Montana State University
04/07/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/07/2025 08:49
Gallatin College MSU to hold career and technical education fair and laser light show
BOZEMAN - Gallatin College Montana State University will host about 500 middle school and high school students for its third annual career and technical education fair from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds.
Gallatin College instructors host Bozeman area middle and high school students for photonics and technology demonstrations during the 2nd annual Photonic-Con event Monday, October 23, 2023 at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in Bozeman. MSU photo by Marcus "Doc" Cravens
Titled GC-360: A World of CTE, the event will welcome 30 local companies, alongside Gallatin College MSU's 32 programs, to provide hands-on demonstrations of education and career paths ranging from health care to photonics. Student and community attendees will rotate between stations, where they will produce holographic images with the American Center for Optics Manufacturing, practice interior design with Black Timber Furniture, try their hand at virtual welding and more.
"It allows industry members to connect with the community and ignite that 'What am I going to do when I grow up?' thought for the students," said Jessi Cannaday, event coordinator and enrollment manager for Gallatin College MSU. "With the college's new certificate programs and building on the horizon, we're excited for students to see the impact they could have in their communities."
GC-360 is free and open to all students and the public from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
To conclude the technical education and career fair, MSU's Science Math Resource Center will host Glenn Goversten, a retired high school physics teacher from Missoula, at 12:15 p.m. for a laser light show demonstrating photonics and optics principles with music, lasers and raw eggs.
Interacting with local professionals - like industry representatives and Goversten - in a comfortable environment helps students overcome the mental "force field" dissuading them from unfamiliar topics, said Mark Craig, director of the Gallatin College MSU's photonics and laser technology program.
"If young folks can see people that are like a parent figure, a neighbor or just everyday people in their life that are working professionally in these areas, that can be very helpful," he said.
For more information and to RSVP, visit https://gallatin.montana.edu/outreach/GC360.html.