UM will mark its 112th birthday Thursday, Feb. 17, with a Charter Day celebration to commemorate UM's founding in 1893. Members of the community are invited to attend all events.

At noon, UM President George Dennison and his wife, Jane, will serve birthday cake to the public in the University Center atrium.

Then, at 5 p.m., the Charter Day awards ceremony and reception will be held in the University Center Ballroom. This year's award recipients are Benjamin J. Marcus, Tom Roy, John and Sue Talbot, Karen A. Kaufmann, P.J. Shaw Wright, Richard J. Field and Cleo Johnson.

The School of Education kicks off its 75th anniversary celebration with a reception and lecture Tuesday, Feb. 15, on campus.

The reception will be held at 7 p.m. in Urey Lecture Hall. Joanne Yatvin, a member of the National Reading Panel and faculty member at Portland State University, will present "Half-Truths in Advertising: The Politicization of Reading Research in the 21st Century" at 7:30 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

Yatvin has worked in public education for more than 40 years as a teacher, principal, university instructor and district superintendent. Her first book, "A Room With a Differentiated View: How to Serve All Children as Individual Leaders," was published last year.

Noted poet Simon Ortiz will share his poems and stories about culture, community and land Monday, Feb. 14, at UM.

Ortiz, an Acoma Pueblo Indian from New Mexico, will give a talk titled "More Than Language: Linking Land, Culture and Community" at 3:30 p.m. in Gallagher Building Room 123.

Much of the lecture will be derived from his latest book, "Somewhere Out There," and a book-signing and reception will follow his lecture in the same room.

Ortiz is the author of several books of poetry -- including "Naked in the Wind" (1971) and "Woven Stone" (1992) -- as well as books of fiction, short stories and numerous other literary contributions.

For more information, call the Native American Studies Department at (406) 243-5831.

"The Vagina Monologues," hosted by the UM Women's Center, will be held at the University Theatre at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14. A silent auction is planned for 6 to 7 p.m. in the foyer.

Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door. They can be purchased at all GrizTix outlets. Proceeds from the event benefit the Women's Voices for the Earth GUTS program, First STEP and Women of Iraq.

"The Vagina Monologues" is an award-winning play written by Eve Ensler that explores women's experiences. The play has been performed throughout the world, and a special V-Day version of the play was first released in February 2001. V-Day is an organization that works to increase awareness and raise money for anti-violence organizations around the world.

For more information, call the Women's Center at (406) 243-4153.

UM alumni Jude and Don Thomson, owners and producers of the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, will return to the theater where they met when they are honored at the School of Fine Arts' fifth annual Odyssey of the Stars--A Celebration of Artistic Journeys.

The University Theatre will come alive at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 2, with UM and Bigfork Summer Playhouse alumni joining the production to celebrate the careers of Don and Jude. In addition, musical numbers from some of the playhouse's most popular shows will be performed by UM students and surprise guest artists.

A popular event benefiting the School of Fine Arts scholarship fund, Odyssey features fine arts alumni who have gone on to successful careers in the arts in concert with current students who dream of just such careers. This year's event spotlights the Department of Drama/Dance and will feature more than 200 outstanding UM student performers.

For sponsorship and ticket information, contact the School of Fine Arts at (406) 243-4971 or e-mail sfadean@mso.umt.edu.

On your marks, get set -- the fifth annual UM Easter Eggstravaganza is Saturday, March 26, on the Oval.

The year's Easter egg hunt will be bigger and better than ever with 12,000 prize eggs and 25,000 pieces of candy for local youngsters. Sponsors are still needed for the event, which is the area's biggest Easter egg hunt. Last year's Eggstravaganza drew more than a thousand treat seekers.

The hunt will begin at 1 p.m. in the heart of campus, where children will scour nearly four acres of lawn for age-appropriate candy and prizes. Free and open to the public, the hunt features separate sections for the following age groups: 0-3, 4-5, 6-7 and 8-9 years old.

The Eggstravaganza is sponsored by UM's President's Office and University Relations, 102.5 Mountain FM, Southgate Mall, The Bookstore at UM, A Carousel for Missoula and KECI-TV.

For information about sponsoring the event, contact Rita Munzenrider, University Relations director, at (406) 243-4824 or rita.munzenrider@mso.umt.edu.

The UM Office for Civic Engagement will hold a spring volunteer fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, and Thursday, Feb.17, in the University Center atrium.

The event offers an opportunity for students to connect with community volunteer agencies and learn about civic work in the Missoula area that they can become involved in.

Volunteer agencies interested in a table at the fair should visit the OCE Web site to download a registration form. The fee for hosting a table is $10 per day. The registration fee is due by Thursday, Feb. 10.

People interested in forging trade connections with Ireland and the rest of Europe should attend a Monday, Feb. 21, luncheon at UM.

UM's Montana World Trade Center and the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce will host the event, which features Dale Tasharski, counselor for Commercial Affairs in Ireland.

This networking opportunity will be held at 12:15 p.m. in the Gallagher Building. Lunch is $10 for MWTC members and $15 for the general public. Register by calling Megan Harrington at (406) 243-5850 or e-mailing her at megan@mwtc.org. The registration deadline is Feb. 14.

The Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute will meet from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, at UM.

The meeting will take place in the Alumni Boardroom on the third floor of the University Center.

The meeting agenda will include the proposal to create an Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail and plans for a Glacial Lake Missoula Discovery Day to be held April 9 at the new Montana Natural History Center location near McCormick Park.

The Montana Committee for the Humanities has announced the 2005 Montana Governor's Humanities Award winners.

Established by Gov. Marc Racicot in 1995, the awards honor achievement in humanities scholarship and service and enhancement of public understanding and appreciation of the humanities.

The 2005 recipients will be honored during a ceremony with Gov. Brian Schweitzer at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, in the Capitol Rotunda in Helena.

Award recipients are Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg, Jamie Doggett, Darrell Robes Kipp, Joseph A. Mussulman and Robert A. "Bob" and Pauline Poore.

A banquet will follow the ceremony and reception, with no-host cocktails at 6 p.m. and a dinner and program at 7 p.m. at the Montana Club in Helena. Tickets cost $25. Call Kim Anderson of MCH at (406) 243-6022 or e-mail her at kim.anderson@umontana.edu for reservations or further information.

Montana Grizzly fans who want to show their spirit on the go have a new way to do it. The GSA Griz Plate features a bear paw and "GRIZ" in white behind the license number.

Proceeds from the plates benefit UM's Montana Grizzly Scholarship Association. Costs include a $35 initial fee, followed by an annual $20 renewal fee.

To purchase the new Griz license plates or get more information, visit your local Montana motor vehicle department.

Street & Smith's magazine, the bible of college hoops, recently named UM seventh on its list of all-time best women's basketball programs. The list was found in a "Greatest College Basketball Programs" issue.

UM and head coach Robin Selvig earned the ranking by winning 20 or more games in 24 of the last 26 seasons. In addition, Montana's 16 regular-season conference championships and 15 conference tournament titles rank second in the nation, trailing only Old Dominion.

Selvig's 614-179 record in his 27th season ranks him sixth among active head coaches for winning percentage and 10th in victories.

Scott McGowan, a former All-American for the Griz track team, became the first Montanan to break the four-minute-mile barrier on Jan. 29.

McGowan clocked in at 3 minutes, 58.91 seconds during the Reebok Indoor Games in Boston. The Poplar native finished seventh in a race loaded with elite runners.

Trey Young, a standout safety for the Griz football team during 1999-2002, has landed a two-year contract with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He will report for training camp in May, and the CFL season kicks off in June.

Young was MVP of the Big Sky Conference and Griz Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 and an essential component of the 2001 national championship team.

He also worked for the University Relations office for a year after graduation, so he's near and dear to our hearts. Way to go, Trey!

Senior forward Kamarr Davis scored a game-high 23 points and three of his teammates scored in double figures as the Montana Grizzlies defeated the visiting Weber State Wildcats 80-72 in a Big Sky Conference game Feb. 3 in UM's Dahlberg Arena.

Feb. 5 in the Adams Center, Davis scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Grizzlies to an 80-63 Big Sky victory over the Idaho State Bengals. The first half belonged to the Grizzlies as they outscored the Bengals, taking a commanding 47-22 halftime lead. Davis had 13 of his 20 points in the first half.

The basketball team is on the road for a solo Big Sky Conference contest next week, playing the second-place Montana State University Bobcats in an intra-state battle Feb. 13. Tip-off for the Griz-Cat contest begins at 2:05 p.m. in MSU's Worthington Arena.

Senior Hollie Tyler scored 17 points and grabbed 12 boards to become the all-time Montana career rebound leader while the Lady Griz defense limited Weber State to 27.0 percent shooting in a 58-49 Big Sky Conference victory Feb. 3 at Ogden, Utah.

The Lady Griz trailed 33-28 at the half Feb. 5, then erupted for 47 second-half points to defeat Idaho State 75-69 and remain perfect in Big Sky Conference play. Junior Jody McLeod scored a season-high 16 points to lead five Lady Griz players in double figures.

Fourteen-to-six overall and 7-0 in league play, Montana won its 21st straight league game by coming back from a second-half deficit for the fifth time in its last seven conference wins.

The streaking women's basketball team will attempt to win its eighth straight game this Saturday when they play at MSU in Bozeman. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at Worthington Arena.