Montana State University Billings (or MSU Billings) is a

public university A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universi ...

Billings, Montana Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Met ...

. It is the state's third largest university. Its campus is located on 110 acres in downtown Billings. Formerly Eastern Montana Normal School at its founding in 1927, the Normal School changed its name to Eastern Montana College of Education in 1949. It was again renamed in 1965 as Eastern Montana College (EMC). It merged into the Montana University System in 1994 under its present name. Currently, the university offers over 100 specialized programs for certificates, associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees through the university's five colleges. The five colleges of Montana State University Billings are Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Business, Health Professions and Science, Education, and City College.

Student life

With the main campus in the downtown core of Billings many cultural, service, athletic or educational activities are within walking distance of the campus. The school is host to a mix of traditional and nontraditional students. Approximately 400 students live on campus in the residence halls. Some of the major student organizations include: * The Associated Students of Montana State University Billings, also known as the

student government A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to so ...

. This organization is run by and for students, taking in concerns, advocating student issues and rights, and allocating funds. * Student Activities Board, the organizers of many activities from comedians to current movies on campus. * Student religious organizations including ''United Campus Ministry'' representing 7 Protestant denominations, other Christian non-denominational organizations, Baha'i, and Catholic groups. * Jacket Student Ambassadors, a student leadership organization on campus which hosts many new student orientations and tours of the campus. * The Residence Hall Association, a student run

residence hall association In the United States, a residence halls association (RHA) is a student-run university residence hall organization that is usually (but not always) the parent organization for individual hall governments. Their function is similar to a student gove ...

that provides both social and educational programming for residents of Petro and Rimrock Hall. MSUB McMullen Hall

Major structures of the main campus

* McDonald Hall * Parking Garage / Campus Police * Art Annex * Apsaruke Hall * Cisel Hall * Alterowitz Arena / Physical Ed Building * Avitus Group Stadium * Tennis Courts * Rimrock Hall * Petro Hall * McMullen Hall * Student Union * Library * Liberal Arts Building * Science Building * College of Education

Petro Hall

Petro Hall is a 500-room residence hall completed in 1965. There are 8 floors, including the first floor Petro Theater and the second floor lobby. It is connected directly to the Petro Theater on the first floor, and also connected to the Student Union Building.

Rimrock Hall

Rimrock Hall is 300-room residence hall completed in 1962. There are 6 floors, including the second floor lobby and the first floor Student Union Building.

Student family housing

The student family housing consists of contemporary two and three bedroom units located on the east end of the campus.

Athletics

The Montana State–Billings (MSUB) athletic teams are called the Yellowjackets. The university is a member of the

NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...

ranks, primarily competing in the

Great Northwest Athletic Conference The Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. It has historically operated in the northwestern United States, but ...

(GNAC) since the 2007–08 academic year. The Yellowjackets previously competed in the D-II

Heartland Conference The Heartland Conference was a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division II level, which was founded in 1999. The majority of members were in Texas, with additional members in ...

from 2005–06 to 2006–07; in the D-II

Pacific West Conference The Pacific West Conference (also known as the PacWest) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Member institutions are located in California and Hawaii. T ...

(PacWest; formerly known as the Great Northwest Conference until after the 1991–92 school year) from 1982–83 to 2004–05; as an NCAA D-II Independent from 1980–81 to 1981–82; and in the

Frontier Conference The Frontier Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference was founded in 1934. Member institutions are located in the northwestern United States, in the ...

of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...

(NAIA) from 1933–34 to 1979–80. MSUB competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field, triathlon and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading and stunt. The official MSUB song is the Fight Song. Former sports included

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

History

Formerly known as Eastern Montana College, MSUB athletics started back to the 1927–28 school year, the year in which the university was founded. The Yellowjackets have competed in a number of different conferences throughout the years, and prior to the 1980–81 season, the athletic department transitioned from the NAIA to competing at the NCAA Division II level.

Baseball

In the 2018–19 school year, the MSUB baseball team captured its fourth GNAC regular-season title in five years, won its first-ever GNAC tournament title, and advanced to the NCAA D2 West Region Championships for the first time in program history. MSUB broke numerous school and conference baseball records, including most wins in a season with 33, and most home runs in a year with 83. The baseball program captured four regular season GNAC championships over a span of five years (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019).

Women’s basketball

The 2017–18 academic year was historic and was highlighted by an NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance in women's basketball. The Yellowjackets won the West Region title for the second time in program history, matching the achievement of the 1998–99 regional champion squad. The women's team has been GNAC champions ten times since 1987.

Softball

The Yellowjackets won the 2015 GNAC Softball Championships and advanced all the way to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II West Region Championships. The team were also GNAC champions in 2009 and 2012.

Extensions

City College at Montana State University Billings

City College at MSU Billings is a two-year college that offers degrees and certifications in fields such as business, computer technology, health and safety, industry and transportation. It was first created in 1969 as the Billings Vocational-Technical Education Center (BVTC). Its governance was passed from the Billings School District to the Montana University System (MUS) Board of Regents in 1987, and in 1994, the BVTC was officially merged with MSU Billings and renamed the College of Technology. The name was changed to the present name in 2012 when the MUS Board of Regents voted to change the names of all the colleges of technology in the state.

Distance learning

MSUB Online is Montana State University Billings' Online Portal, featuring a wide array of courses and complete programs of study including certificates and associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees.

Notable alumni

* James F. Battin (Class of 1948), US Representative and federal judge *

Chet Blaylock Chester Merle "Chet" Blaylock (November 13, 1924 – October 23, 1996) was a U.S. politician born in Joliet, Montana. Blaylock served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Later he was a teacher for 30 years in Laurel and Chinook, Montana. He ...

(Class of 1948),

State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of ...

, delegate to Montana constitutional convention, Montana gubernatorial candidate *Jeff Cysewski (Class of 1984), founder and CEO o
SupportMed Inc.
* Melony G. Griffith (Class of 1985), former member of the

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...

, member of the

Maryland State Senate The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. Composed of 47 senators elected from an equal number of constituent single-m ...

Kristin Korb Kristin Korb is an American jazz double bassist and vocalist. Biography Korb studied at Eastern Montana College and the University of California, San Diego. She also studied with Ray Brown, with whom she made her recording debut, released in ...

(Class of 1992), American jazz double bassist and vocalist *

Dustin Lind Dustin Lind is an American professional baseball director of hitting and assistant hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for Montana State University-Billings, and also attended I ...

, director of hitting and assistant hitting coach for the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...

Monica Lindeen Monica Lindeen (born May 16, 1962) is an American politician who served as the Montana State Auditor. She was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. Due to term limits, she was ineligible to run again in 2016, and became a candidate for Montana S ...

(Class of 1992), Montana House District 43,

US Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washin ...

candidate '06, former Montana State Auditor *

Judy Martz Judith Helen Martz (née Morstein; July 28, 1943 – October 30, 2017) was an American Republican Party politician, businesswoman, and Olympian speed skater who served as the 22nd governor of Montana from 2001 to 2005. She was the first and only ...

, 22nd Governor of Montana *

Roy McPipe Roy Lee McPipe (born May 5, 1950) is a former American professional basketball player. McPipe was born in Hammond, Indiana. A 6'3" guard from Eastern Montana College, McPipe played professional basketball with the American Basketball Associatio ...

(Class of 1974), Drafted by the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

in '73 and '74, played with the ABA's

Utah Stars The Utah Stars were an American Basketball Association (ABA) team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround. History prior to moving to ...

in 1975 *Chris Nelson (Class of 1985), Founder and CEO of Zoot Enterprises *Deb Prevost (Class of 1980), played in the WBL from 1978 to 1980 with the Minnesota Fillies and Milwaukee Does *

Kevin Red Star Kevin Red Star (born 1943) is a Native American painter from Montana. He is a member of the Crow Tribe of Montana. Background Kevin Red Star was born on the Crow Indian Reservation in Lodge Grass, Montana. He was raised in a family that values ...

( Native American artist) *Becky Reno (Class of 1977), founder and president/CEO o
City Brew Coffee
*

Jon Sonju Jon Sonju (born December 26, 1975) is a former member of the Montana Senate. He is a Republican from Senate District 4, representing Kalispell, Montana Kalispell (, Montana Salish: Ql̓ispé, Kutenai language: kqayaqawakⱡuʔnam) is a ci ...

(Class of 1997), former Montana state senator and representative * Bently Spang (Class of 1991), Northern

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

multidisciplinary artist *Carl Ueland (Class of 1970) former president and partial owner o
Actagro, LLC
* Susan Watters (Class of 1980), United States District Judge of the US District Court for the District of Montana, first female judge to serve in the District of Montana *Angie Wong (Class of 1989), founder o
Wong Global Leadership

References

External links

*
Official athletics website
{{authority control Buildings and structures in Billings, Montana Education in Yellowstone County, Montana Educational institutions established in 1927 Montana State University System Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Tourist attractions in Billings, Montana 1927 establishments in Montana Public universities and colleges in Montana