UM student Zachary Brown has been awarded a $30,000 Truman Scholarship and -- for the second time -- a $5,000 Udall Scholarship. UM student David Schaad also won a $350 Udall Honorable Mention award.

Brown, a junior, majors in environmental studies with a minor in climate change studies. He is a 2009 graduate of Bozeman High School and the son of Jim and Lynda Brown of Bozeman. He is the University's 12th Truman Scholar and its 35th Udall Scholar.

"This just makes me feel very grateful," Brown said. "The process for these scholarships is very intensive, and it takes a group effort among a lot of folks on campus to make this happen. I never could have done this on my own, and I appreciate how they helped create this life-changing opportunity for me."

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UM acknowledges the valuable contributions student employees make to the University and the benefits they derive from employment during National Student Employment Week Monday through Friday, April 9-13.

A reception honoring UM's Student Employee of the Year and all student employee nominees will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 12. Career Services will award a $500 scholarship to UM's Student Employee of the Year, who will be announced at the reception.

Throughout the week, all student employees will receive a distinctive button to wear, honoring them for their contributions to the University. Several campus employers will celebrate student employees by offering rewards to those wearing their buttons.

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UM residence halls will close at 5 p.m. Friday, May 11. Anyone requiring housing past May 11 will need to make special arrangements in advance at their hall desk.

Students are required to empty and clean their residence hall rooms. They will complete check-out with their resident assistant and turn in their keys and/or access card. To check out properly from the residence halls, students will need to schedule a time at their hall desk, and all residents must attend a mandatory floor meeting to learn what they must do to check out properly. Students can contact their RA or hall desk with any questions.

Students also will need to change their mailing address on Cyberbear before they leave for summer. Otherwise, all mail will be returned to sender.

Students may not store items in their residence hall rooms over the summer. There are a limited number of storage units available for rent over the summer in certain residence halls. Students interested in storing items for the summer should speak with their hall desk.

If students are interested in living on campus for the summer, they need to complete a summer housing application. Call Residence Life at 406-243-2612 for more information.

UM recently received two prominent civic engagement awards. The Corporation for National and Community Service honored UM with a place on the 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, and Campus Compact awarded a UM student with the Newman Civic Fellows Award.

The 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal government recognition that a university or college can receive for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. 

The 2012 Newman Civic Fellows Award honors inspiring college-student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Maureen Karlin, a UM junior studying education, received the award for her work coordinating the America Reads America Counts K-12 tutoring program in Missoula.

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A slate of high-profile experts with extensive knowledge in anti-terrorism policy, international human rights, foreign language education, international business and more presented at UM March 26-27 as part of the official kickoff of the University's Global Leadership Initiative.

UM hosted several panel discussions and presentations to celebrate the inaugural class of GLI Fellows. The unique initiative, spearheaded by a faculty committee co-chaired by UM Associate Provost Arlene Walker-Andrews and sociology Professor Daisy Rooks, aims to help the 200 students who begin the program each year to become engaged, articulate global citizens. It's the first university program of its kind in Montana.

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The Montana Board of Regents recently approved new minors in Arabic studies and global public health at UM.

Coursework in the Arabic studies minor is designed to help students achieve an advanced level in Arabic based on standards of proficiency established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The content of the Arabic studies minor includes linguistic and cultural components. Read more

Coursework in the global public health minor will emphasize a global perspective on issues of public health policy and science and applications to international and domestic situations. Students will learn about public health challenges such as parasitic and vector-borne diseases, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, tuberculosis, climate change impacts, trauma and violence, avian influenza, obesity and the role of indigenous healers. Read more

The UM Conference on Undergraduate Research will take place from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 13, on the third floor of the University Center.

The conference, which is free and open to the public, offers students opportunities for poster and oral research presentations, musical performances and readings from original creative works.

This year, more than 120 projects will be presented, including more than 70 research posters that will be on display from 11 a.m. to noon and from 3 to 4 p.m. in the UC Ballroom. 

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The University Center at UM will host a group workshop titled "Transitions" on Tuesday, April 17, designed to teach outgoing student group leaders goal-setting strategies and how to pass down a legacy and vision to incoming leaders.

Both current and incoming leaders are encouraged to attend the workshop, which will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in UC Room 326. The event is free, and registration is not required.

The workshop will include a presentation on how to effectively transfer leadership and group vision at the end of the year. The workshop will give leaders the opportunity to learn how to create binders to guide next year's leaders and members and ensure continued group success.

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UM invites the public to participate in annual Earth Week activities April 14-22, on campus and around the community.

Events kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 14, with the 20th annual Run for the Trees 5K walk and run. The race, sponsored by Missoula Parks and Recreation, starts and ends at McCormick Park, and all participants receive a T-shirt and a free tree seedling to plant. Race entry costs $20 for ages 12 and younger and $25 for teens and adults.

Earth Week activities also will include Earth Service Day and the Ecopentathalon on Saturday, April 21. Service opportunities start at 9 a.m. and include river cleanup, prairie restoration on Mount Sentinel, sorting recyclables on campus and helping prepare UM's food gardens for another growing season.

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The Associated Students of UM recently awarded the ASUM Off-Campus Renter Center with funding for a new Neighborhood Ambassador program.

The program aims to encourage relationships between student renters and permanent homeowners in a portion of the University District. The program includes roughly 39 blocks located between Woodworth and Daly avenues, east of Ronald Avenue. 

The program received support from ASUM, the Missoula Police Department's Quality of Life Officer Dustin Delridge, Missoula Mayor John Engen and many University District homeowners. 

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University Relations is starting to make plans for Family Weekend 2012 and wants to hear from you. Take a moment to fill out a short, eight-question survey and let us know what types of UM experiences interest you.

If you haven't already, mark your calendar for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12-13, and plan to spend the weekend in Missoula. The Griz will take on Southern Utah at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown is offering UM families a discounted group rate, and reservations can be made online or by calling 800-399-0408.

University Relations has launched a "UM News and Events" page on Facebook, allowing users to receive official UM news releases, photographs, videos and other useful information via the social media site. University Relations hopes you will like and share this new resource, which can be found online. 

• Monday-Friday, April 9-20: Autumn semester registration
• Friday, May 4: Last day of regular classes
• Monday-Friday, May 7-11: Final exams
• Saturday, May 12: Commencement
• Monday, May 21: First day of summer session classes
• Monday, May 28: Memorial Day holiday