected individuals and their family members. This website is a great resource if you have a loved one with memory issues.”
Additionally, the work group is currently updating its state plan to better serve Montanans. The mission of the state plan is to improve the lives of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in Montana and to provide better support for their families and caregivers. The work group’s four new goals are:
- Increase public awareness, prevention and early detection of dementia, and brain heath strategies.
- Enhance the quality, access and coordination of dementia care.
- Enhance and expand support for family caregivers.
- Advance ADRD research, encourage evidence-based practices and enhance data capabilities related to dementia’s impact and the effects of research into interventions.
“The purpose of the plan was, and still is, to address the current and future needs of individuals and families who are living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,” said Dan Koltz, MSU assistant professor and Extension gerontology specialist and member of the work group.
Another resource for Montanans concerned about memory loss is a free packet from MSU Extension. The packet includes fact sheets, called MontGuides, about financial and health care powers of attorney, wills, letters of last instruction, Medicaid and long-term care costs, Provider’s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment, and more. The Montana Alzheimer’s Association provided three brochures and information about its 24/7 helpline. AARP Montana supplied an explanation of the Montana Caregiver Act. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services added a brochure about the Montana Lifespan Respite Voucher Program.
To order the packet or download the information, visit https://www.montana.edu/extension/alzheimers/packet. Readers without computer access can contact Marsha Goetting at 406-994-5695 to leave their name and mailing address.
“We want family members to be able to execute appropriate legal documents for their circumstances,” said Kerrie Reidelbach from the Montana Office on Aging. “We also want to ensure they have access to Montana-specific materials about legal and financial alternatives.”
Marsha Goetting, 406-994-5695 or [email protected]
Get To Know Your Council Members
Genevieve Burmeister - University Catering Sales Director
I started with University Catering in January of 2020. University Catering averages about 50 events per week, anywhere from coffee and doughnuts for meetings of 25 people to plated dinners for 500…sometimes within the same day! We have the very best team on campus here in Catering, we are small but mighty!
I am originally from Dallas but have resided in Bozeman for the past 25 years. While in college in Nacogdoches Texas I read that you could walk for a mile in Montana and not see another person. While the Gallatin Valley has changed over the last two decades, there are those sweet spots where this is still true. I enjoy spending time with my husband and two grown sons finding those spots.
Polly Kogel - University Business Services, Account Payable Manager
I joined the Accounts Payable department at MSU almost 5 years ago. I am proud to work with such a remarkable group of dedicated individuals who take such amazing responsibility for their roles to assure that payments are processed in a timely and efficient manner. As the Accounts Payable Manager, I am always looking for ways of how this department can better serve the rest of the campus. I feel my seat on the All Staff Council will be beneficial to this endeavor, as well as provide me with an opportunity to educate others on the role this department plays for the campus community.
I grew up in a small town in South Dakota where everyone knows everyone and neighbors look out for each other. I went to college at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. Living on Lake Superior was so exciting to this kid from the great plains! I always thought I would eventually live on the ocean somewhere. And then I moved to Bozeman at the end of 1994 and fell in love with the mountains. Now, I can’t imagine living anywhere else! I enjoy getting out and enjoying the outdoors with my husband and dog, hiking, skiing, and camping, and taking vacations to where we can be on the ocean whenever we can.