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Michael Schechtman

Profile Updated: October 18, 2010
Michael Schechtman
Residing In:
Helena, MT USA
Spouse/Partner:
Holly S. Bander
Career:
Executive Director of a Montana Nonprofit
Yes! Attending Reunion
Nickname:

Mike

What Was your Hometown While You Were At Northfield Or Mt Hermon?

Leominster, MA

Think about the highlights of your life since you left the hallowed halls of Northfield/Mount Hermon…tell us about yourself. Please write as much as you wish:

1972 – 1973 Executive Director of the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor (MI) Ran community environmental education programs, recycling, organic garden, land use planning programs, etc.

1974 – 1983 Co-founder and staff member of the Illinois South Project, a democratically managed collective that primarily focused on protection of agricultural lands and small rural communities from the ravages of coal mining (both strip mining and underground mining).

1983 – 1992 Executive Director of Northern Rockies Action Group, a regional training, consulting and technical assistance organization, serving activist organizations in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming – and from time to time, Alaska. We worked with environmental and conservation organizations, low-income groups, seniors, women's organizations and other social justice constituencies.

1992 – 2000 Founder and owner of Eaglecliff Associates, a small consulting firm working with Montana nonprofits on organizational development and fundraising.

2000 – present Founder and Executive Director of Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits (BSI), a nonprofit that develops infrastructure (new organizations, programs, and resources) to help build the capacity and effectiveness of nonprofits in Montana and other nearby states. Our big national project – the Philanthropic Divide – is a coalition building effort among the 10 states with the least amount of foundation assets to push the national foundation community to increase grant-making to these philanthropically starved states.

HISTORICAL NOTES:
It took me 5 years of changing majors to finally graduate from the University of Chicago, but a far ways from having clarity about what I wanted to do with my life..... After U of C, I went into VISTA to “find myself” and avoid the draft, since I was re-classified 1-A during my fifth year – and... despite an array of maladies.... managed to pass my physical with flying colors (where were you Arlo Guthrie when I needed you?). My VISTA experience in rural, black Northern Carolina was mind-numbing (only “safe and noncontroversial activities” were allowed). After being one of several whites in a protest march involving hundreds of blacks faced by riot police with clubs and shields... let's just say that I had a falling out with my supervisor, and had an early departure from VISTA.

Wound up in Boston, unloading trucks (thanks to brother Joe), making “good money” and worrying about getting drafted at any time. As a preventive measure, I enrolled in the Coast Guard, and passed the test to go to their academy for officer training. (Not too smart for a guy known to get sea sick on boats during stormy weather...). In the midst of awaiting my date to start with the Coast Guard, the national lottery was instituted – I got a high number, said goodbye to my coast guard career, and went off to the University of Michigan.

Summer of 1974, at a 50th wedding anniversary party for some relatives from my home town, I met an attorney who turned out to be a member of the local Selective Service Board. So, out of extreme curiosity, I told my story, and asked why it was I was never called for military service. “You owe it to Betty,” he explained. “She was the secretary for the Selective Service Board for years and years and years... and when she died, the secret of her filing system went with her. We could draft newly turned 18-year olds, but everyone else in the system was a mystery....”

Our generation had to deal with the draft and that ugly war. We had to make choices during a time of significant societal upheaval in which our generation questioned authority and the direction of our country in ways that were unimaginable to our parents. Some of us went to Canada; some enlisted, perhaps hoping they would be posted to Europe; some succeeded at getting medical exclusions (valid or not); some pursued the route of C.O.; some went to jail. I was spared the agony of having to make that choice (not sure I really would have gone into the Coast Guard...). So I said my thank you to Betty, scratched my head and wondered who in the cosmos it was that had taken the responsibility to look out over me, said a thanks to who-ever that might be, and then decided to dedicate my life to social activism. The rest is history, and it's been a very rich and satisfying one.

Your Education after N/MH undergraduate Degree (where, when) Any Graduate/Professional Degrees: where, when, what):

U of Chicago – B.A. In Psychology (69)
U of Michigan – M.S. In Natural Resources (74)

Michael's Latest Interactions

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Mar
28
Mar 28, 2024 at 4:33 AM
Mar
23
Mar 23, 2024 at 6:19 PM

Hey John,

Wishing you a very happy birthday, and a year of good health, personal growth, and joyous times with family and friends. Have a terrific time at the 60th NMH reunion; not sure if I'll be able to break away from Montana at that time.
Be well, Mike Schechtman -- junior-year roommate.

Michael Schechtman posted a message. New comment added.
Apr
06
Apr 06, 2023 at 12:14 PM

Posted on: Apr 06, 2023 at 2:33 AM

Hi Marty,
Birthday greetings from Montana! Hope you have a splendid birthday with no distractions from the Royal Family or the British Parliament! Tonight being the first night of Passover, I also send you Pesach greetings on this very special Jewish holiday. The last two years I have been involved with a successful effort by the Helena Jewish community to buy back the Jewish Temple from the Helena Catholic Diocese (long story). On Saturday, I will attend the first community seder to be held in the temple in nearly 90 years. Very best wishes in the year ahead for good health, joyful time with family and friends, and meaningful engagements in the shared endeavor to make the world a better place.
Hugs from Montana,
Mike Schechtman

Mar
30
Mar 30, 2023 at 12:00 AM

Hi Don,
Apparently you had a birthday and got older while I was looking the other way! Happy belated birthday to you. I hope all is well in your world. Take good care!

Mar
29
Mar 29, 2023 at 11:33 PM

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the birthday greetings -- great to hear from you. I did have a nice birthday dinner celebration with two close friends whose birthdays fall close to mine. 2023 looks like the year I'll finally be retiring. I expect to remain in the mountains of Montana for the foreseeable future. I've been here 40 years, and the place has truly grown on me. The landscape and the wildlife are rather spectacular, and I've never lived anywhere where there were so many rainbows and double rainbows. I hope all is well in your life. Take good care!

Mar 28, 2023 at 4:33 AM
Mar 26, 2023 at 3:48 PM

Hi there John,

Hope you are enjoying a splendid birthday, and all ii well in your world. Best wishes for good health, good times with family and friends, and meaningful accomplishments in the year ahead. I'm still in Montana, and this is the year I'm retiring from full-time work.

Warm regards,
Mike Schechtman

Apr 06, 2022 at 1:55 AM

Hi Marty,

This year I'm sending birthday wishes to you BEFORE your birthday. Rare that I'm that organized. Actually, I'm still not that organized. Our classmates who keep our class of 1964 website updated and active are the ones who gave me the reminder/nudge! Living in the UK, you probably get much better coverage of Putin's horrendous invasion of Ukraine and the terrible war crimes being committed against innocent civilians of all ages.... than the coverage we receive here in the mountains of Montana. I remember during our junior year when Kennedy faced down Krushchev's attempt to bring missiles to Cuba, and we feared the start of the next world war. Clearly, this is a much scarier time, with a far more ruthless tyrant directing the Russian army. I wasn't intending to be Captain Gloom on your impending birthday; I just wanted to acknowledge current realities, and say that it's all the more reason to send my love, hugs and prayers for peace as my birthday wish to you.

Michael Schechtman has a birthday today. New comment added.
Mar 28, 2022 at 10:10 AM

Posted on: Mar 28, 2022 at 4:33 AM

Michael Schechtman posted a message. New comment added.
Mar 21, 2022 at 9:17 PM

Posted on: Mar 20, 2022 at 1:15 AM

Hi John,

Happy birthday, John! Glad to see that you continue to be a bit older than me! It appears that you are still working -- hope that keeps you gainfully active, off the streets and out of trouble! I'm still working full-time in the nonprofit arena here in Montana. Have a splendid birthday, John, and best wishes for good health, good times with families and friends, a less divisive society, and world peace, beginning with the extraction of the Russians from Ukraine. Now that's a lot of candles to blow out!

Michael Schechtman added a comment on Profile.
Apr 13, 2021 at 1:47 AM
Michael Schechtman has a birthday today. New comment added.
Mar 30, 2021 at 4:01 AM

Posted on: Mar 28, 2021 at 4:33 AM

Michael Schechtman added a comment on Profile.
Apr 29, 2020 at 5:17 AM
Apr 11, 2020 at 9:20 AM

Hi there Marty,

Happy birthday to you. Hope you have ways to celebrate that are fun in this brave new world of social distancing, Woke up to a snow storm this morning; not unusual for spring in the Rocky Mountains. I'll have to put on hold my plans to mow the lawn today... Wishing you the very best for the year ahead,
Hugs from Montana's mountains,
Mike

Michael Schechtman has a birthday today. New comment added.
Apr 12, 2020 at 5:26 AM

Posted on: Mar 28, 2020 at 4:35 AM

Michael Schechtman added a comment on Profile.
Dec 12, 2019 at 9:18 PM
Michael Schechtman has a birthday today. New comment added.
Mar 28, 2019 at 7:48 AM

Posted on: Mar 28, 2019 at 4:33 AM

Michael Schechtman added a comment on Profile.
Mar 27, 2019 at 1:49 AM
Michael Schechtman posted a message. New comment added.
Apr 21, 2018 at 3:26 AM

Posted on: Apr 12, 2018 at 11:39 PM

Hi Marty (a.k.a. Mary Ann),

I'm a day late, but in the right ballpark. Hope you had a fine birthday with many celebratory messages that warmed your spirit and brought you smiles... and that you also had some just plain old fun. We are living the Chinese blessing (curse?) -- may you live in interesting times. My work in the nonprofit world has dramatically intensified due to federal budget cuts and the Trump Tax Reform Act. Because of these cuts, we have a fabulous organization here in Helena, MT that serves some 900 individuals with with developmental disabilities in 5 communities... that is closing its doors on April 13th. A real tragedy. And we have a lot of other organizations that are now at risk. So there is plenty for me to do that keeps me off the streets -- but not necessarily out of trouble.

Best wishes for the year ahead -- good health, much joy, and a multitude of rewarding experiences that nourish your heart and soul.

Warm regards,
Mike

Brian Farrell posted a message on Michael Schechtman's Profile. New comment added.
Apr 12, 2018 at 11:44 PM

Posted on: Mar 28, 2018 at 12:58 PM

Happy Birthday, Mike! It was great to see you at the 50th. Hope all is well.