Student News

Outstanding Student:  Troy Andersen

Hometown: Dillon, Montana

Major:  Agricultural Business | Minor: Business Administration

MSU Activities: MSU Bobcat Football

Honors: 2020 MSU Award for Excellence, 2021 Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, Stats Perform FCS Finalist, 2021NFF National Scholar-Athlete and Campbell Trophy finalist, Team Captain MSU Bobcat Football (two years), Academic All-Big Sky (multiple years), President's List (multiple semesters), Dean's List (multiple semesters)

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Troy Anderson has been selected as the DAEE Outstanding Student in Agricultural Business for his academic and athletic success, his volunteerism, and the leadership qualities he exhibits as he balances all these endeavors.

Troy grew up on the family ranch outside of Dillon, where he helped work the family's cattle, hay the fields, and performed other farm chores, while also playing football and basketball, and running track. He worked equally hard at school, graduating high school as the valedictorian of his class.

That dedication carried over to his time at Montana State, said Troy's mentor, Randy Rucker, Professor Emeritus
of Economics. Dr. Rucker nominated Troy for an MSU Alumni Foundation Award for Excellence this spring. In his
nominating materials, Dr. Rucker lauds Troy's dedication in the classroom, as well as on the football field.

"Virtually every Bobcat sports fan knows who Troy is from his exemplary performance on the football field over the past
three years. Fewer realize what an outstanding student he is, with a cumulative grade point average just below a perfect
4.0," Dr. Rucker wrote in his nomination.

"I have been Troy’s advisor for about two years, and he has been an easy-keeper, is always prepared for our meetings
and has progressed through our Agricultural Business program in a timely manner," Dr. Rucker wrote. "In my capstone Agricultural Policy course this past fall, Troy finished the semester as the top student in the class, and his performance on the final exam was one of the best I have seen in the (roughly) 25 years I have taught that course."

Since coming to MSU, Troy has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity to build houses in Gilwice, Poland, and Livingtson, Montana. Over the past three years, he has volunteered to read books to Bozeman elementary school students and assisted with physical education classes. He has also helped coach numerous summer football camps for elementary and high school students.

Through Team IMPACT, Troy befriended Barrett Artukovich, a boy from Big Timber who in 2019 was diagnosed with Stage 4A Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 7. He still stays in touch with Barrett, now 9 years old and in remission.

At the time of this writing, results are pending for a number of honors and awards for which Troy is nominated, and where he may be headed after the football season ends.

For an updated list of his accomplishments, go to: https://msubobcats.com/sports/football/roster/troy-andersen/5141.

Outstanding Student: Alli Onoszko 

Hometown: Columbus, Montana

Major: Economics | Minor: Sociology

MSU Activities: ECNS 105 Peer Leader (four semesters), ECNS 101 Teacher's Assistant (two semesters), Student-Athlete Tutor, Montana Circle K International Governor, Montana Circle K International Secretary/Treasurer, Text and Critics Fellow

Honors: Highest Distinction Graduate, President's List (multiple semesters), Dean's List (multiple semesters)

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Why did you chose your major and Montana State University?

I grew up in Montana and knew throughout high school that I wanted to receive my undergrad somewhere in the state. I made my final decision to attend MSU senior year while I was visiting a friend who attended the university. We spent an afternoon at Cold Smoke doing homework and I fell in love with the Bozeman atmosphere.

I applied to MSU as a psychology major, but I took a random economics class online as a senior and quickly realized I was not ready to be done studying economics. I switched my major before the fall semester and, although I’m sure the Psychology Department is wonderful, I am very thankful for my decision.

What classes were among your favorites?

I am being completely sincere when I say that I have not taken a DAEE course I did not enjoy. The Economics Department has wonderful professors and staff members who make each class interesting, well-taught, and purposeful.

Of the courses I took, I particularly enjoyed the Economics of Crime and Risky Behavior, Health Economics, Managerial Economics, and Behavioral Economics. All of my professors for these courses were clearly masters in their field and took pride in making sure their students truly understood the material. I cannot recommend them enough.

What advice would you share with incoming freshman?

I am by no means an expert, but the biggest piece of advice I can give is to find a major you love. When you’re passionate about your end goal and classes, the long hours you put into your degree don’t seem so long — or at least if they do, you feel like it’s worth it.

Take advantage of professor and TA office hours. This makes a world of difference for not only your grades, but also your understanding of the material. Enroll in classes that really interest you. If you’re not sure about taking a course, talk to the professor teaching it. The best place to do homework in my experience has been in a private room on the third floor of the library with the mocha special and a friend who is just as busy with school as you are. As a freshman, college feels so big and eternal, but you get better at the work and the years go by even faster than everyone tells you they will.

How do you like to spend your free time?

My favorite ways to spend free time — when I have it — are camping, spending time on the water, and roasting marshmallows. I think the best place to be is anywhere around a campfire. When our Montana winters hit, I spend most of my free time cozying up with a good cup of coffee working on my hand-lettering.

What are your post-graduation goals?

I am currently in the process of applying to law schools to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming an attorney. I plan to attend law school in the fall of 2022. Between graduation and law school, I plan to work and catch up on reading that doesn’t require an essay afterward.

Six-word MSU story:
All the coffee in the library

Fall 21 Peer Leaders

Economics peer leaders instruct one-credit courses designed to offer additional support to students in ECNS 101 and ECNS 202.  In class, peer leaders assign homework, hold discussions and review class materials. They also hold one-on-one office hours.

Financial Engineering Club

New this year is the student-led Financial Engineering Club. The club's purpose is to bring current and incoming students together to build a collaborative learning environment while studying at MSU. This organization serves as a network for Financial Engineering majors, minors, and those considering the program. Throughout the year, students will be introduced to the industry through seminars, faculty lectures, and club meetings. For more information, email [email protected] or visit: https://montanastate.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/efinclub.

Financial Engineering Club officers from left: Steven Ohms, Kenadee Chartier, Trilby Patton,
Landon Sielaff

Emory Hoelscher-Hull first MSU student selected for prestigious toxicology program

Emory Hoelscher-Hull, a junior majoring in MSU's environmental health program and minoring in economics, became the first MSU student to be selected for a national toxicology mentorship program.

Hoelscher-Hull is one of 25 undergraduate students nationwide selected for the Toxicology Mentoring and Skills Development Training Program. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the program pairs students with professional mentors at academic institutions and regulatory bodies who study and practice toxicology.

“Toxicology is a field where it’s really easy to tie in environmental justice. The people that are most affected by these types of issues are often racial minorities, people in poverty and people in rural communities, like here in Montana,” said Hoelscher-Hull. “I thought this program sounded like a really cool opportunity to learn more about something I didn’t know much about and explore something that I could potentially see myself doing.”

The goal of the mentorship program is to encourage undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds to explore graduate school and career options in the field of toxicology. The yearlong experience will include networking events with other mentors and mentees around the country, a trip to the Society of Toxicologists annual meeting in San Diego and a site visit for each student to their mentor’s facilities.

Hoelscher-Hull hopes to ultimately create educational materials that can be distributed in the Bozeman community to practice improved science communication and community engagement when it comes to water quality.

Hoelscher-Hull’s mentor is Kristin Licko, a toxicologist based in the Chicago area who studies water quality and various water contaminants. Licko is an instructor at Michigan State University and also works with the Water Quality Association, a non-governmental organization that evaluates water treatment products and conducts water quality risk assessments.

“My two big goals were to learn more about toxicology and to get better at science communication,” said Hoelscher-Hull. “We’re often learning to write for an audience that’s much more advanced in its scientific knowledge than the average person. I think that’s a gap in toxicology. We can discover all these issues, but how do we communicate that in a way that the members of affected communities understand?”

As she spends the next year connecting with toxicologists and students from around the country, Hoelscher-Hull will be focusing on putting the “community” in community health. At the outset, she said she is already learning the importance of showing young people what they can accomplish through education and collaboration.

“The biggest thing I’ve taken away from this is the importance of having those designated mentors,” she said. “Having someone you can talk to about both academic and personal aspects of life is really great and really helpful. My mentor been in my shoes before. To see how she made it work in toxicology, a field that is dominated by men, is really special and gives me someone I can look up to.”

— Reagan Colyer, MSU News

Read the full story at: https://www.montana.edu/news/21518/first-msu-student-accepted-into-national-toxicology-program

2021 DAEE scholarship exam awardees

The Dave Buschena Memorial Scholarship was created in memory of Dave Buschena, an agricultural economics faculty member who passed away in 2010. Scholarships are awarded based on the results of the annual Undergraduate Scholarship Exam administered each fall. This year, more than $4,000 was distributed among three DAEE students.

Alec Fluer
Sophomore
Economics

Jordyn Lucier
Junior
Economics

Kade Sciuchetti
Junior
Financial Engineering