A Sampling of Spring Events

02 July 2025
'It's a good day to be kind' written in yellow chalk on the sidewalk

This spring, the GLI engaged in a dynamic lineup of events designed to foster dialogue, critical thinking, and connection for our students and community members. Highlights included a panel discussion with Soft Landing, participation in the 91次元's Democracy Summit, and a thought-provoking lecture hosted in collaboration with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Franke GLI also hosted a Beyond the Classroom Expo for our first year students to get them thinking about potential third year experiences. We were also privileged to co-sponsor a film screening as a part of the Conference for Undergraduate Research, and joined in the campus-wide Share Kindness Day, continuing its mission to cultivate globally minded and civically engaged leaders.

soft landing flyer

Soft Landing Missoula and many UM co-sponsors hosted a panel on reimagining international aid and its local impact. The event featured international aid experts, UM faculty, and refugees, exploring links between foreign aid, national security, and global development.

USHMM flyer

Lauren Fedewa, a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Fellow and doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto, discussed how Jewish women and girls survived the Holocaust by ‘passing’ as Polish-Christian forced laborers in Nazi Germany. Her research, based on survivor testimonies and archival materials, highlights the gendered aspects of this survival strategy and its intersection with sexuality and Holocaust history. 

democracy summit flyer

Franke GLI director Dr. Gillian Glaes participated in a discussion titled Local, State, and Global: What role should the U.S. play in key global issues such as trade, security, and human rights?

birng them home flyer

The GLI co-sponsorsed a documentary screening of Bring Them Home, which tells the story of a small group of Blackfoot people and their mission to establish the first wild buffalo herd on their ancestral territory since the species’ near-extinction a century ago, an act that would restore the land, re-enliven traditional culture and bring much needed healing to their community. 

students visit the tables of various campus stakeholders to inquire about beyond the classroom opportunities

Beyond the Classroom Exposition of experiential learning opportunities, including partners from the Global Engagement Office, the Experiential Learning and Career Success Office, the Wild Rockies Field Institute, and more!

two students write kind notes to share with strangers for share kindness day activity

Students wrote anonymous notes of kindness and encouragement for Share Kindness Day and took laminated mantra cards to keep where they most need a reminder.