Griz Gratitude Archive
Spring 2025
We would like to recognize Julie Cahill, Associate Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives and Innovation, for her strong leadership and dedication to the VPEII office, UM Summer and UMOnline over the past few weeks. Thank you for stepping up and providing exceptional support and guidance to our teams while Vice Provost Shara Tscheulin is out on maternity leave!
- Eric Vorkoeper, Tricia Hatfield and Becka Simons, Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives and Innovation
Thank you to Joseph Grady of Montana 10 and Bonnie Kurien of the Office for Disability Equity for supporting me and the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ they serve during difficult times. Things may not be easy right now, but people like you sure make a difference.
- Jennifer Schoffer Closson, Professor, Speech Language, Hearing, and Occupational Science
I would like to thank Lucy Logan, Director of Student Financial Services, for her help with candidates in the MT Teacher Residency program. Lucy has gone above and beyond to help these Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ and we are so grateful!
- Anna Kiley, Operations Manager, Montana Public Health Training Center
I want to express my gratitude to Enrique Flores Groomer for all of the excellent work he is doing for the Faculty Senate. Your efficiency, attention to detail, insights into our processes, not to mention your kindness and sense of humor are so appreciated. You are such a tremendous addition to the UM community.
- Lauren Fern, Outgoing Faculty Senate Chair and Assistant Professor and Math Discipline Lead, Missoula College
Fall 2024
The Registrar’s Office would like to extend our gratitude and a massive kudos to instructors and academic departments for an incredibly successful grade roll this fall. We had a historic record low number of missing grades: TWO out of 45,539! (To put this in perspective, five years ago, we had 135 missing grades.)
Thank you all for your continued collaboration! Let’s see if we can hit zero MG’s next semester!!
- Cassie Williams, Grading and Records Manager, Registrar's Office
Thank you to Nick Tarter at the Registrar's Office for always having the answers or know where to find them.
- Linda
I want to take a moment to recognize and express my heartfelt gratitude to Joshua Flores Groomer, Assistant Vice Provost, for his unwavering dedication and exceptional leadership at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥. What truly sets Joshua apart is his rare ability to make people feel seen and valued. Josh takes the time to reach out and let staff members know they’re doing a good job and that their efforts are recognized. His support reminds us all that what we do matters and that we’re making an impact.
Thank you, Joshua, for your endless efforts in creating a culture of excellence, inclusivity, and progress at UM. Your passion and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and we are all better for it!
- Ashley Smith, College of Business
A round of applause for UM’s professional (and student!) visual media team for capping their football season, too. The photography and videography staff lug heavy equipment just about every weekend from August through December, in every temperature and wind speed—to shoot full games and then run back to the office to edit, late into the night. Their talent meets passion with high standards. Thank you for so beautifully telling the UM story. Great work to the Grizzly’s (visual content) 12th man: Tommy Martino, Ryan Brennecke, Austin Valley, Ian Frank and Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Ella Palulis, Victor Perez-Carillo and Taylor Decker.
- Jenny Lavey, Director of Content and Creative Strategy
Thank you ODE Testing Center, particularly Dahn Ebert, who makes it so seamless for my Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ to take tests (including this week's finals) in their center. That team is so organized and so communicative, and they make it easy. I appreciate their support !
- Heather L. Voorhees, Associate Professor, Department of Communication Studies
UM Athletics Staff Senators Gabi Toulon, Eric Elliot, and Grace Salmon have organized what’s shaping up to be an EPIC "Staff Appreciation" Day at the January 11, 2025 Griz Basketball Game. From the energy they bring to their roles to the creativity and dedication they’ve poured into this event; they’re showing us what it means to build a campus where inclusive prosperity truly thrives.
Gabi, Eric, Grace — you’ve set the bar high, and I couldn’t be prouder to work alongside you! Thank you for making this happen and for reminding us all how awesome teamwork really is.
- Ashley Smith, Staff Senate Chair-Elect
A huge thank you to Jessica Robbins, Assistant Director for Student Care Case Management, for dropping everything to support our Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ in need! Because of a virus going around, there were no academic advisors available at the Undergraduate Advising Center. The student I was working with was in crisis. I contacted Jessica for assistance and without hesitation, she stopped what she was doing, walked from Turner Hall to Aber Hall, and offered the student assistance. She sat with the student, listened to their concerns, and together, they developed solutions for both the immediate issue and the future.
Jessica, your dedication, quick action, and unwavering support truly make a difference in our Ñý¼§Ö±²¥' lives. We are incredibly grateful for your selflessness and commitment to helping others. You are an inspiration to us all—thank you for being such an amazing advocate for our Ñý¼§Ö±²¥!
- Rachel DeVore, Undergraduate Advising Center
Thank you Seth Hansen, Sam Stroebel and Ruby Zitzer, Master's of Counseling Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ and UM Employee Group facilitators, for leading a wonderful series of meetings where we truly got to know our colleagues and ourselves. Your dedication to positive wellbeing will hopefully spread across campus and we wish you luck in finishing up your masters program. Thank you to OOLD for offering this program and continually investing in our professional and personal development.
- Happiness Project UM Employee Group
I want to thank Jean Gee for representing the UM in our Brawl of the Wild event with Bozeman's OLLI, Today’s Collegiate Sports: How NILs are Changing the Game. Jean rocked it!!!
- Teri Zanto, Program Manager, UM MOLLI
Huge thanks to our wonderful College of Business staff, Lyndsay Holcomb, Paige Ferro, and Ashley Smith for not just coordinating the recent campus visits of faculty candidates, but making them feel welcome! All three candidates expressed their sincere appreciation for the wonderful experience.
- Theresa Floyd, Associate Professor of Management
The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ recently completed a Veterans Affairs audit with exceptional marks. The Military and Veteran Services Office in partnership with Student Accounts, Financial Aid, the Registrar, and Admissions consolidated and organized over 500 records to successfully complete the audit. This herculean task ensures UM is compliant with VA policies and safeguards the ethical education of our military affiliated Ñý¼§Ö±²¥.
- Patrick Beckwith, Director, Military and Veteran Services Office
Extending our gratitude to Jeff Meese for working after hours and over the Nov. 23-24 weekend to ensure classroom technology was ready following Friday's power outage. Your dedication ensures our mission to educate stays on track, and we are so grateful for your hard work!
- Suzanne Tilleman, Dean, College of Business
The College of Business Faculty Evaluation Committee (FEC) Chairs have been truly outstanding this year. It has been a remarkable experience working with professors who acknowledge and show appreciation for the staff who coordinate high priority projects like the faculty evaluation process. I'd like to thank FEC Chairs Dr. Lisa Eiler, Professor of Accounting, Dr. Tim Manuel, Professor of Finance, Dr. David Firth, Professor of Management Information Systems and Dr. Justin Angle, Professor of Marketing, for their positivity and kindness.
- Ashley Smith, Department Administrative Coordinator, College of Business
Editor's note: Griz Gratitude to all FEC Chairs and members who spend every October-November reviewing, assessing and discussing their colleagues' teaching, research and service as part of UM's faculty evaluation process. Your review is an indispensable part of UM's efforts to enhance academic quality and support our professors. And thanks to the administrative staff in the academic units, colleges, and Office of the Provost who coordinate and support hundreds of professors in the process each year.
We'd like to give a shout out to Paige Ferro in the College of Business. The Office of Admissions hosted two Griz Preview Days, with close to 200 guests each, in the Gallagher Building this fall. Paige was our contact for this space, and she was awesome! She was so easy to work with, helpful, detail-oriented, and really went above and beyond. We appreciate all of your help, Paige! Thank you!
- Office of Admissions
Thank you to Andrew Williams from Facilities Services for helping the University Center with our little leak. You went out of the way to support our team and saved the day!
- The UC Team