Let’s head over to meet Cam and learn more about the Griz athletic experience. In addition to 15 intercollegiate sports teams that compete at the top of Division 1, the University of Montana offers a wide range of clubs sports and intermural programs. This campus community loves supporting one another on the field and in the stands, let’s hear your story Cam.
– Thanks Alex, I play goalkeeper for the University of Montana Women’s Soccer team. And I’m excited to tell you about what it means to be a Montana Grizzly. From the excitement surrounding the Griz camp rivalry to the passionate fan base that fills the stands of South Campus Stadium. UM athletics adds so much to our tight knit community. I always do, that I wanted to continue playing soccer after high school. So when it came time to choosing a university, the most important thing for me was to find a place where I could compete at a high level while also enjoying my surroundings. When looking at my options for the next four years, the University of Montana was an easy choice. On my first visit to campus, I knew that this would be my new home. UM offers solid academics, great community support, and the opportunity to compete with the strongest athletes in the game. The Griz athletics community is something special. In our world-class training facilities, you’ll see team members from every sport supporting one another. We are 15 teams united in one goal, to be the best of the best and to make Griz Nation proud on and off the field. Whether you’re playing inter-collegiate, club or intermural sports, athletics at UM provides a sense of purpose, connection, and pride for our campus community. Some of the best memories I’ve made with my Grizzly family have been in competition or cheering on my friends. Representing Griz Nation has been the greatest honor of my life. And I’m so proud to call the University of Montana home. Go Griz and back to you, Alex.
– We’re cheering you and all the Griz teams on Cam, and by the way, the Griz Soccer Team makes regular appearances at the big Sky Conference Championships. Thanks for sharing your story and giving us a view of life as an athlete at the University of Montana. Good luck this season and Go Griz.
Living on campus is one of the most impactful parts of the college experience. And that’s definitely true at the University of Montana. More than a thousand students call the UM campus their home. Josh is one of those students. In fact, he’s a Resident Assistant in Knowles Hall. Here’s Josh to tell us how living on campus enriches the student experience at UM.
– Thanks for that warm welcome Alex. Growing up in Colorado, I had a huge family and school community to encourage me, and I was hesitant to move all the way up here to Montana. But when I visited the City of Missoula and the campus community really welcomed me, and I felt like I was home. I oversee the living learning communities for the Davidson Honors College in Knowles Hall as a resident assistant for RA. Let me in close proximity to so many new people can be intimidating, but with the help of our great RAs, we build community around every student. Being able to step out of your room and see a familiar face, or have a comforting conversation with your RA is what UM is all about. We can’t recreate home, but we will do everything we can to create a home for you. Living on campus puts you right in the middle of all campus activities, allowing you to really get out and explore all the UM has to offer. Here in the residence halls you were just steps away from sporting events, clubs, social activities, and cultural events. It’s easy to meet up with friends and hang out at The Oval or at the University Center, whether it’s grabbing a snack, attending events or going to club meetings. By living on campus I have developed hundreds of relationships with fellow Grizzlies and no matter your major, your hometown or your background, you will find your place here on the campus of University of Montana. And now back to you, Alex.
– Awesome, Josh, it’s really cool to hear how you were so warmly welcomed into the campus community at UM and how now you’re providing that kind of community for the next class of incoming students as an RA. Thanks for showing us around the residence halls, take care.
Okay, let’s head over to the Payne Family Native American Center to meet Zachariah. Zachariah has a passion for native language and culture, and he helps organize UM student run powwow, take it away, Zachariah.
Thank you, Alex. Hello, my name is Sammy Sepastu, I’m Blackfeet, I’m from Browning, Montana and I reside here in Missoula. I’m a fourth year student here at the University of Montana, double majoring in native American studies and anthropology. I’m also the Vice-President as a Kyiyo Clip here on campus. I came to the University of Montana to find something I love doing and something I could bring back to help the people in my community. It started out very fair. The place where campus clubs come out to recruit new students for their organizations. And that’s where I found the American Indian Student Services or AISS. I met people who showed me around the AISS office and the Payne Family Native American Center to help me connect with resources and people around campus. I wanted to get more involved and that’s when I started a work study in the AISS office. Helping others, if they had questions and doing my best to create a safe and home-like feeling for new native bridge students. My classes and native American studies have helped me learn more about indigenous histories, cultures, and languages, not only my own, but of other cultures too. In addition to helping me learn and understand myself, it also I’m one of it to be to help others who don’t have access to these things that connect us to family and the history that wasn’t taught in most classes, languages is a gift has to be spoken and protected, so that it lasts, for the next generations to come. Thank you and see all later back to you, Alex.
– Thanks, Zachariah. It’s really special to hear your native language spoken. What a beautiful dialect it’s clear that UM strives to provide a supportive community for native students. They could not do it without the student leaders like you, UM is very lucky to have you, take care.
Up next is Katie, who is a senior majoring in Biology with direct entry into the Physician Assistant Program at UE. She’s going to tell us how UE students get to work on research projects in their freshman year, and how experiences empower students, create opportunities to impact careers, and can really shape your future. Take it away, Katie.
– Thanks for the introduction, Alex. When college decision making was approaching in high school, I had a difficult time finding a school that stuck out to me above the rest. Since my hometown is a short drive from UE, I scheduled a visit as a practice college tour, never expecting to one day live, study, and grow here at the University of Evansville. My aspirations for medicine came from my relationship with my handicap brother. I wasn’t sure of my path when I first came to UE, but it was my time and experiences here that really revealed which career was best for me. One of those experiences in particular was undergraduate research. In the Biology Department, our faculty are passionate about research and lead projects for students to participate in. There are many different opportunities offered in our native plant garden, greenhouse, and labs inside Cook Center. The unique projects give students a better understanding of science, as well as a competitive edge when applying to jobs or graduate school programs. At UE, science focused majors get to work in the labs starting freshman year. In one of my classes, we took on a research project involving bacteriophage, or viruses that infect bacteria. Each of us took soil samples throughout the Evansville area, then isolated unique phage species from the samples to catalog and publish on a national database. Through this project, I realized my passion for research, which led me to taking an upper level elective the next semester to continue it. This experience early in my college career allowed me to explore different avenues in science and choose to become a physician assistant. Looking back, I’m thankful for my practice tour that caused me to fall in love with this place. Back to you, Alex.
– Katie, it’s inspiring to hear about your passion for medicine and how UE’s opportunities really fuel that for you. This is definitely something that benefits students for years to come. Nicely done.
Next, we have Ellen at the Schroeder School of Business. She’s a senior majoring in Business Management. I’m pretty excited for you to hear about Ellen’s exceptional experiences at UE, and how the many opportunities to get involved on campus can grow leadership skills and even lead to being a CEO while you’re still a student. Take it away, Ellen.
– Hey, Alex. I’m so excited to have you here at UE. I grew up with three older sisters who all attended college. One of my sisters attended UE. As soon as I stepped on campus, I knew I would once call it home too. The Schroeder School of Business is AACSB accredited, which is impressive since only 5% of business schools in the world receive this accreditation. UE equips students through hands-on work and real experiences. Also, every business student completes at least one internship during their time here on campus. One of my favorite parts of the business school is the exclusive opportunities. For example, this year, I’ll be able to test my management skills by serving as the CEO of Embrace, which is a student created and led for-profit marketing agency. I have developed my leadership abilities through a highly competitive program called LEAD Forward. LEAD Forward works with students to develop core leadership abilities, engage business leaders, and impact the community. Lastly, I love that I’ve been able to combine my social experiences and academics by joining a professional business fraternity called Delta Sigma Pi. For the last three years, I have served as an Admission Ambassador, giving personal tours to high school students. As you can see, I’m heavily involved on campus. And so many students here are. That’s why UE was recognized in 2020 by the Wall Street Journal’s Annual US College Rankings for Student Engagement, placing just 16th in the nation among over 4,000 other four-year colleges and universities. UE has not only prepared me for my career, but how to be successful in life. I have gained confidence and courage during my time here, and I know I’ll have the right tools to conquer whatever comes my way. What’s next, Alex?
– Thank you, Ellen, for letting us know about all these amazing opportunities. Imagine being as busy as you are and having fun doing it. Great job, Miss CEO. Take care.
Now we are off to the Performing Arts and Humanities Building, aka, the Pub to meet Katelyn, a sophomore dance and political science major and a Linehan artist scholar. Some folks think of UMBC as a science and tech school, but Katelyn is ready to tell you and show you all about UMBC’s community of creatives. Katelyn, you are on.
– Thanks, Alex, I’ve been dancing since I was two years old. I’ve explored the world of concert, competitive and theatrical dance. So the choice to be a dance major was an easy one. Once I found UMBC’s dance program, I immediately knew that I belonged in this welcoming community of artists. The arts are truly appreciated at UMBC, which is why I found the program was such a good fit for me. Something that really drew me in was the Dance Cube, which is a huge window wall studio that looks out over the campus. Being able to work in such a technologically advanced space with a spectacular view makes it so easy to find inspiration in your work. And artist in other disciplines, such as visual arts, theater and music can find just as many technologically advanced spaces in the Performing Arts and Humanities Building and beyond. I have been extremely fortunate to be a Linehan artist scholar at UMBC, which allows me to pursue my dance major on scholarship. And although UMBC is typically known as a tech school, it might surprise you to find out how well respected UMBC is in the arts community. Not to mention the arts program here at UMBC isn’t just a program but it’s a family. With cutting edge facilities, scholarship opportunities and wonderful professors, the UMBC arts program will give you an experience you won’t forget. While I’m only a sophomore at UMBC, I have already gained so much experience working professionally as a dancer and an artist and I cannot wait to see what the future may hold. Take it away, Alex.
– Wow, imagine being on those stages, thank you Katelyn for showing us around some of UMBC’s beautiful spaces for performance and creativity. It’s truly inspiring to hear about your work and see your art, excellent job, Katelyn, take care.
Okay, next up we have Colby, a junior financial economics and computer science double major, who also happens to have some serious school spirit. Colby is gonna tell us about what it means to be a Retriever, why True Grit is the best mascot ever and gets you truly hyped about black and gold. Colby, it’s all yours.
– Thanks, Alex. Back a couple years ago, when I was deciding where to go to college, I really wanted to find a university that not only had great academics, but also had a welcoming community that really took pride in where they went to school, I found that at UMBC. I think a major part of why we as Retrievers feel so connected and proud of our university is because of the experiences and traditions we all get to be a part of. And nowhere is this sense of connection greater than at our basketball games. I mean, sitting in the stands with my friends is just so much fun, what can I say? Whatever level of happiness I may be feeling at that moment is just taking to an absolute nother level when the Down & Dirty Dog Dance starts to play, they bring so much energy to every single game. You’ll even see our mascot, True Grit, dancing around trying to get people excited. He’s one of the best mascots around and honestly, the games would not be the same without him. Speaking of basketball though, 2018, what an amazing year for UMBC. We as the 16th seed beat the number the one seed, UVA. I mean, that was completely unheard of and everybody was talking about this. We’re talking CNN, Fox, ESPN, you name it, UMBC was on it. Though a lot of the headlines sounded different, they all shared one word in particular and that word was history, we made history. UMBC’s given me a lot, it’s given me a great education, I mean, it’s called an honors university for a reason, it’s given me experiences that I will never ever forget and it’s given me connections that I will have long, long after I’ve graduated. I guess what I’m really trying to say here is that if you choose UMBC, you will not regret it at all. That’s my story, back to you, Alex.
– Thank you, Colby, you truly bleed black and gold. I can see why Retriever Nation has such a faithful following and why it’s so fun to be part of the fandom at UMBC. Now that’s a team to roof for. Cheers Colby and Go Dogs.
Next up is Courtney, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology major who also is a standout on the softball field. This allstar is gonna share her story of how she found a place that values her talents, both in the classroom and on the field and offers the support to balance it all. It’s all yours, Courtney.
– Thanks, Alex, hi everyone, growing up I had the dream to play Division I softball while attending a school that let me focus on my academics. As soon as I visited UMBC, I knew it was the place for me. UMBC has given me the opportunity to study what I want while playing the game I love. In my two full seasons here, we won two America East Conference Championships making two appearances in the NCAA tournament. Our school is known for many other sports, including volleyball, two time reigning conference champions, swimming and diving and of course our basketball team, not only do we excel on the field, but our school helps us excel in the classroom. Over the years, many athletes including myself have been awarded elite 18 awards, academic, all district, and all Americans, conference scholar athletes for their respective sports and overall, conference all academic teams, as well as the National Athlete Honor Society. This couldn’t happen without the support staff, including coaches, our trainers, advisors and athletic director and company who work so hard to make UMBC the best environment to be successful on and off the field. They truly want us to be the student and student athletes. Not only does the staff support us, but so do our fellow athletes. We try to attend as many supporting events as possible to support each and appreciate it when other students cheer us on as well. When committing here, it was extremely important to follow my intellectual interest while also playing softball. I found great success because of UMBC’s supportive student athlete atmosphere. And with that, I recommend UMBC to any athlete who doesn’t wanna sacrifice their academics just to play the sport that they love at a high level. That’s my UMBC story, back to you, Alex.
– Courtney, you are truly a superstar. I’m so glad you found such a supportive community where you can explore your athletic talents and your long term academic goals. It’s awesome to know so many people are cheering you on in the stands, bravo, Courtney.
Let’s head over to the res halls to meet Gabby, a senior computer science and game development major who is also a resident assistant in one of UMBC’s living, learning communities. Gabby is gonna tell us all about how some of her best experiences have come from these close-knit communities. Gabby, we can’t wait to hear all about it.
– Thanks, Alex. Ever since I was a kid, I loved playing video games on various gaming consoles and devices with my friends. I couldn’t stand not interacting with people and I always felt a need to keep learning. To this day these things have stayed with me, especially computers, learning and people. Not so surprisingly, I’m now pursuing these passions at UMBC. I am an RA or residential assistant for the Honors College Living Learning Community where I also spent my first year. Living learning communities or LLCs are places or floors in our housing communities where students can live with a more specific group of people with similar interests. UMBC’s LLCs are focused on topics such as humanities, STEM and women in technology to name a few. The best part of his experience was living with like-minded people who are from all sorts of walks of life and have different ideas and values. We are forever united through the Honors College and as very academically focused students. Today, I live with more first year honor students and I get to help facilitate and form my own connections with them and help them adjust a college life. UMBC offers all sorts of opportunities to live on campus and get to know people with similar interests and really flourish in your completely different living environment. Getting to live with other people and participate in extremely fun events and bonding moments together really makes applying to LLCs worth it and creates friendships that last throughout your entire college career and beyond. I really learned that who you end up living with makes a huge impact in your life. I found friends in this LLC who understand me and help me grow as a person. That’s my story, back to you, Alex.
– That was awesome, Gabby. It feels like there’s really something for everyone at UMBC especially when it’s so easy to find like-minded people to hang out with after class, talk about lifelong memories and friends, not to mention plenty of late night snacks. Great job Gabby.
Next up is Giuliana, a junior computer science and theater major and also a tutor in the Writing Center. Now, Giuliana is super smart and curious. So they’re gonna tell us all about the amazing academic support system UMBC provides every single student. Don’t be surprised if Giuliana gets you excited about studying, you’ve been warned.
– Thanks, Alex, hello, everyone. Academics have always been a significant part of my life, but growing up as an autistic kid in a military family, I never really had the most consistent education. So when I started applying to colleges, I made sure to prioritize academic support and student disability services. Even from the first semester of my freshman year, it was clear to me that UMBC prioritizes its students. From math and science tutoring to peer led study groups, it’s never a challenge to find help for my more difficult courses, whether I need one-on-one assistance or just have a quick question on a homework problem. UMBC’s Academic Success Center always has what I need and the support doesn’t stop with technical courses either. UMBC has an amazing Writing Center, that’s actually where I work. We help students at all stages in the writing process, whether you need assistance with brainstorming or just one another pair of eyes to look over your final draft, we’ve got your back. And all the UMBC’s tutoring services are offered both in person and online. And it’s not just the tutoring staff who are amazing. I’ve yet to meet a professor who isn’t willing to sit down with me and help me out. One of my former professors is even acting as my faculty mentor for a research project I’m working on. When I started at UMBC, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to keep up with the work. I didn’t know if I’d be ready to make that shift to college level material. I thought I’d be left all on my own to sink or swim, but looking back, I know I couldn’t have been further from the truth. UMBC is above all a community that cares and is willing to put in the time and effort to make sure that every student has the chance to soar. Back to you, Alex.
– Wow, Giuliana, what an amazing story. Not only are you taking advantage of incredible resources like the Academic Success Center, but you’re also helping other students succeed. What a rockstar, well done, take care.