Montana Made

UM senior Lauren Schulte transformed a deep curiosity about human behavior into a clear path toward a career in clinical psychology. Through diverse undergraduate research, she discovered how research and practice intersect. Schulte also supported peers as a wellbeing coach and campus leader, strengthening her commitment to helping others feel understood and supported.

For the first time ever, the U.S. Forest Service has co-branded Smokey Bear with a select group of universities with nationally recognized fire science programs — and UM made the list.

Because at Montana, wildfire science isn’t nostalgia. It’s next-generation stewardship.

From prescribed burns and landscape ecology to wildfire modeling and boots-on-the-ground fieldwork, Grizzlies are helping shape how communities live with fire in the West.

The limited-edition collection features Smokey, Main Hall and Montana forestry heritage, with proceeds supporting wildfire prevention education nationwide.

Whitebark pine, one of the only trees that can grow at Montana’s highest elevations, is critical to our mountain ecosystems, providing food for grizzly bears, habitat for birds, and stabilizing snowpack. But due to climate change, disease, and other stressors, the species is in decline. Follow Ph.D. candidate Josh Beisel as he studies these trees from Glacier National Park to the Bitterroot Mountains.  

Take a look behind the scenes of Ronnie Avansino, a senior from Reno, Nevada, graduating with their BFA in Design and Technology for Theatre from the College of the Arts and Media. It was performing on the front of the stage that first piqued Avansino’s interest at UM, but through required stagecraft classes and expert tutelage, the transition to backstage felt natural. Now, Avansino is starting their career of supporting and setting the stage for artistic productions. 

After struggling to find her footing during her early college years, recent UM graduate Maddie McCuddy found her focus in long-form, documentary photography. She recently earned first place for news and feature photojournalism in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program for her portfolio that blended personal projects, work from her fellowship at the Missoulian newspaper and images produced during her time at the highly competitive Mountain Workshops in Kentucky.

UM graduate Ryan Fleetwood turned relentless curiosity into a fast-tracked path toward a Ph.D. in systems ecology. Earning dual degrees in environmental science and geography, he immersed himself in hands-on research, from climate modeling and snowpack analysis to national internships with federal agencies.