UM Welcomes Spring Semester with a Splash of Winter Excitement!

MISSOULA – Winter has not just approached; it has arrived, signifying an array of enjoyable University of Montana activities for students and local residents as the spring semester commences.

Students will return to their studies on Thursday, Jan. 16, walking past fire pits and snow formations designed to enhance the chilly Oval experience. The real thrill will unfold in the following weeks with UM basketball matches celebrating Native heritage, a winter pep rally featuring a substantial bonfire and fireworks, and inevitably, the beloved Foresters’ Ball.

“We are incredibly eager for our students to return and for the community to join us in celebrating the commencement of a new semester,” expressed Karen Schlatter, UM student experience manager. “We truly cherish our winter liveliness, and we offer countless activities for everyone, both indoors and outdoors.”

Here are some notable features of UM’s Winter Welcome Back:

• Saturday, Jan. 18: Levi Horn, a former Griz star and NFL player, will deliver a complimentary motivational address titled “Medicine Game” at 12:30 p.m. in the Adams Center West Auxiliary Gym. He will also speak in the same location again at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. Everyone is welcome to attend. His participation is sponsored by UM Admissions, the School of Public and Community Health Sciences, the Kyiyo Student Association, and the Native American Center of Excellence.
• Saturday, Jan. 18: The Lady Griz basketball game inspired by N7 is all set. UM will face Idaho State at 2 p.m. in the Adams Center. This game is a result of Nike’s N7 initiative, which advocates sports and its advantages for Native American communities, and the UM event will honor Native individuals and cultures. Artist Kaylene Big Knife has designed this year’s Native Griz logo featured on shooting shirts. Native Griz apparel is available at Scheels, the M Store, and the on-campus Go Griz Store.
• Wednesday, Jan. 22: Boondockers’ Day will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on the UM Oval. This customary event features contests between forestry students, law students, and administrators – picture tossing axes and hurling buffalo chips. The event is a precursor to the 106th Foresters’ Ball and presents opportunities to win complimentary ball tickets and merchandise.
• Saturday, Jan. 25: Amidst the significant Griz-Cat basketball matches scheduled for 2 and 7 p.m. at the Adams Center, the University will host a Winter Pep Rally from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the University Center and on the Oval. This lively event will comprise a massive bonfire, fireworks, activities with Griz student-athletes, complimentary snacks, ice-skating on the Oval (with free rentals), visits to snow domes, face painting, sign crafting, and a beer garden (for those of legal age). The Gaming Den in the University Center will provide free pool and ping pong, alongside Gary’s Local $6 Burgers available for purchase. Fireworks will illuminate Main Hall around 6 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: UM’s renowned Foresters’ Ball, filled with dancing, music, and festivities, will commence at 7 p.m. on both nights in Schreiber Gym. The Blue Collar Band will perform live music as participants experience “marriages” and “divorces” in the chapel, get sent to “jail,” or have their hair cut (literally) in the barbershop. This year’s theme is “Tankers Dumpin,’ Crews a Jumpin,’” which pays tribute to firefighting aviation and the 13 smokejumpers, including several UM students, who lost their lives in the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire. Students construct an entire historic Montana town inside the gym for this occasion. Tickets for the ball can be purchased on GrizTix.
• Saturday, Feb. 1: Community Forestry Day will occur from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Schreiber Gym. This family-friendly event allows visitors to the Foresters’ Ball venue without the rowdy atmosphere. Land management agencies and businesses from across western Montana will feature interactive booths and activities.
• Saturday, Feb 1: The N7-inspired Griz basketball game will take place at 4 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena, with UM competing against the Sacramento State Hornets.

Schlatter mentioned that winter at UM is abundant with numerous other campus events not listed here. For example, students and community members can always enjoy cross-country skiing at the UM Golf Course, with equipment available at the Outdoor Program Rental Shop. The UM College of the Arts and Media also hosts a full calendar of museum, theater, and musical events.

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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM director of strategic communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu.