Brock Tessman officially sworn in as the 13th president of MSU

For the first time in 15 years, the MSU community had the opportunity to inaugurate a new president.

Brock Tessman was sworn in as the University’s 13th president at his investiture on April 2 as part of a two-day inauguration celebrating his appointment.

The ceremony included performances by The Montanans vocal ensemble and the Bobcat Singers drum group, as well as welcome remarks from various MSU faculty members.

The event featured a speech from Tessman with an introduction from Jeff Korpi, a former colleague of Tessman’s from Northern Michigan University (NMU). According to Korpi, Tessman had a positive impact on students during his time at NMU.

“He made students feel seen, important and like they mattered. In short time, our students started calling him ‘The Brockstar,’” Korpi said.

According to Tessman, Korpi has been an influential figure in his life. "I'll let everyone in this room know that a lot of what I’ll bring to this University over the coming years is because of what I learned from Jeff Korpi,” he said during his address.

Tessman covered a range of topics during the speech — from MSU’s mission as a land-grant university to concerns about AI in a teaching environment. All the while, he placed a strong emphasis on the MSU community’s strengths.

MSU is a land-grant university established under the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890, according to MSU's website. Because of this, MSU focuses on providing accessible education.

Tessman recognized the need for institutions that serve all people and said that MSU will fulfill its role as a land-grant university.

“We will take the promise of the Morrill Act seriously,” he said. “And we will create institutions that serve the people — all the people — and make them more capable, more informed, more empowered to shape their lives and their communities.”

Tessman said that MSU’s mission is not only to serve the people but to positively influence the nation.

“It is, at this moment, in this place, one of the most consequential institutions in this country for the health of the American experiment itself,” he said. “And that, as your 13th president, is not a responsibility I take lightly.”

Tessman also stated that part of MSU’s mission is the pursuit of knowledge. “We are the institution that exists, by design and tradition, to pursue knowledge without fear,” he said.

Freshman chemical engineering major Zachary Jones said Tessman’s message about MSU’s commitment to the land-grant mission was inspirational.

“He's coming away with the intent to run this University to make the best, most premier education accessible to as many as possible, because this is a land-grant institution,” Jones said.

He also said Tessman’s interest in student success was encouraging. “I’m here for the education, and I am going to make the most of it,” Jones said. “I’m glad he wants us to do that.”

English professor Doug Downs said he agrees with a lot of what Tessman said on stage.

“When you get a new president, everybody's a little nervous about how it’s going to go,” he said. “It is so good to see his openness and his curiosity. His energy is ridiculous; it's amazing.”

Downs also expressed mixed feelings about Tessman’s statements on incorporating AI into teaching curricula.

“[Tessman] was drawing the distinction between people who are enthusiastic and people who have misgivings — and I'm definitely one of those,” he said. “I want to think slower. I want to think about ethics.”

Heather Modroo, a procurement officer with University Financial Services, said she enjoyed hearing Tessman speak about the different resources MSU provides.

“I love hearing about our quantum computing and our QCORE, how we’re one of the first in the country to have the resources that we do,” she said. “That's very exciting and close to my heart.”

Modroo said she hopes Tessman will impact her role in a positive manner.

“I definitely came away with the impression that that is his goal. I’m excited to hear about the new strategic plan,” she said.

Overall, Tessman said MSU’s strong community — from staff to students — proves that it’s ready for what comes in the future.

“The optimism we feel about Montana State’s next chapter and our confidence that we can lead through this transformative moment is fueled, above all, by the faith we all have in our students,” he said.