January 2026 News

UMW Alumna Madeline Bradbury

UMW ALUMNA MADELINE BRADBURY ACCEPTED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

JANUARY 26, 2026

Madeline Bradbury, Class of 2025, has been accepted into both the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and the University of Washington School of Medicine. She has chosen to begin her medical training at UW in July 2026 and is interested in pursuing OB-GYN/maternal-fetal medicine, emergency medicine, or surgery (possibly trauma, orthopedics, or plastic surgery), while remaining open to other specialties.

TEDx University of Montana Western. X = independently organized TED event.

COMMUNITY INVITED TO ATTEND TEDX UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA WESTERN ON MARCH 21

JANUARY 21, 2026

Community members are invited to take part in a full day of ideas, conversation, and connection at TEDx University of Montana Western, to be held Saturday, March 21, 2026, on the University of Montana Western campus. Designed with rural communities in mind, the event will explore how resilience can be built around complex and challenging topics through talks, workshops, and shared experiences. Attendance is open to the public, with tickets available while space allows.

Olie Else

IOLA “OLIE” ELSE CHOSEN AS MCHF 2026 SADDLE OF HONOR RECIPIENT

JANUARY 16, 2026

The University of Montana Western is proud to announce that Iola “Olie” Else has been selected as the 2026 Saddle of Honor Recipient by the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame (MCHF). Else will be honored on February 14, 2026, during the MCHF Induction Ceremony in Great Falls, Montana, where she will receive a bronze sculpture of Charlie Russell’s saddle created by artist Jay Contway.

Montana Western Fine Arts Gallery Presents “Where Things Settle: The Space of Becoming”

MONTANA WESTERN FINE ARTS GALLERY PRESENTS “WHERE THINGS SETTLE: THE SPACE OF BECOMING”

JANUARY 13, 2026

The University of Montana Western Fine Arts Gallery is honored to present “Where Things Settle: The Space of Becoming” by UMW Students Lacey Boots, Samantha Carr, Emily Hansen, Racheal Hanson, Emilee Malcomb, and Granville Parham. The exhibition will open on Thursday, January 29, and will feature a gallery reception from 5:00–7:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Gallery, located in Main Hall.

UMW’s “On the Rocks” Series to Host Speakers Cam Carstarphen and Mathew Smith

UMW’S “ON THE ROCKS” SERIES TO HOST SPEAKERS CAM CARSTARPHEN AND MATHEW SMITH

JANUARY 12, 2026

The University of Montana Western’s Environmental Science Department is excited to host Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) hydrogeologists Cam Carstarphen and Mathew Smith as part of the “On the Rocks” lecture series. Carstarphen and Smith will present “Using Geochemistry to Answer Natural Resource Questions” on Wednesday, January 21, at 4:00 p.m. in UMW’s Lucy Carson Library.

Montana Western's BrainFest Mathematical Modeling Contest, Feb. 6

UMW TO HOST FOURTH ANNUAL BRAINFEST MATHEMATICAL MODELING COMPETITION

JANUARY 8, 2026

The University of Montana Western Department of Mathematics invites all interested high school students to participate in BrainFest, a mathematical modeling competition, on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the University of Montana Western campus. Participants will have the chance to win a $500 or $250 scholarship to UMW.

Montana Western Hosts FAFSA and Scholarship Workshops

MONTANA WESTERN HOSTS FAFSA AND SCHOLARSHIP WORKSHOPS

JANUARY 7, 2026

The University of Montana Western Financial Aid Office invites all interested area high school seniors, community members, and UMW students to attend a free FAFSA Completion and Scholarship Workshop at the Lucy Carson Library on the Montana Western campus this January.

Montana Western's Colt Challenge & Sale 2026

UMW AND MCH HOST 2026 COLT CHALLENGE & SALE

JANUARY 6, 2026

The annual Colt Challenge and Sale, hosted by the University of Montana Western and the Montana Center for Horsemanship, will take place March 27–28, 2026, at the Montana Center for Horsemanship in Dillon, Montana.