Vol. 2 Issue 1 Fresh news every day at www.rocky.edu January 2008

Rocky Now: Keeping our friends and supporters informed aboutwhat’s new and exciting at Rocky Mountain College

It’s all about our students

If you everhave doubtsabout whetheryour contribu -tions to RMCmake a differ -ence, we thinkyou’ll find itrefreshing toread about astudent likeMarianneUnquera.

Mariannebegan her aca-demic career atRMC when shewas only 16years old. Sheis on track tograduate early,finishing inthree ratherthan four years. An exceptional student –she had a perfect record of making theDean’s List every semester – she also wasa master at time management, handling awork-study position with the marketingand publications office for three years.“She has been indispensable,” said DanBurkhart, director of marketing. “She is anextraordinary student and work study.”Marianne has managed all the email medialists, written and sent out press releasesand supervised the hometown news distri-bution. In addition, she was responsible formarketing campaigns for summer schooland the annual symposium on religion andculture. Currently, she is student teaching,on her way to a degree in education. RMCwill have no prouder graduate thanMarianne, and RMC can be just as proudof her.

Student-managed endowment class avoids the carnage

and delivers a winning portfolio for the 8th year straight

Outperforming Wall St.

The stock market encountereda few bumps in the road during2007, but the student-managedRocky Mountain CollegeEndowment Fund navigatedthrough the carnage created bythe housing industry’s sub-primemess in good order.

The fund for the eighth con-secutive year outperformed itsprimary benchmark, the Standard& Poor’s 500 Index, and closedthe year with a value of$269,041.00, a gain of 9.5 per-cent.

The management of thesefunds is accomplished throughthe Principles of Investing classand the RMC Investment Club atthe College taught by Prof. JimAnderson, business administra-tion and economics. This year’sInvestment Club had expandedmembership and was much morestructured with meetings everyother Thursday for one hour. Thefrequency of these meetingsallowed the Club to cover anarray of topics and resulted in amore pro-active direction in the fund thisyear. The fund’s asset allocation is domi-nated by natural resource, hard assetinvestments and that strategy has workedwell again in 2007. Between the shortpositions and cash holdings, fully 36% ofthe account is hedged against a perceivedpoor year for the general stock market.

“Investing is a strange business. It’sthe only one we know of where the moreexpensive the products get, the more cus-tomers want to buy them. Students mustlearn to think for themselves. They needto approach investing with an open,inquisitive mind, to learn to think about

the unthinkable and, in essence, to learnhow to think about those items ‘outsidethe box’ of existing investment ideas,”Prof. Anderson said.

The theory of contrary opinion andvalue analysis plays a big part in thissearch for ideas that will provide solidinvestment results. Over the past eightyears these theories have produced excel-lent rates of return. A side benefit of thesereturns has resulted in $46,500.00 beingpaid back to the College with a vastmajority of those funds going to studentsin the form of scholarships or work aidprojects, explained Prof. Anderson.

R O C K Y N O W

RMC PHOTOMarianne Unquera beganher college career at an ear-lier than usual age, and willwind it up on a fast track,completing her degree inthree years.

Dave Shumway, RMC

Prof. Jim Anderson leads a discussion with the RMCInvestment Club.

Rocky Mountain College ■ 1511 Poly Drive ■ Billings, Montana 59102Ph: 1.800.877.6259

Find out more about what’s new and exciting at Rocky online at:

www.rocky.edu

Thanks to you,choir nears goalfor overseas trip

The call for donations for theRMC Choir’s trip to Bulgariaresulted in significant contributionswhich has helped near the $37,500needed.“Thank you so much,” said BobFitzGerald, RMC director of majorgifts, to those who responded.“We only have $6,000 more toraise.”

Last year, Dr. Steven Hart,RMC’s music professor and choirdirector, was a guest conductor atan international conductor work-shop in Bulgaria. This year, whenhe returns he will have with him 25members of the RMC Choir.

“It will be a fantastic experiencefor the choir,” Dr. Hart said. Notonly will they work with differentconductors, they will perform withBulgarian choirs during the nine-day event before traveling to the“seat of music,” Vienna, home ofMozart and Beethoven.

While the choir, representingRMC, pays half the total expenseof the trip, the other half -- $37,500-- needs to be raised. Anyone wish-ing to help, please send your con-tribution to RMC Development.

Brandon K. Hogan, a for-mer RMC student and nowa Hollywood producer,returned to speak to thecampus community aboutprojects he’s working on.Hogan produced the films“Afghan Knights,” “Borderto Border,” “Revolution,”“Fight’s On,” and a recentdocumentary made in Iraqabout the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade helicopter pilots.He spoke at Rocky HallThursday, Jan. 17, 2008, toaviation students. TheBillings Gazette, and bothKULR and KTVQ coveredhis visit, which is great publicity for RMC. Hogan was mentored by Mel Gibson and wonan Emmy award for his creative participation in the ABC mini-series “Son of the MorningStar”. He recently received his astronaut wings and is producing a film about the life ofBuzz Aldrin. “Rocky is a special place to me and I’m happy to help out when I can,” hesaid. And RMC is happy to have his help. Hogan will be lending his support for someupcoming major fund raisers.

Dave Shumway, RMCBrandon Hogan discussed films he’s produced while he visited withRMC students at Rocky Hall.

Film producer returns to RMC to give talk

Great News from Planned Giving!40 percent Montana Tax Credit qualifying year end planned gifts

exceeded $140,000 this year, a 15% increase over last year!

This money raises our endowment and allows our donors tax relief! Thank you!Contact RMC Planned Giving Director Obert Undem

at 406-657-1142 to learn how this can benefit you and RMC.

New RMC signs coming soon!Our generous donors have donated

enough money to pay for signs to beplaced in front of Prescott Hall, behindFortin Education Center, the entrance toFortin, and the Poly Drive entrance,according to Shari VanDelinder, RMCdirector of development.

This has been a special project forShari as it was the last project sheworked on with the late CharlieMorledge.

“Charlie was very supportive. Hewanted the signs to look collegiate. We

had different plans sprawled out on hisdining room table on three separateoccasions and he was keenly interestedin selecting the right look.

Seeing the sign project come tofruition will make me think of Charlieand Mrs. Morledge every time I seethem,” Shari said.

Currently about $9,500 still needs tobe raised for directional signs on cam-pus.

“So, I’m confident we will see signsvery soon,” Shari said.