Grizzlies Give Back to Community

At UM, we’re building a community of fierce scholars. Every day across Griz country and beyond, students with visions for a better future are boldly pursuing public service, activism and social justice. The result is a campus culture that sparks lives of impact. We invite you to join the movement.

The college experience is defined by much more than the campus, major and classes you choose. Going to college means joining a community.

What type of community do you want to belong to?

If you’re the type of individual who cares about the world and wants to use your degree to create ideas, insights and change beyond the four walls of a classroom, welcome to the University of Montana.

The UM community cares deeply about not only our home city of Missoula, but our entire Treasure State, country and planet. Across disciplines, UM students connect to the world outside campus’s borders, and strive every day to leave it a better place than it was the day before.

That’s why in 2022, UM was recognized as the top university in the U.S. for service to community and country. We outranked many of the nation’s most prestigious private and public institutions, including George Washington University, University of Notre Dame, Duke University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University and more.

Earning the top spot came down to UM’s unmatched knack at excelling in our contributions to social mobility, research and promoting public service.

While we’re flattered to officially be honored with that distinction, we aren’t surprised. If you spend any time around campus, our dedication to public service shows. From environmental to social justice and advocacy to activism, UM students are using their research, class projects and free time to give back to their community.

Students Serving Their Community

For new Grizzlies, that starts on day one.

UM’s New Student Orientation includes the Big Sky Experience, where first-year students break into small groups to work together with local partners to help serve community needs. Those needs span a broad range, including promoting sustainability and helping the environment, supporting health and human development, and advocating for social welfare and human rights.

Through the Big Sky Experience, new students in the midst of their first week at UM are already embedded in local organizations like the Missoula Food Bank and Community Center, Free Cycles Missoula and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.

That first week sets a tone for new Grizzlies that doesn’t let up.

Griz country is bustling with students working to serve the wider public in countless ways, be it through the Peace Corps Prep Program, Military and Veterans Services or within UM’s dedicated programs in service and volunteering. 

Look no further than UM’s Mentoring, Organization and Social Support for Autism Inclusion on Campus program, housed in the School of Speech, Language, Hearing and Occupational Sciences. Students in MOSSAIC dedicate their time to support people with Autism and related disorders through direct services, mentorship, weekly meetings and other social programs. The program helped rank UM among the top 10 universities in the nation for assisting students with autism.

Or, take a peek at UM’s Addiction Studies Program. Its fully online Certificate of Technical Studies is helping to mitigate growing issues related to substance abuse and addressing the shortage of professionals practicing in the field.

Many degrees at UM require service learning, volunteer hours or a community project – it just makes sense to us. And it makes sense to our students, too – many of whom take the time to go the extra step and create their own initiatives for public service.

Take Kyle Brekke, a UM forestry student and U.S. Marine. After securing a job with UM’s Military and Veteran Services Office, Brekke stepped up and formed a new Student Veterans Organization. His efforts provided an extra layer of support for a community of veterans struggling with similar issues as himself, like navigating higher education and finding purpose post-military.

Or, take the Alternative Breaks program, where UM students devote their summer, winter or spring breaks to community service and experiential learning trips. Rather than taking a well-earned vacation, scores of Grizzlies each year dedicate their breaks to alleviating social issues like illiteracy, poverty, racism, hunger, homelessness and environmental concerns.

Promoting a Culture of Activism

It’s no wonder that students like these and their innate call to serve lead Washington Monthly to name UM the nation’s top university community and public service.

While we do our best to promote positive change in Montana and beyond, our students don’t always feel we’ve done enough. And we welcome that criticism.

In fact, UM President Seth Bodnar openly called on university presidents throughout the nation to foster a culture of productive criticism at their campuses by showing up at student protests, engaging with dissent and holding university leadership accountable for doing the same. By doing so, our president – and we – are certain UM can empower the next generation to boldly and thoughtfully challenge the status quo.

We believe that spirit is reflected in UM’s very own motto: lux et veritas, meaning “truth and light.” With the bravery of a Grizzly, our students strive toward truth and justice, guiding UM and the world toward a brighter future.

So, if you think you have the heart of a Grizzly, we welcome you to join the UM community. We can’t wait to see what you’ll do.