August 23, 2022

A Hearty Grizzly Welcome as We Begin the 2022-23 Academic Year!

I hope summer provided each of you with rest and reflection. As students arrive on campus, we have an opportunity to renew again our shared commitment to UM’s critical work: transforming lives and fostering inclusive prosperity in our communities. It’s an honor to work alongside you to continue UM’s 129-year mission to serve Montana as its flagship institution.

The success of that mission depends on the energy, passion and commitment you bring to your work each day. Thank you for being an essential part of the UM fabric. Because of you, we are building and sustaining UM’s momentum and impact. I am tremendously optimistic that this positive trajectory will continue.

This week we welcome our newest Grizzlies as they move into residence halls and participate in our award-winning New Student Orientation. The full week of programing includes a community service immersion project, the Big Sky Experience, and culminates on Friday with the second annual Freshman Float – all experiences designed to help students develop a meaningful sense of belonging as new members of our intellectual and social community.

We also are incredibly excited this fall to welcome Dr. Pardis Mahdavi to UM as our provost. Many of you have had the opportunity to work with Provost Mahdavi, but if you haven’t yet, I anticipate you will be impressed by her background, thoughtfulness and innovative thinking.

On Friday morning in front of Main Hall, please join Provost Mahdavi and me for our Fall Welcome for employees at 8:30 a.m. (also available on live stream). That evening at 6:30 p.m., we hope you’ll return with family and friends for our Outdoor Movie Night.

We are in an exciting time of growth and innovation here at UM. Our freshmen class grew by 30% last fall, and we expect an even larger new class this year. We also recently celebrated the achievement of R1 status, which was a tremendous accomplishment years in the making. Our campus is undergoing a major infrastructure renewal that will benefit students, faculty and staff for generations to come. And donor support for our university is strong, with our fundraising total this past year near an all-time high.

In short, it’s a great time to be a Griz.

As we lean into the vibrancy and energy of our campus this fall, I encourage you to individually carry a new chapter forward for UM this year, too. Please stay informed. Read UMToday and other campus communications and engage with processes and the deep work of this institution. Celebrate our wins, share our highlights and pursue your own contributions to UM’s mission, boldly and bravely.

As UM continues to turn a bright corner, we have much to look forward to together.

In the Grizzly spirit,

President Seth Bodnar

P.S. Please enjoy a small sampling of stories about the impact of UM from this summer:

• UM Alumnus Ready to Lead Glacier National Park
• UM Leads $10M Project to Advance Native American STEM Education Across the West
• Tradition Continues: Entire Class of UM Counseling Graduates Pass National Test
• UM Scientist Earns Prestigious Award for Wildlife Research Smoke
• UM Public Health Degree Earns National Accreditation