Heidi Neumark, a pastor and author from New York City, will explore the power of women to build a better world during the next installment of the President's Lecture Series at UM.

Neumark will present "Women and Social Justice: Midwives of a Better World" at 8 p.m. Monday, March 14, in the University Theatre. Co-sponsored by UM's Women's Studies Program, the event is free and open to the public.

Earlier that day, from 3:10 to 4:30 p.m., Neumark will present a Philosophy Forum titled "Walking With Miss Ellie: Connecting Friendship, Prayer and Justice-making" in Gallagher Building Room 123.

A New Jersey native, Neumark received her education at Brown University and Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. She then worked and was a missionary in South Carolina, inner-city Philadelphia, Argentina, Peru, New Jersey and New York City's South Bronx. She currently is pastor of New York City's Trinity Lutheran Church.

Neumark is the author of "Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx."

In this age of e-mail and electronic information, many people have been writing the obituary of the book for years. But an upcoming lecture at UM argues this may be premature.

Printer Peter Koch will present "Lead Ain't Dead: Fine Press Printing and the Future of the Book" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, at UM's Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library.

Part of the Library Lecture Series, the lecture is free and open to the public. It's sponsored by the Friends of the Mansfield Library, and refreshments will be served following the lecture.

Koch, a native Montanan who now lives in Berkeley, Calif., said there is a growing interest in fine books and the art of printing. He will discuss the history of books, how books are made and what goes into making a great book.

Koch's work will be displayed in a Missoula Art Museum exhibit titled "Nature Morte" from March 17 through April 16. Examples also can be found in Archives and Special Collections at the Mansfield Library.

Three more upcoming lectures run the gamut from invasive plants and pollution to the environmental consulting industry.

• Dick Mack, Washington State University-Pullman, will deliver a lecture at 4:10 p.m. today, March 4, in the North Underground Lecture Hall as part of the Friday Ecology Seminar Series. The lecture is titled "A Prescription for Plant Invasions: The Interaction of Attributes, Environment and Circumstances."
• UM economics Professor Thomas Power will deliver "The Source of the Conflict Over Environmental Pollution: Economic or Cultural?" at 12:10 p.m. Monday, March 7, in Gallagher Building Room 201. The lecture is part of the "PEC Presents" series.
• Soil consultant Kevin Hervey will be at UM Thursday, March 10, to deliver a lecture titled "The Environmental Consulting Industry: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." The lecture is scheduled for noon in Science Complex Room 304.

Two UM students were named fall 2004 Outstanding Student Leaders, winning in-state tuition waivers.

The winners are Paul Lachapelle, a third-year doctoral student in forestry from Shelburne, Vt., and Jessie Luther, a political science major and communication studies minor from Cut Bank. Based solely on leadership and service, the scholarship is given out bi-annually to two UM students who provide ethical and creative leadership to help promote a healthy campus environment.

Applicants who exhibit ethical leadership and service qualities were nominated by a faculty or student group member. Award funding is provided by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and by Coca-Cola.

Applications are now being accepted for the spring 2005 Outstanding Student Leadership Awards. Applications, due April 8, are available by calling the Center for Leadership Development at (406) 243-4795.

University Relations staff members won a record seven awards -- five silver and two bronze -- in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education's District VIII annual communications awards competition.

Silver awards went to:

• Paddy MacDonald for an essay on Greenough Park that appeared in the Montanan.
• Joan Melcher for copy in a voluntary subscription ad in the Montanan.
• Cary Shimek for a story on bee research in Research View.
• Patia Stephens for a story on higher education funding in the Montanan.
• Director Rita Munzenrider, photographer Todd Goodrich, staff members Stephens, Shimek, Holly Fox, Colter Delin and Brianne Burrowes, and graduate student Karen Slobod for the 2004 President's Annual Report.

Shimek won a bronze award for Research View, as well as a bronze he shared with Goodrich and Slobod for design of the Vision 2004 cover.

Earlier this year, University Relations staff members won three gold awards from the national Admissions Marketing Report annual competition. The Montanan, the 2004 President's Annual Report and Research View were judged best in their categories. UM also collected merit awards for the Griz Greetings postcard gallery on UM's Web page, a general recruiting ad and the University's recruitment package.

Two gallery talks are scheduled in March to coincide with the latest exhibit at UM's Montana Museum of Art and Culture, "Images of Leisure -- Works from the Fra Dana Collection."

The exhibit depicts everyday leisure scenes and the struggle between accepting the role of a successful rancher's wife and being a woman of culture and talent. The gallery talks will focus on Fra Dana, her collection and turn-of-the-century culture.

"Fra Dana: Artist and Collector" will be presented by Dennis Kern, former Montana Museum of Art and Culture curator and Fra Dana expert, and author Ripley Hugo at 6 p.m. Friday, March 4, in the Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center lobby.

The following week, UM Associate Professor Valerie Hedquist will present "Turn of the Century Leisure and the Rising Middle Class" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, in the PAR/TV Center lobby.

The Spring Dance Showcase, produced by the Department of Drama/Dance, takes place March 8-12 in the Open Space of the PAR/TV Center.

There are two alternating programs. The first begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, Thursday, March 10, and Saturday, March 12. The second starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, and Friday, March 11. A final performance of the second program takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 12.

The showcase is an ensemble of dance pieces from 18 choreographers. It features a scene from guest artist Antonietta Vicaro's work in progress titled "Hypothermia." Other featured choreographers include UM faculty's Michele Antonioli, Nicole Bradley Browning and Heather Adams. Selections include ballet and a musical scene from "Chicago."

Tickets cost $7 and are available through the PAR/TV Center. They can be purchased an hour before the performances or by calling the box office at (406) 243-4581.

The Montana Grizzlies defeated the Portland State Vikings 79-65 Saturday night in a Big Sky Conference contest in UM's Dahlberg Arena.

Griz junior guard Kevin Criswell scored a game-high 24 points and senior forward Kamarr Davis added 21. With the win, the team guaranteed themselves a third-place finish in the Big Sky and a first-round home playoff game.

On Monday night, Montana posted a 77-69 win over the Lumberjacks at the Walkup Skydome. Montana wrapped up the regular season at 9-5 in league, their best mark since going 12-4 and winning the regular-season title in 2000. At 15-12 overall, the Grizzlies clinched their first winning season in three years for first-year coach Larry Krystkowiak.

UM will host the upcoming quarterfinal Big Sky Conference Tournament game, beginning at 2:05 p.m. Saturday, March 5, in Dahlberg Arena.

Third-seed Montana will play sixth-seeded Eastern Washington. The winner advances on to play in the semifinals of the Big Sky tourney, facing either host and regular-season champion Portland State or second-seed Montana State.

UM's women's basketball team maintained its lead in the Big Sky Conference with a 67-42 victory Feb. 24 at Eastern Washington University. With the win, the Lady Griz bounced back from their first league loss in nearly two years.

On Feb. 26 Montana held off a late rally by Portland State University and went on to defeat the Vikings 59-54 to remain alone in first place in the Big Sky Conference. The Lady Griz had a 20-point lead midway through the second half, but PSU stormed back to cut the lead to three with two minutes remaining.

Montana improved to 18-7 overall, 11-1 in league play.

The Lady Griz wrap up regular-season play this week with home games against Idaho State and Weber State. The Lady Griz hosted the Bengals last night and take on the Wildcats at 7:05 p.m. tonight in Dahlberg Arena.