In This Issue W el c o m e! Welcome! Welcome to the summer edition of Excellence Fund E-News! Excellence Fund Update This is an information-packed issue that highlights many exciting activities and events that took place this spring here at UM. Missoula Recent Grads Happy Hour From a graduation celebration for seniors and grad students to a happy hour for recent graduates, we at the Excellence Fund GRIZ GRAD FiESTa continue to explore new ways to involve current students, alumni and friends in our important mission. 2006 Commencement Unfortunately, it is also the issue where I am announcing my The Excellence Fund at Work departure from the UM Foundation. My husband graduated this spring from UM, a non-traditional student who excelled during his time here. He will continue his education at another institution with the goal of attaining his PhD and returning to UM as a Chemistry professor. It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to Missoula and the UM community. But it is with excitement that I look to the future when we will one day return to an even stronger UM, as thanks to the generous and ongoing support of alumni, parents and friends like you this University will only continue on its path toward greatness. You are truly making a difference in the lives of the UM students of today and tomorrow. Thank you for your continued support, and like you, I look forward to the fact my husband and I will always be able to call UM home. Go Griz! Martina Baker Director of Annual Giving E x c el l enc e F und U p d a t e With our fiscal year end quickly approaching we are pleased to report that the Annual Giving programs of the UM Foundation have enjoyed great success thus far! Overall our Annual Giving programs have raised $2,292,522 through the end of May! That is over $2 million that is going right to work to support UM’s academic units and departments, undergraduate research, the Mansfield Library, on-campus activities and speakers, and many other programs and opportunities that enhance the educational experience for UM students on a daily basis. Phonathon Callers staff the Excellence Fund We anticipate by the end of the fiscal year on June 30 we will table at GRIZ GRAD FiESTa have surpassed last year’s total of $3 million, and the Foundation overall will surpass last year’s total and raise more than $20 million for UM! If you have not yet had a chance, please click the link at the bottom of the newsletter to make your 2006 gift to UM! M isso ul a R ec ent G r a d s H a p p y H o ur On Friday, April 21, the Excellence Fund and the UM Alumni Association teamed up to host the first annual Missoula Recent Graduates Happy Hour at Parkside at the Wilma. The event featured complimentary drinks and appetizers and door prizes donated by area businesses. Kara McCarthy ’00, Sage Grendahl ’01, Greg Sundberg ’01, Tyler Disburg ’03 and Frankie McBurney ’04 served as hosts, and over forty local recent grads and their guests attended. It was a great opportunity for all to catch up with friends and former UM Megan Harrington ’99, Krista Pyron ’99, classmates! Our next event will be the Recent Graduates Julie Walker ’91, host Kara McCarthy ‘00 Tailgate at Homecoming 2006 – stay tuned for details! G R IZ G R A D F iE S Ta The University Center Copper Commons was the site of GRIZ GRAD FiESTa on Wednesday, May 3! Graduating seniors and grad students were treated to an all-you-can-eat Mexican buffet, margaritas, raffle prizes and music by DJ Noah Ginnings. The party, hosted annually by the Excellence Fund and the UM Alumni Association, was the most successful yet with over 400 students and their guests in attendance! A grand prize whitewater rafting trip for two was donated by Great Northern Whitewater Raft and Resort in Glacier Park, and the lucky winner Students mingle in the UC Copper Commons at GRIZ GRAD FiESTa was senior Beth Albee. Congratulations! 2 0 0 6 C o m m enc em ent Almost 2,000 seniors and graduate students participated in Commencement exercises Saturday, May 13, at The University of Montana, attending morning ceremonies for the professional schools and afternoon ceremonies for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Technology. Brian Schweitzer, governor of Montana, was this year’s Commencement speaker, offering words of encouragement to “the greatest generation”, the Class of 2006. John “Jack” Lepley ’50 of Fort Benton, who was slated to receive an honorary doctorate during the afternoon ceremony, was unable to attend. The UM Alumni Association th th th th Governor Brian Schweitzer congratulates a also hosted 70 , 65 , 60 and 50 reunions for the Classes of 2006 graduate at Commencement 1936, 1941, 1946 and 1956! The E x c el l enc e F und a t W o r k Each day we receive reports from students, faculty and staff who have received Excellence Fund awards throughout the year. This funding is available to students, faculty, staff and campus organizations for research projects, conferences, competitions, events and other activities that will enhance their UM experiences. We will highlight various award recipients in each issue of Excellence Fund E-News to demonstrate the tremendous impact private support has on the lives of UM students, faculty and staff, and the overall campus community. The following is taken from an Excellence Fund report written by The University of Montana Chamber Chorale Sapphire Diamant-Rink ’07, a member of the University Choir at Franciskanerkirche in Vienna, Austria who is currently studying abroad in Vienna, Austria thanks to support from the Excellence Fund. “The grant that we received from the Excellence Fund added to our participation in the Vienna Experience because it allowed for educational opportunities we might otherwise have had to Help The University of Montana’s decline. We have visited over 15 museums here in Vienna…we students, faculty and staff, and academic were able to see a ballet and two operas at the Vienna State programs. Make a gift before our fiscal Opera House, which is one of the best in the world. We were year ends June 30: also able to experience the beautiful music of the Vienna umfoundation.onlinemontana.com Philharmonic Orchestra during two separate occasions…We have walked among Roman ruins, had coffee in Freud's favorite cafe, The University of Montana Foundation sang for the mayor of Vienna, and hiked in the Austrian Alps. We P.O. Box 7159 have stood in awe of human creation in countless churches, Missoula, MT 59807 cathedrals, and synagogues. We have caused a sensation in the Austrian musical community with the high quality of our music and the depth of our expression and involvement in it, which I believe Questions? Comments? we have gained from our experiences here. We have attended a (800) 443-2593 traditional Viennese ball, cried together at Auschwitz, marveled [email protected] over Eastern European cities and discovered roots we didn't even know we had. Visit our website! The Vienna Experience itself is such a vital program within The www.umt.edu/umf University of Montana, especially for the Music Department. Almost every student who has been a part of the Vienna Experience has been deeply changed in some way. The Vienna Experience has been a priceless gift, and part of it was made possible for [us] by the Excellence Fund. My deepest, most sincere gratitude goes out to all those who have contributed to this essential Fund at The University of Montana.” To unsubscribe from Excellence Fund E-News, please reply to this email and type "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. .