UM’s education is unmatched on either side of the Rockies, but there are certain campus groups and organizations that take your time at UM to a whole other level. From resume-building experiences to rewarding communities and core college memories – now is the time to learn how to make the most of your UM education.
Scroll below to learn about different campus clubs and organizations that make you stand out from the crowd and live your best life at UM:
The Davidson Honors College (DHC) is an opportunity for students from any discipline to gain access to personalized studies in small classes and have well-rounded academic experiences and opportunities such as internships, study abroad opportunities and preparation for future careers.
Becoming an Honors student at UM includes taking specific DHC courses throughout your four years of undergrad. These courses include introductory seminars, experiential electives and a senior capstone project. You’ll also need to maintain a GPA of 3.2 throughout your academic career.
Read More: My Experience in the Davidson Honors College
The Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) is UM’s student government. This elected group advocates for student rights, listens to student voices and provides transparency. The most common ways to get involved are to run for a UM senator position or to serve in the ASUM Administration.
If being part of student government doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, but you want to help in other ways, you can apply to be a Student-At-Large. In this position, you sit on the ASUM or University Committee and help engage the student body, represent students in conversations and join in the efforts to make positive changes to our campus.
Read More: Get Involved with ASUM – UM’s Student Government
Become a UM Advocate! This is an ASUM student group that promotes UM. They are student peer mentors, help with the Big Sky Experience and embody the Griz spirit all over campus. This group helps with building leadership opportunities, recruiting potential students with activities on and off campus, orientations and projects from different organizations on campus.
Learn More: UM Advocates Website
The Franke Global Leadership Initiative is a four-year, 12-credit certificate program that explores global themes and challenges. There are no prerequisites for GLI, but it’s first-come, first-served, letting 150 students join. Any and all majors are welcome to apply. Most if not all students in the program begin their first year on campus.
The Franke Global Leadership certificate includes small classes, leadership training and opportunities to earn money to study abroad, complete an internship here or abroad and participate in service learning or research projects. It’s also well-known for building a strong a campus community with tons of new friends to meet throughout the program.
Read More: Think Globally, Act Locally Through UM's Global Leadership Certificate
UM offers different pathways to study abroad, including partner universities, International Student Exchange Programs and Faculty-led study abroad opportunities. Each of these options takes you to a different place in the world and for different spans of time (week-long to semester-long and all year abroad). The Global Engagement Office at UM is the starting point for most student's international adventures.
Read More: My Experience Studying Abroad Part 1 – Getting Here
Last year, UM ranked number one for the third time in a row for community and national service at a flagship institution. Volunteer opportunities abound here and finding them is as easy as searching “volunteer opportunities” in the umt.edu website search bar.
One option for volunteering while learning is taking a PEAS Farm summer practicum class. This is a great way to learn about our food systems and meet like-minded peers as you work for 20 hours a week on the farm. Another fall practicum teaches students about Sustainable Agriculture and prepares them for teaching elementary students about food and farming.
Read More: Join a Community with the Heart of a Grizzly | University of Montana
Almost every program on campus offer internships or connect students with internships related to their studies. The Office of Experiential Learning and Career Success helps students find internships, volunteer opportunities and career opportunities. You can schedule appointments with them for anything related to your student, academic and future careers.
Read More: Free Resources for Every UM Student
The Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships helps students find, apply and utilize external scholarships available outside of UM. Many UM students have been recognized with these financial aid opportunities. Even if you are simply curious about external scholarships, it is well worth inquiring about them with the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships.
Read More: UM’s External Scholarship Office (Plus Scholarships to Apply For)
Our club sports and student clubs only keep growing! With 100+ student clubs, there are endless opportunities to join a community. You can join academic clubs related to your field of study or something you may be interested in, or you can channel your inner Skywalker and join the Lightsaber Club and other fun communities.
When you join a club sport, you compete with other Universities and build connections with like-minded peers. Our club sports only keep growing, with the newest being women’s flag football. If there’s a sport UM doesn’t have that you are interested in, you can reach out to inquire about starting one! UM has 21 club sports so far with 1,265 students participating.
Read More: How to Join a Student Club at UM
Read More: Your Guide to Club Sports at UM
To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must be undergraduates, earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and receive grades of A or B in at least nine credits. This honor is helpful for academic and professional opportunities, including applying for graduate schools and networking. The Dean’s List is posted during fall and spring semesters and published on Griz News.