College of Business
Your investment helped the College of Business retain our talented faculty, elevate our students to launch their careers, and stay agile in our delivery of impactful education. UM business students thrive because you invested in scholarships that mean the difference between staying in school and leaving due to financial hardship. Thank you for the massive impact you have had on the College of Business during Campaign Montana.Dean Suzanne Tilleman
CAMPAIGN IMPACTS
gIANCHETTA sTUDENT sUCCESS cENTER
In 2016, private support helped to build the Larry and Dee Dee Gianchetta Student Success Center in the Gallagher Business Building. The Center allowed the College of Business to modernize and enhance student services by consolidating resources for advising, career placement, internships, graduate programs and scholarships. The Center’s professional staff help students navigate their academic careers and persist to graduation, but they also act as mentors and mental health supporters when students face difficult times. In 2020, the Center boasts an average of 300 student visits each month. Thanks to the Center, business students conducted over 285 interviews with 101 employers last year, and nearly 100 percent of employers who hired a business intern reported excellent results. The Center is used as a model for other colleges at UM and in the region to ensure students are prepared to enter the workforce and pursue a better life.
fACULTY aWARDS
The College of Business is recognized as the top business school in the Big Sky Conference, a ranking we contribute to the dedication and skill of our faculty. They bring expertise and real-world experience into the classroom that helps our students succeed. During Campaign Montana, donors helped to solidify this strength by creating the first endowed dean’s chair in the state, two new endowed professorships and seven faculty fellowships. These awards will live in perpetuity and will help the College of Business recruit and retain faculty members who make a difference in students’ lives.
sCHOLARSHIPS
Approximately 35 percent of students who attend the College of Business are the first in their families to go to college. These students come to UM eager to learn but often need help with tuition to persist to graduation. During Campaign Montana, the College of Business gave approximately $2.5 million in student awards. Many of these new scholarships were established by alumni who received scholarships when they were in school and wanted to pay it forward. Scholarships relieve a huge financial burden for many students and communicate that donors believe in them, helping to build their confidence.
TOGETHER, WE CAN CHANGE MORE LIVES
We’ve achieved so much during Campaign Montana.
We will continue the momentum with these fundraising priorities.
Impact Fund
Our Impact Fund provides College leadership with the ability to make strategic decisions and to direct unrestricted support where and when it is needed most. Your support allows the College of Business to nimbly reimagine the student experience in a way that is adaptative to modern needs. Your gift helps students from across Montana, the nation and the world continue successfully in their academic careers and achieve their dreams even in the face of uncertainty. The Impact Fund also supports our faculty as they work to stay current in their field through research, teaching and service.
Unrestricted Scholarships
Students are facing more financial pressure than ever before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to unrestricted scholarship dollars helps us pivot quickly when a student is facing a financial situation that may cause them to leave school. These funds enable the next generation of business professionals to persist to graduation, enter the workforce prepared as leaders and pursue their professional goals.
Student Success Center
Supporting students on their educational journeys is our top priority. Thanks to your generosity through Campaign Montana, we established the Larry and Dee Dee Gianchetta Student Success Center, a one-stop shop for advising, internship placement support, scholarship information, graduate programs and career placement. As the first connection with new students, the Center serves hundreds of students each month. In addition to academic advising, the Center provides resources including career coaching, interview preparation and referrals for mental health services. Now, we seek additional funds to elevate these vital programs and support the professionals who make them possible.
Make no small plans.
Donate
Montana was built by early innovators, adventurers and pioneers. Today, the UM College of Business is the leader in developing the next generation of entrepreneurs and future business leaders who stand ready to make their impact on the world. Our giving community has been critical in helping support our students’ success. With your generous support during Campaign Montana, we deepened our talent pool by supporting faculty in leadership positions, encouraged students with scholarships and supported our students like never before at the Gianchetta Student Success Center. With your ongoing partnership, we will invest in programs that set us apart and ensure each student has the tools they need to succeed at UM and throughout their careers.