Montana Western Student Profile: Mackenzie Hairston
Mackenzie Hairston is a sophomore from Great Falls, Mont., majoring in Biology and Secondary Education.
Hairston first learned about Montana Western from the teachers in her high school. After researching the university, Hairston was impressed by UMW’s well-known education program and the affordability of tuition and decided to apply.
Since arriving at UMW, Hairston has enjoyed the unique block schedule and Experience One approach to learning. With Experience One, students at Montana Western take one course at a time for 18 days, take a short break, and then move on to their next course. By utilizing block scheduling combined with immersive learning, UMW is the only public four-year university in the country to employ this model that is focused on student success. Experience One has allowed Hairston to learn in the classroom as well in the field, gaining real-world experience in both Biology and Education.
UMW Healthy Plan
This document contains campus-specific guidance for the University of Montana Western Healthy plan. The information is organized under the 11 planning areas included in the Montana University System’s “MUS Healthy Fall 2020: Planning Guidelines for Campuses” released on June 1, 2020 and updated in January 2021. UMW work-groups and area leads continue to address further considerations and the information in this document will be expanded and updated online.
Each planning area was addressed by a team of university employees with specific knowledge and expertise pertaining to the planning area in collaboration with Beaverhead County Public Health. We would also like to thank the University of Montana and Montana State University for allowing us to use applicable sections of their fall plans in our campus plan. Please find below the UMW planning areas and the campus lead contacts for each:
Jobs at the University of Montana Western
The University of Montana Western is a dynamic, innovative, undergraduate university with over 60 full-time faculty and 1,500 students. It is located in Dillon, Montana in the scenic Rocky Mountains and has been awarded numerous top national rankings for delivering high quality, affordable education.
Montana Western is the only public four-year college in the nation offering Experience One (X1), experiential learning delivered on the block schedule. Class sizes are small and students take a single course at a time, three hours each day for 18 days, before moving on to the next course. Each course is four credits and four blocks are offered each semester. The block schedule facilitates field and lab work, undergraduate research, study travel, and interdisciplinary teaching. Montana Western’s faculty strongly believe in mentoring and inspiring students, and assisting them in the transition from university life to professional careers.
Experience One engages students and faculty in actively exploring the knowledge, purposes, and practices in every field of study.
The Equine Studies Department at UMW offers the only Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Horsemanship in the U.S., with options in equine management, psychology, science, business and instruction.
The courses taught in the Equine Studies Department combine real-world experience and the knowledge of working with a horse’s mind. In this department you will be challenged to use the skill of problem-solving and also be taught the ability to succeed in the equine industry. The option areas are designed to target areas that students have selected as career paths. Courses provide the knowledge and confidence one needs to enter the industry.
Bethany Blankenship, Ph.D.
The primary architect of Stretch English, a course in college composition designed to help basic writers, Blankenship uses classroom time to build confident writers. She believes the best learning happens when students are fully engaged in activities like small group discussions, peer editing, and service learning projects.
PROFESSOR
Alan Weltzien, Ph.D.
Alan Weltzien is a published editor, nonfiction writer, and poet. He has published dozens of articles, two chapbooks, and nine books, most recently Thinking Continental (2017, co-editor) and The Comfort Pathway (2017), a chapbook essay. Weltzien has received two Fulbright Fellowships and one University of Montana International Faculty Exchange Award. Weltzien incorporates hands-on experiences and practical contact with the literature he teaches.