December 3, 2020

Dear UM Family and Friends,

Please join me in celebrating our UM students for completing a successful 2020 fall semester, with special congratulations to UM’s 808 new graduates. All of these students showed grit and determination in navigating one of the most uncertain semesters we have ever seen.

Not only did our students maintain a low COVID-19 case count on campus throughout the semester, but many of them, alongside faculty, played an active role in combating the spread of the virus. Thanks to these contributions, UM was listed as one of the top 10 universities for solving the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the pandemic continues, so do the efforts of UM students in working with our staff and faculty to assist local businesses, map virus data for public health officials, process tests on behalf of the state, and most importantly, help develop a vaccine that will end the pandemic.

Under the leadership of Dr. Jay Evans at UM’s Center for Translational Medicine, UM has emerged as a global leader in vaccine development. While partnering with the National Institutes of Health, UM students and researchers are rapidly advancing COVID-19 vaccine candidates. This world-class team located right here on our campus is also actively working on new or improved vaccines for influenza virus, tuberculosis, whooping cough, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lyme disease, E. coli and opioid addiction.

In our latest installment of “Grizzlies in the Wild,” we highlight Dr. Evans, who is leading UM students and researchers to create solutions to the most pressing health care challenges facing our society, while building one of the world’s most impactful vaccine research teams right here in Missoula, Montana.

Share this video on Facebook

Seth Bodnar

University of Montana President