Bear Briefs

Spring brings record enrollment—UM has a new spring record of 14,622 enrolled for this semester. That number is 797 students more than the previous record set last spring. UM always experiences an enrollment decline between spring and fall semesters. However, this year enrollments for spring semester 2010 dropped off by only 300 students, or 2 percent. Spring 2010 enrollments exceeded spring 2009 enrollments by nearly 800 students, or 5.8 percent. There were spring enrollment surges in every category, including residents, nonresidents, undergraduates, graduate students, distance-learning and the College of Technology. 

Peace Corps ranks UM in top 10—For the second straight year, UM is ranked in the top 10 in the nation for producing Peace Corps volunteers. New figures show 29 undergraduate alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps, placing UM at No. 10 on the list for medium-sized universities with enrollments between 5,001 and 15,000. UM also ranked 10th last year, with 30 alumni serving abroad. The top-10 ranking places UM ahead of universities such as Notre Dame, Yale and Syracuse. Since the founding of the Peace Corps in 1961, 743 UM graduates have served with the organization.

UM adds six Fulbright Scholars—Six UM students and recent graduates were awarded Fulbright U.S. Student scholarships for the 2009-10 academic year, making it one of the most successful years on record for the prestigious awards at UM. The Fulbright Program is the nation’s leading international exchange program, operating in more than 155 countries. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. This year’s total of six awards puts UM in the company of such universities as Penn State, Rice and Vanderbilt. 

Commercials win Addy Awards—Two UM commercials produced by Montana-based Chisel Industries won three awards Feb. 6 at the 2009 Montana Addy Awards Show and Dinner in Great Falls. The event was the first of a three-tiered national competition conducted by the American Advertising Federation. UM’s “Heritage” commercial took home two accolades: “Best of Show — Electronic,” as well as a Gold Addy. The “2009 Tunnel Run” commercial won a Silver Addy. Both entries will move on to the District XI Addy Awards competition in Boise, Idaho. The University also won a Silver Award for “Heritage” in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District VIII Communication Awards competition in February. 

University lands on honor roll—The Corporation for National and Community Service honored UM with a place on the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. During the 2008-09 academic year, UM students engaged in academic service-learning provided more than 13,000 hours to the Missoula community. Students also participated in nearly 11,000 hours of extracurricular volunteering and in more than 111,500 service hours through AmeriCorps, which helps with tuition support.