Bear Briefs

Greek Greats—In April the UM Office of Greek Life recognized both individual and chapter achievements of the past year at the 2007 Greek Life Awards banquet. Those receiving chapter awards were: Kappa Kappa Gamma, Philanthropy and Service Award; Kappa Sigma, Scholastic and Academic Programming Award; Delta Gamma, Public Relations Award; Kappa Alpha Theta, New Member Programming Award; Sigma Chi, Alumni Relations and Chapter Development Award; Kappa Kappa Gamma, Risk Management and House Operations Award; and Delta Gamma, Chapter of the Year Award. Jose Diaz, Kappa Sigma, was named Greek Man of the Year and Stephanie Weiskopf, Delta Gamma, Greek Woman of the Year. Andrew Dusek, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Madison Judkins, Delta Gamma, were named Outstanding New Members. Grace Harris, Delta Gamma, received the Outstanding Campus Involvement Award. Kevin Molm, Kappa Sigma, and Jennifer Hepner, Kappa Kappa Gamma, were named Outstanding Seniors. Paige Browning, Delta Gamma, received the Community Outreach Award and Tyler Henneman, Sigma Chi, and Ryan Hamilton, Kappa Kappa Gamma, were named Outstanding Chapter Presidents.

Guggenheim Granted—Montana writer and educator Debra Magpie Earling has been awarded a 2007 Guggenheim Fellowship by the board of trustees of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Earling, who teaches creative writing and Native American studies at UM, is the author of the novel “Perma Red,” which has received critical acclaim and awards since its release in 2002. She plans to use the fellowship award to write her second novel based on the life story of a medicine-warrior woman. “The Guggenheim Fellowship will change my life,” Earling said. “I will be able to pursue my writing without financial worries. I am humbled by the award and grateful for the opportunity.” Fellows are appointed on the basis of distinguished achievement in the past and exceptional promise for future accomplishment.

Summertime—Learning doesn’t take a summer break at UM and the UM College of Technology. UM’s summer session begins May 21 and runs through Aug. 17. For more information, go to http://www2.umt.edu/registrar/calendar.htm. Orientation on the UM campus will be June 13-15, June 27-29 and July 11-13. For more information, contact Karissa Drye, director of orientation, 406-243-2332, toll-free at 800-462-8636, karissa.drye@mso.umt.edu, http://www.umt.edu/nss/orientation. COT orientation will be held June 14. For more information, call 406-243-7882 or 800-542-6882.

Greening Award—Environmental Studies professor Vicki Watson has been chosen for the 2007 Greening UM Award by the UM Sustainable Campus Committee. Each year the Greening UM Award recognizes one individual who has made outstanding contributions toward the goals of campus sustainability. SCC chose Watson because of her long-standing and unequalled commitment and work toward promoting, educating and instituting sustainable principles and practices at UM, said SCC Chair Phil Condon. Among other contributions, Watson was pivotal in UM signing the international Talloires Sustainability Principles document on Earth Day in 2002. She is the current chair of the Recycling Oversight Committee. Each year since 2002 Watson also has volunteered countless hours to help plan, arrange and organize UM Earth Day events.

Outstanding Alums—The UM School of Business Administration has named its outstanding alumni for 2007. Warren Wilcox of Missoula was named Outstanding Distinguished Alumnus, Craig Crawford of Darien, Conn., was chosen as the Outstanding Alumnus and Mary Olson of Billings was tabbed the Outstanding Early Career Alumna. They received their awards during the business school’s 60th Annual Donor Recognition and Scholarship Awards Banquet.

Honorable Mention—Two UM students have received Honorable Mention awards in the 2007 Goldwater Scholarship competition. The students, senior Clark Kogan of Missoula and junior Ryan Kovach of Santa Fe, N.M., will receive awards of $500 each. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program honors the former Arizona statesman who served 30 years in the U.S. Senate. The program’s scholarships go to students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and the potential to succeed in careers involving mathematics, the natural sciences or engineering.

Tunneling Time—Phase I of the installation of new steam tunnel segments and replacement of existing buried steam lines throughout the UM campus began in late April. Workers hope to complete this phase of the two-year project by UM Homecoming, Sept. 28-29. Initial steps in the project were erecting traffic signs and fencing off the three construction zones. Even though sections of Maurice Avenue and Eddy Street will be blocked off during the construction, there will be access to all buildings nearby, but most of it will be on foot.

Climate Commitment—UM President George Dennison announced the University’s Climate Commitment in April, after UM became the first Montana school to join the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. UM will address global warming by setting goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate neutrality on campus. The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, created in 2006, now includes 173 schools across the country.

Bitterroot Classes—Studying under the M won’t be a requirement for a few UM courses this summer. Three midsummer courses will be offered in the Bitterroot Valley: Interpersonal Communication, Principles of Business and Computer Literacy. The classes will be held Monday through Thursday, June 18-July 19, at Hamilton High School. Courses are open to high school students in pilot programs and adults, though they first must be admitted to the UM College of Technology to enroll. Informational meetings to discuss course content and the registration and admissions processes will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 23, at Hamilton High School. The Hamilton classes will be just like summer courses in Missoula, with the same tuition and admission requirements, said Peggy Nesbitt, UM Continuing Education program manager. For more information on the informational meetings, contact Mary Opitz, administrative associate, COT Outreach, 406-243-4689.