Blackfeet Community College

Advancing Learning, Not Pests

Located on the Blackfeet reservation in Browning, Mont., Blackfeet Community College provides higher education to the Blackfeet Nation and surrounding communities in the eastern Rocky Mountains.

The college partnered with Orkin last year and immediately noticed a difference in the quality of their Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Giving students, faculty and administration peace of mind when it comes to pest control helps the community focus on achieving its remarkable goals – like becoming the first, non-government funded 4-year tribal college.

To hear more about their IPM program, we spoke with Merelle Vaile, facilities administrative assistant at Blackfeet Community College.

Why did you switch to Orkin?

“We weren’t happy with our previous provider and felt our campus required more time and attention. We didn’t have to look hard for a new provider because we heard great things about Orkin from others in the area. We called for a free inspection and have been satisfied since that first service.”

Why is IPM so important on your campus?

“Effective pest management is one of the ways we can help keep our students and staff healthy and our campus clean. We have all types of buildings found throughout our campus, and Orkin pays attention inside and out to help keep our classrooms, kitchens, gardens and common areas insect- and rodent-free. We’ll soon be building dormitories for our students and know Orkin will handle any new pest challenges that comes with the new residential buildings.”

What are the advantages of partnering with Orkin?

“One thing that makes Orkin’s program high-quality is their focus on prevention. We value the proactive approach Orkin takes to stop pests before they can become an issue, which helps us save on yearly costs. They work closely with our maintenance team on any recommendations – such as setting up bait stations for mice in the tall grass surrounding our main campus and sealing any holes found with a copper mesh – to better protect our campus from pests.

All in all, we appreciate how easy it is to work with Orkin! Our Pest Specialist is very reliable, always documenting each service and findings from any inspection. We appreciate the interaction we have with our Pest Specialist and are now fully confident in the quality of our pest management program.”