Native American Community
Welcome to our community for Native American and Indigenous Students at the University of Montana! We recognize the unique experiences, cultures, and strengths of Native American and Indigenous students and honor Tribal sovereignty and the political status of Tribal Nations while supporting your growth, exploration, and success. Rooted in the heart of campus at the Payne Family Native American Center, the University of Montana offers dedicated spaces and services, like American Indian Student Support Services (AISS), to help you thrive academically, culturally, and professionally. Whether you’re exploring career paths, building your résumé, or planning for graduate school, we are here to walk alongside you every step of the way.
This community virtual space was created in collaboration with the Payne Family Native American Center and American Indian Student Support Services to ensure that your experiences, goals, and cultural values are reflected in the resources and opportunities we provide. We’re honored to support Native American and Indigenous students in achieving academic, personal, and career success while upholding and respecting Tribal sovereignty and political status.
Learn more about Experiential Learning and Career Success and how we can help you achieve your goals.
Did You Know?
You can meet with a career coach who will help you access and support Native American and Indigenous students as you explore career options, prepare application materials, and navigate professional opportunities.
Contact
Carol Evanger, Career Coach
Assist. Dir. Career Success Programs
carol.evanger@mso.umt.edu
406.243.5940
What You’ll Find Here
Explore Opportunities
- Programs, services, and articles that center on Native American and Indigenous experiences.
- Opportunities that may align with your goals, values, and interests.
Connect & Get Involved
- Student organizations and campus partners that provide connection, advocacy, and community for Native American and Indigenous students
Get Career-Ready
- Personalized career coaching.
- Résumé and interview guidance.
- LinkedIn profile support and Handshake assistance.
Be Informed
- Information and events that highlight Native American and Indigenous perspectives in career and academic pathways.
- Resources to help you build skills, expand your network, and achieve your professional goals.
UM Student Organizations & Campus Resources
Explore on-campus programs and organizations that support all students through peer connection, advocacy, academic services, and inclusive environments. These University of Montana resources promote accessibility and help students thrive academically and socially, offering mentorship, accommodations, leadership opportunities, and academic support to ensure full participation in campus life.
- Handshake: UM’s online job and internship portal. Graduate students should actively use it to search for opportunities.
- Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic: Provides law students hands-on experience at the intersection of federal Indian and tribal law with all substantive areas of law; problem-solving; legal research and writing; policy and lawmaking, cross-cultural lawyering; effective time management, identifying/resolving ethical issues; access to justice.
- Career Fairs & Employer Events: Attend career fairs on campus and virtual employer info sessions in Handshake to network with employers and discover opportunities.
- American Indian Student Services (AISS): Offers peer mentoring, academic workshops, cultural programming, and scholarship support. Located within the Payne Center and provides resources and support to help Native American students succeed UM.
- American Indian Gateway: The central hub for Native student resources including admissions advising, housing, and alumni connections.
- Native American Center of Excellence (NACOE): Based in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy (College of Health), NACOE recruits and supports Indigenous students pursuing health professions through mentorship, academic advising, public lecture series, summer programs, and community outreach. Additionally, NACOE partners with All Nations Health Center, TRiO programs, and AHEC for community health engagement.
- Office of Student Success: Central hub for advising, tutoring, peer support, and graduation planning.
- Undergraduate Advising Center: Advising for undeclared, pre-health, and first-year students.
- The Writing Center: Tutoring to strengthen writing, presentation, and public speaking.
- Math Tutoring: Offers free or low-cost academic support in quantitative courses to help students who lack strong math preparation in high school.
- TRiO Student Support Services: Tutoring, mentoring, and resources for eligible first-gen and Pell students.
- Four Bear Program: Guidance on how you can graduate in 4 years
- Student Advocacy Resource Center: Confidential support for students facing harassment, discrimination, etc.
- Office of Disability Equity (ODE): Provides accommodations and support for students with disabilities.
- Dean of Students Office: Provides crisis response, referrals, and conduct support.
- ASUM: Student government advocating and providing campus services.
- Indigenous Graduate Student Association: GSA cultivates a vibrant and supportive community for indigenous graduate students, regardless of their chosen fields of study. By providing resources, mentorship, and support.
- KyiYo Native American Student Association (Kyiyo): Engage the community in our cultural traditions to strengthen the identity of American Indians and Alaska Natives through cultural celebrations and vents like the annual Pow-Wow.
- American Indian Science & Engineering Society (UMAISES): A chapter of the national AISES, dedicated to supporting Indigenous students in STEM through networking, scholarships, and regional events.
- Native American Law Students Association (NALSA): Law student group focused on federal, tribal, and Indigenous legal issues—offering mentorship, networking, and advocacy opportunities.
- American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL): A premier student branch of the national AIBL organization, dedicated to empowering business students in the US through engaging and innovative educational experiences.
- Native News Honors Project: A student-led initiative in the School of Journalism that focuses on reporting and publishing stories about key issues facing Montana’s seven tribal reservations, including missing and murdered Indigenous women.
- Griz Hub: Central hub for student events, clubs, organizations, and intramural teams.
- The Branch Center: Intercultural hub for identity groups, programs, and connection.
- Housing and Dining Services: On-campus housing and meal plans with accommodations.
- Living Communities: Residence halls built around shared interests and lived experiences.
- Campus Recreation: Fitness, outdoor, and wellness activities for all students.
- Curry Health Services: Primary health care and wellness services for UM students. Includes general medicine, pharmacy, dental, counseling, and other wellness services.
- Financial Aid & Scholarships Office: Helps students navigate FAFSA, scholarships, grants, and loans.
- Montana 10: Scholarship program offering academic, financial, & social support.
- Financial Education Program (FEP): Offers workshops and one-on-one guidance on FAFSA, budgeting, and financial planning to help Pell-eligible and first-generation students build financial literacy.
- Alumni Association: Offers career advising, networking, and Handshake access to recent grads.
- First2Finish (UM Law School): Supports first-generation law students with mentorship/community.
Explore Student Life & Clubs
Want to dive deeper into UM’s student communities? Here’s where to go next—GrizHub, ASUM, WelcomeFeast, or your department.
Organizations & Resources
The organizations listed below are not affiliated with the University of Montana and are provided for informational purposes only.
- Academic and Financial Support
- Apply Montana: the state’s official college-planning portal offering tools and guidance for first-gen and Pell-eligible students to explore careers and education paths in Montana.
- Montana University System Scholarships (Award Montana): administers need- and merit-based state scholarships and grants covering up to full tuition—key support for Pell-eligible students.
- Clearwater Credit Union: provides free financial education (budgeting, credit, and student financing) to enhance financial literacy among Pell-eligible students.
- Career Support:
- American Indian Business Leaders: Headquartered in Montana, AIBL empowers Native business students and professionals through leadership development, entrepreneurship competitions, and networking.
- Missoula Job Service: a local employment hub providing recruitment, interview facilities, and HR guidance—ideal for first-gen students seeking work opportunities.
- Missoula Works: connects individuals facing employment barriers with temporary and permanent jobs—great for Pell-eligible students building work experience.
- Montana Department of Labor & Industry: offers comprehensive labor market insights and workforce services, helping students explore in-state career opportunities.
- Express Employment Professionals – Missoula: offers free online professional training (software, safety) and certifications via ExpressLearn, Workplace Pro, and Job Genius.
- Missoula Women’s Business Network: fosters a supportive community where women connect, learn, and access resources to enhance their personal and professional growth.
- Missoula Young Professionals: provides civic involvement opportunities designed to engage the next generation of leaders through networking and volunteer events that aid in professional and personal development.
- Education & Social Support
- Indigenous Ascent Coalition offers outdoor sports programs (e.g., ski-mountaineering, mountaineering, youth leadership) reconnecting Indigenous youth with ancestral lands.
- MMIWarriors: offers free self-defense training retreats and healing-focused outdoor events addressing MMIW/G2S violence in Montana.
- Montana Two-Spirit Society: offers cultural and youth wellness programs supporting Two-Spirit identities in Indigenous communities, with outreach in Missoula.
- Western Native Voice: offers culturally rooted civic engagement and leadership development for Indigenous youth, with active Missoula programming and statewide reach
- The Lifelong Learning Center: offers certifications in trades and technical fields—an essential resource for quick entry job training.
- Girl Get After It: make new friends, try new things and connect with like-minded women in Missoula, Montana.
- Advocacy & Community Support
- Indigenous Protector Movement (IPM): is a grassroots safety and advocacy programs including Women’s Warrior Society, harm reduction, and direct action for land and community defense.
- National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center: provides advocacy, housing, and health services addressing violence against Native women, across tribal and urban communities.
- ArtsMissoula: supports multicultural programming and connects diverse communities through the Missoula International Festival and other events.
- American Indian Movement – MT is committed to restoring Native sovereignty and justice through advocacy and community action.
- Warrior Women Project creates oral history, archival, and traveling exhibits preserving Indigenous women’s leadership in Red Power and current social justice movements.
- American Indian Science and Education Society (AISES): supports Indigenous people in STEM through scholarships, mentorship, regional and national conferences, and job opportunities.
- Association of American Indian Physicians: advances the health of Native communities and supports Native individuals in medicine through conferences, mentoring, and leadership initiatives.
- Indigenous Journalists Association: promotes accurate and ethical reporting about Indigenous communities and supports Native journalists with training, fellowships, and an annual conference.
- Intertribal Agriculture Council: promotes the conservation, development, and use of agricultural resources on Native lands and supports Native students in agriculture careers.
- National Congress of American Indians: is a national advocacy organization that also provides leadership development opportunities and policy fellowships for emerging Native professionals.
- National Indian Education Association: focuses on improving educational outcomes for Native youth, supporting Native educators, and influencing education policy.
- National Native American Bar Association: is a network of Native American legal professionals advocating for Native legal representation, education, and sovereignty.
- Native American Finance Officers Association: supports tribal finance and economic development through professional training, policy advocacy, and leadership programs.
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science: promotes the success of Native and other underrepresented groups in STEM through career development, research conferences, and mentorship.
- College Recruiter: a national job site for college students and recent graduates, aggregates millions of part-time jobs and internships. Dedicated to diversity, it helps students find relevant opportunities and gain initial professional experience.
- Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO): supports minority and low-income students aspiring to law school with prep programs, mentorship, and admissions assistance.
“But wait! This isn’t me!”
These communities are one way to organize resources and opportunities based on common student experiences. All Grizzlies are encouraged to explore every page and resource. Our career coaches are here to support every student.
Don’t see a community that reflects your experience, interests, or goals?
We welcome your feedback. Reach out to one of our career coaches — we’re here to help you find what you need:
