Welcome to the Dragon Community: Helen Montgomery

Helen Montgomery is Minnesota State Universities new Director of Analytics and Institutional Research. Office of Analytics and Institutional Research. She will assist the institution in decision making and help provide and organize data to those who need it, so they can make better decisions to help improve our university.

Q: What drew you to MSUM?
A: As I lived in Minnesota, I made friends who are a part of the indigenous and art community here. I started spending as much time here as I did in Bemidji. I come from more of a community college and tribal education world, and I was curious about working for a larger institution.

Q: What unique experiences or skills from your past job do you bring to MSUM? 
A: I have my Ph.D. in experimental psychology with an emphasis on research methods and statistics. I have spent the last 20 years working in higher education and 16 of those teaching research methods and statistics.

Q: How do you prefer to start your workday?
A: With coffee.

Q: What’s your go-to productivity trick? Or what energizes you at work?
A: Structuring my time throughout my day. I know when to listen to myself and when my high and low productivity times are

Q: What energizes you outside of work?
A: My dogs and my art. I have a store on Etsy where I sell things I make like knits and beadings; it’s called MHM Artisan Adornments. I also run an Instagram for my six basset hounds @MerlintheMagicalBeast.

Q: Are you a dog person or a cat person (or neither)?
A: I’m obviously a dog person; we have six, but I also do love cats. My husband and I have had one since we got married.

Q: If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
A: The ability to show people how they make others feel.