Go Griz

The staff and students at the University of Montana in Missoula have hearts as big as the Big Sky country that frames this breathtaking campus. The genuine warmth of the people made it easy to fall in love with this school. We (the group of us on the Montana Counselors'  Tour) were treated with boundless hospitality, and even more boundless amounts of amazing local foods.

For those of you unfamiliar with the school, The University of Montana is nestled in the heart of the northern Rockies of Western Montana. It’s a mountain forest setting where five valleys converge, three major rivers flow and seven wilderness areas offer recreational and environmental research opportunities. The community has over 85,000 residents and an array of art galleries, restaurants and shopping options for those times when you feel the need for urban pleasures.

The school is the state’s flagship public university with 15,600 students, of which 13,000 are undergraduates. 37% are out-of-state or international students who are drawn to the academic and recreational opportunities. 76% of undergraduate classes have less than 30 students, and close relationships between students and professors seems to be the norm. Students described their professors as “amazing”, “inspirational”, “the coolest person on the planet” and “life changing”. The faculty is very invested in student success and there is ample support available to students to help them graduate within four years.

So much at this school was impressive that it’s hard to call it all out. Here are some of the highlights:

• The Payne Family Native American Center, a LEED-certified building honoring the Montana tribes, built in the shape of a drum being played, decorated with native arts and symbols, and the home to a thriving Native American Studies program. We sat in the fire circle and heard modern tribal tales from Dr. George Price, who  traces family history to the Massachusetts tribe, Wampanoag, Choctaw, African, French and Scottish roots.
• The School of Journalism with majors in print, photojournalism, broadcast journalism, multi-media and radio-television production. A focus on ethics and compelling storytelling has helped this program be nationally ranked for many years. Students consistently place in the top 10 in the Hearst competition (the Academy of Awards of collegiate journalism).
• The College of Forestry and Conservation which offers majors in Wildlife Biology, Wildland Restoration, Forestry, Resource Conservation, Recreation Management and a concentration in Fire Management (wildfires).
• Rigorous preparation for an advanced degree in medicine, physical therapy or pharmacy, with dedicated advising from the moment a student starts school, resulting in a strong acceptance rate to professional programs.
• World-class performing arts facilities, including a flexible black box theatre space and  a proscenium theatre with tremendous fly space and the largest stage doors for loading in sets that I have ever seen. More than 42,000 people attend theatre, music, dance, art and media art performances, exhibitions and screenings on campus each year.
• A creative writing program that attracts prize-winning authors as guest lecturers and artists-in-residence.
• The Program in Ecological Agriculture and Society (PEAS) which combines academics with hands-on work at an organic farm. The farm produces tens of thousands of fruits and vegetables each year which are grown and harvested as part of a food security program for the food bank. We were treated to a fabulous al fresco lunch featuring salad greens and strawberries picked just prior to our arrival.
• Athletes who are smart, and fans that show their spirit at a variety of sports including football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and track. Grizzlies have got moxie and athletics serve to bond students and the community.
• The Davidson Honors College, with additional advising and exciting classes for high-achieving students. Honors students may choose to live in an honors dorm. In the spirit of open access, students who are not part of the honors program may take an honors class simply by requesting to do so.
• Support services that assist students with learning differences to increase their likelihood of graduating.
• The annual campus tradition of placing a pumpkin (grown at PEAS farm) in the spire above the clock tower. A student with climbing experience scales the building with ropes and harness, and freestyles the last section to reach the spire and crown it. The pumpkin stays until it rots – which means that some years it is up from October till February due to the preservative power of freezing weather.

If forced to choose the one thing that impressed me the most about the University of Montana it would be the happy and articulate students. Sure our student tour guides were amazing (thank-you Cesar and Max), but I expect selected and screened student representatives to be great. What was more impressive were the friendly students on campus for summer school, who were happy to take a sun-bathing break to share their reasons for choosing to be a Griz. The staff is deeply caring, the school exceeds students’ expectations, they are encouraged to balance their academics with other meaningful and fun activities, and many look for ways to stay in Missoula after graduation, because they don’t want to leave one of the most beautiful and friendly places in America.