NorthWestern Energy Donates $125,000 to MSUN Auto/Diesel Center

Havre, Mont. – Jan. 13, 2014 – Today, NorthWestern Energy http://www.northwesternenergy.com/ presented Montana State University-Northern http://www.msun.edu/future/ with a $125,000 gift for the new Auto/Diesel Technology Center.

This is the first of five donations NorthernWestern Energy will make in the civic, educational, and nonprofit sectors across its Montana service territory. The donations, totaling $300,000, are part of the company’s Community Works program, which supports the communities where their customers and employees live and work.

"At NorthWestern Energy, we make significant investments in infrastructure, with the goal of improving our utility system for decades to come," said Bob Rowe, NorthWestern’s chief executive officer. "Our gift to MSU-Northern is an investment in educational infrastructure that will help students and families for decades to come."

The MSU-Northern Capital Campaign, specifically the new automotive/diesel technology center, will contribute significantly to the local and regional economy in northern Montana. NorthWestern Energy’s $125,000 will sponsor the technology center’s library. The donation underscores their commitment as a major employer in the Havre area.

"We are very grateful to NorthWestern Energy for their support of our new Auto/Diesel Technology Center. They are a valued partner and have supported Northern on campus boards, grants, and the employment of our graduates," said Greg Kegel, Chancellor of MSU-Northern. "NorthWestern Energy’s level of support is going to help make this project a reality."

The 2013 Montana Legislature appropriated 4.9 million dollars to MSU-Northern to help build a new Automotive Diesel Technology Building. MSU-Northern must raise the remaining amount needed to build this building through corporate and private donations.

Thanks to NorthWestern Energy’s gift, the college is on track to begin the building process in the spring of 2015. The new Automotive/Diesel Technology Center will be located where the current Automotive/Davey Pioneer Building is located.

MSU-Northern’s new Auto/Diesel Technology Center is designed in keeping with today’s training techniques and will be equipped with the latest equipment and instrumentation, surpassing anything previously offered to our students. The proposed facility is 7,000 square feet larger than the existing structure, meets all code requirements, can incorporate future technological advances, and will attract and accommodate more students, allowing us to grow one of our strongest and most vibrant programs.

MSU-Northern’s Diesel Technology program is highly regarded throughout the diesel industry. This fall, Northern secured a record enrollment of 287 diesel students. These are students who will help meet the workplace shortage of qualified technicians. Business and industry employers welcome growth in the number of students who wish to prepare for well-paying careers in diesel technology, and the future facility will help us accommodate current and future needs for specialized classroom and laboratory space.

Montana State University-Northern

P.O. Box 7751

Havre, MT 59501-7751

Phone: 406-265-3727

Contact: Jim Potter, Director of University Relations [email protected]