Hello! I’m Sophia Miller, and I’m a senior studying human biological sciences and climate change studies. This summer, I traveled to Dublin, Ireland, for my Franke Global Leadership Initiative experience beyond the classroom. My GLI Global Theme is Resources & Sustainability, and I explored how science and medicine connect to this challenge through full-time lab research at University College Dublin.

In the lab, I studied amyloid fibrils, protein aggregates associated with Alzheimer’s disease, using atomic force microscopy. Our goal was to see how ionic fluids interact with these fibrils and how such compounds might be used in future drug design. What made this experience especially meaningful is that I was working in a green lab, which emphasized resource-efficient practices and aimed to reduce environmental impact. This project is directly tied to my GLI capstone project, Grizzly Green Labs, which has shown me firsthand how science can be both innovative and sustainable.

Living abroad also taught me about sustainability on a daily level. In Dublin, I noticed how public transportation, city design, and even small cultural habits reduce resource use compared to what I’m used to in Montana. It made me reflect on how choices, whether in a lab or in everyday life, add up to real environmental impact.

This experience also grew my leadership skills and strengthened my confidence as a researcher. Presenting my research to an international group pushed me to communicate clearly across cultures and disciplines.

I am grateful to the Franke Family and the GLI for supporting this opportunity. It not only advanced my academic path but also deepened my commitment to connecting sustainability with science and healthcare.

Images of AFM, amyloid imaging, and poster presentation.

Cliffs of Moher June 27th, 2025

Ireland’s School of Falconry, Ashford Castle, May 21st, 2025

The Aran Islands, May 19th, 2025

Dublin, Ireland, July 23rd, 2025

Hi there, my name is Madelyne Miller! My GLI Global Theme and Challenge was Resources and Sustainability. For my Beyond the Classroom experience, I spent two weeks in Hawaii learning about their conservation issues and initiatives. I have had an interest in Hawaiian culture and the traditional ways they interact with the natural world. Due to this interest, I wanted to get some first hand experience on the islands to determine if I would want to continue a study of Hawaiian Peoples and the ways they manage their natural resources. In particular, during this experience, I was looking to learn how the Hawaiian community dealt with plastic pollution that comes from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by interacting with various organizations.

While I was in O’ahu, I was invited to join a protest hosted by two of the local organizations. They were protesting the current administration’s push for deep sea mining. The protest began with an oli, a traditional Hawaiian chant, and was followed with short talks from various employees of the organizationsand scientists. I learned the profound negative impacts associated with deep sea mining. I found this to be particularly memorable because I realized that I am rather unaware of the issues faced by marine communities due to the fact that I am from and live in a land locked place. However, I need to be more aware of the policies influencing marine ecosystems as the health of the ocean will impact every beings well-being, even those who do not live by the ocean. This event, in conjunction with the other organizations I interacted with, reminded me that I need to be aware of the sustainability issues occurring in the various ecosystems. 

My idea of Hawaii was greatly altered by this trip. I got to see all of the amazing work being done on the island and met some very kind individuals. At the same time, I saw the immense homelessness and social issues being faced by many on the island. Further, I witnessed the ways in which tourism has contributed to the commodification of a culture, which in truth felt somewhat unsettling. Overall, this experience has broadened my understanding of resource and sustainability initiatives. It has also aided me in narrowing which culture I want to study in my Anthropology career.

The banks of Loch Ness in Inverfarigaig, Inverness. Taken 16 February 2025.

Hello! My name is Lydia Niedermeyer and I am a senior studying International Business and Management, with a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Sustainable Business Strategy. I completed my Beyond the Classroom Experience in the form of a study abroad at the University of Dundee in Scotland for the 2024/2025 academic year. This program not only combined my current interests of increased environmental sustainability and the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility, but also my future career aspirations. 

Blackness Castle, Linlithgow Scotland. Taken 31 March 2025.

Before arriving at the University of Montana, I knew that my life dream was to open an environmentally sustainable Bed and Breakfast. After reading a series of books set in the Scottish Highlands, I knew that I wanted to investigate the possibility of having such an establishment abroad. My interest in Scotland led me to discover the numerous ways in which the country is more environmentally conscious than the United States. In the U.S, there are many who do not believe in the reality of climate change and therefore its ability to combat the issue is compromised by efforts to instead inform citizens of the problem at hand. 

The Ring of Brodgar in Stromness- Stenness on the Orkney Islands. Taken 5 April 2025. 

In Scotland, it was refreshing to not only be surrounded by individuals, peers, instructors, and even the country itself, that acknowledged the climate crisis – which then allowed for a more focused discussion and policies on how to combat it. Multiple cities across Scotland have made commitments of achieving net-zero emissions and the government supports both businesses and homeowners that make the switch to energy sources that have fewer detrimental effects on the environment with monetary grants. One campaign to encourage more use of public transportation was the Young Scot Card, which allowed those under twenty-two years of age that could prove at least six months of residency free bus fares throughout the whole country. 

With this in mind, I was extremely excited for the opportunity to take modules that focused on the intersection between business and sustainability. Over the course of my year abroad, I enrolled in two such courses: Business in Society: Responsibility, Diversity, and Geopolitics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management. The Business in Society course was geared more towards policy and more broadly how businesses should function within their surrounding communities. Our discussions focused on the various issues that are facing people around the world and how businesses should or should not be held accountable for making a difference in how these issues are addressed. The conversations and coursework from this module have strengthened my beliefs that companies have the capability to drive change through policies and acknowledgement of corporate social responsibility. This class has further inspired me in how I hope to one day run my bed and breakfast to adhere to such ideals. However, Sustainable Supply Chain Management focused more on the actual implementation of steps into a business plan to minimize environmental impacts. In this module, we analyzed different companies and their supply chains- looking into how different steps could either increase or decrease their carbon footprint and waste. 

Summit of Beinn Nibheis (Ben Nevis) in Fort William, the highest peak in the United Kingdom and British Isles. Taken 3 April 2025. 

The ability to study abroad in Scotland is an experience that I will forever reflect upon and am so grateful to have completed. The immersion in another culture and having met lifelong friends from across the globe has not only enriched my time in college, but also my life. I have grown and changed, not only as a leader, but as a person. I consider myself very privileged to have access to such a program and would highly recommend a study abroad to all those who can!

Hello! My name is James Deacon and I spent the spring semester studying at University College Cork (UCC) in Cork, Ireland. I am now entering my senior year at the University of Montana studying environmental science and sustainability. However, within the GLI my global theme is culture and politics — directing my studies at UCC towards courses such as International Politics, Political Corruption, and Language and Culture in Traditional Irish Areas. Within my global theme, I aimed to discover key differences/similarities between Ireland and the United States within political polarization, and what cultural consequences it leads to.

Traveling to Ireland opened my eyes to a completely different political environment, and one that was actively changing with the elections of the Dáil Éireann in progress. As an exchange student I leaned on discussions in my courses, as well as talking to Irish professors and students when gaining a better understanding of the climate within Irish politics. To start, there is a lot more codependence within Ireland’s multi-party system due to the collaboration of parties to implement policy, creating overlap of values and beliefs between parties. In addition, unlike the United States, Ireland’s main political ramifications and consequences are held within the parliamentary body and not with a singular figurehead such as the prime minister or president. Lastly, due to the stranglehold of the United States on global outcomes, I found that most citizens felt as though news coming from the United States oftentimes transcended current issues in Ireland. From my time surrounded by Irish students, and learning new political concepts, I was able to gain a better understanding of diverse perspectives on how politics interacts with everyday life in Ireland compared to the United States.

Beyond the classroom I spent a lot of time traveling, both within Ireland and to a dozen other countries in Europe including Switzerland, Norway, and Italy. A couple of the different countries I traveled to were trips with clubs on campus such as the surfing and mountaineering club. Most of the time I would travel with a group of friends, however when I traveled alone it was always fun to go to museums, take photos, and try different types of food from all around the world.

Being able to study abroad in Ireland was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Whenever I was in Cork I made new friends, interacted with tons of different cultures, got involved with clubs, and became confident even when I felt uncomfortable. One of my coolest experiences was spending five days in a An Rinn within one of Ireland’s Gaeltacht’s, a place where traditional Irish culture is preserved. During this trip we learned to play Irish instruments, speak the Irish language, and engage with locals about the history of Ireland’s independence and continued drive to protect Irish values. This trip was designed for international students to experience Irish culture in a secluded part of the country, though the bulk of international students on the trip were Americans. However, this led to my realization about both Irish and American culture — no matter where we were, who we were with, or what we were talking about, the experience I had was built upon creating community. I spent four months building community in Ireland with a wide range of students and locals, but I also learned how important it is to build community being home in Missoula. Wherever I go next I’ll always be thankful for the community that I built in Ireland, and for the influence it had on getting to understand my own culture a little bit better.

Hello, Dia Duit! My name is Dylan Van Rossum, and I spent last spring in Cork, Ireland, as an exchange student. I am now entering my junior year studying Social Work and Global Public Health at UM. My GLI theme is public and global health, and while I was abroad, my goal was to examine how mental health and well-being are viewed and addressed in different cultures. To learn more about my chosen question, I engaged in courses including Public Health Issues, Personal Lives & Family Policy, and Social Perspectives in Mental Health. I came back to the U.S. with a greater understanding of the mental health care system in Ireland, the history of mental health care in Ireland, and the current issues and future goals for mental health and wellbeing care in Ireland. Some of my biggest takeaways were about the controversial history of mother and baby homes and asylums in Ireland, the role of the Catholic church in Irish families and social care, and the important of peer support in the modern Irish mental health care agenda.

While I learned a lot in the classroom in Ireland, I also gained a valuable new perspective from my time exploring Ireland and several other countries in Europe. Being immersed in Irish culture was a new and bold experience for me. I gained much perspective about how Americans are viewed abroad, and how centuries of European history, especially the Irish fight for independence, influences their current cultural and political scene. I had the opportunity to travel to the UK, Italy and Spain over spring break, and then to the Netherlands, Germany, Austira and Switzerland once my semester was over. Getting to backpack to so many new places and experience so many different cultures put me out of my comfort zone and strengthened my leadership skills by building my confidence and allowing me to practice communicating with people from all different walks of life. Some of my favorite places I visited were Sevilla, Spain for the incredible architecture and food and Innsbruck, Austria for the remarkable mountains and nature.

Reflecting on my time, I am grateful for the new places I visited and the wonderful people I met. I am excited to continue traveling at every opportunity and learning more about world perspectives on mental health and well-being. I am looking forward to applying the diverse perspectives I gained to my future career in social work and/or public health.

I spent my spring semester abroad at the University of College Cork in Cork, Ireland. Cork is the southernmost county in Ireland and I experienced a lively culture with traditional music, dancing, and food. I am studying Ecosystem Science and Restoration at UM, and I have a particular love for wildflowers and want to contribute to the conservation projects that aim to restore the native wildflower population in degraded ecosystems. My global theme is resources and sustainability, with the challenge of utilizing modern restoration strategies in tandem with the cultural expectations of different societies to facilitate the regeneration of sustainable ecosystems. I loved being able to learn about the Irish native plant species, as well as the ways in which the Irish traditionally and contemporarily use native plants in everyday life.

In my Ecological Fieldwork and Analysis course, we conducted research for three ongoing studies at UCC located in Clonakilty, Kilbritain, and Killarney National Park, exploring ecological concepts such as rabbit density on sand dunes, snail shell polymorphism, and distribution of lichen communities. I was able to gain valuable experience gathering data, analyzing and graphing statistics, and writing scientific reports. I appreciated having the opportunity to explore these different ecosystems in Ireland and contribute to ongoing research.

In my Nature-Culture: Anthropologies of the More-than-Human course, I learned that the concept of ‘nature’ does not exist universally, and because there are many different ways of seeing the world, there can be no one solution to the environmental crisis. I tend to think very scientifically, often allowing myself to think of the environment I am working in as a closed system, and this class emphasized the importance of the interpersonal relationships individuals form with specific plant species. Our cultures often define the ways we interact with nature, and this is essential to recognize if we want to have global advancements in conservation. I think a lof os issues in creating successful global environmental change comes from the dichotomy of the utilitarian and biocentric perspectives. 

My favorite aspect of studying abroad was making life-long connections with people from across the world, and experiencing an independence that allowed me to explore my interests and travel to new places.

Hi, My name is Maggie Dammann and for my Beyond the Classroom Experience, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend an archaeological field school, run through the University of Minnesota-Duluth. As an anthropology major, focusing on archaeology this was the perfect opportunity to not only fulfill my BTC requirements, but it also gave me a baseline of knowledge to help me move forward in my schooling and career.

During the field school, my classmates and I spent one week in the classroom learning about laws, ethics, and cultural history, five weeks in the woods digging holes and filling out paperwork, and one week in the lab, cleaning rocks, combining data and trying to mentally reconstruct the human activity at our site over the last few thousand years. Despite the fact that it was a field school, my classmates and I were doing actual archaeology, collecting real data, and adding to the archaeological record. In my unit (a methodically-dug square hole) alone we found flakes and shatter that resulted from the making of stone tools, cobbles with evidence of human use, and even some fire-cracked rock.

My Unit at ~10cm depth. Our ending depth was 57.5cm.

The global theme I chose was culture and politics and the global challenge I decided to focus on was the issues of exploring culture history in a meaningful and scientific way while also adhering not only to our national and state laws but also to the ethical standards set forth by archaeologists, individuals, and those whose past and culture we are studying. Our field school took place on both state and private land in an area that is abundant in artifacts. The thing that I took home the most from this is the fact that not only did I have to show proper respect for the land I was digging on and the things I was removing from the dirt, but also the landowners’ wishes and the specialness of the site. We did all of our excavations not only to the letter of the law but also to the ethical standards that archaeologists are beholden to.

Despite the rainstorms, wildfire smoke, and enough biting bugs to last me a lifetime, field school was an experience I will never forget. Not only did I learn a lot, I also had a lot of fun and was able to do it with a fantastic group of people.

My name is Sophie, and I was able to study abroad in Athens, Greece at the American College of Greece last year.

While I was there I was able to look into my GLI theme of culture and politics and my global challenge of public access to the arts. Ancient Greece was a space of access, specifically when it came to theater. Theaters were open air and accessible from the ground. Examples of ancient architecture and artistry were displayed in every metro station. Access to historical and archeological sites as well as museums are free to the public every Sunday during the ‘off season,’ and the Greek people are incredibly proud of their history and heritage and are proud to show it. The United States has a different perspective. Most museums are ticketed, with ticket prices ranging in the $20s on average, and most theatrical performances are the same.

Now, one thing that I am very passionate about is bringing about a return of classical theater pieces. Plays from Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and more. I think that theater has always been political, and frequently been used as a tool to display the wrongdoings of a society in an effort to change people’s views. I think that bringing these back into the sphere of modern society would be incredibly beneficial and even modern retellings and reimaginings could do great things.

I think one of the things I will remember most from my time are my roommates. I had 9 roommates, which was a huge jump from 1. But they quickly became my friends and I still talk to the few who became some of my best friends. We did everything together. Every grocery run, every vacation or weekend away. One of my most memorable experiences was actually not in Athens itself, but on a long weekend to Budapest. It was a city and people that I quickly fell in love with and already have plans to return to. 

Hi, my name is Katie LaBuda and I had the opportunity to live and study in Granada, Spain! Granada is a beautiful, colorful, and lively city in southern Spain, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. The city is nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, something that immediately caught my attention. I study environmental science here at the University of Montana and I initially chose Granada because I loved the idea of being in a city surrounded by nature. The Sierra Nevada even has a ski resort where, from the top, you can see the ocean. Meaning that you can ski and swim in the Mediterranean on the same day. One weekend, I did exactly that — climbing a snowy peak in bitter winds on Saturday, and then less than 24 hours later, spending a Sunday relaxing with my host family on the sunny beaches of southern Spain!

At first, it was the outdoors that drew me to Granada, but in the end, it’s the culture, traditions, and people of Andalusia that I’ll remember forever. They created the perfect atmosphere for me to dive into my global theme of culture and politics. Granada itself is full of vibrant culture. There was flamenco music and dance constantly filling the tiny quarters of the historic city sections. Art and intricate ceramic tiles filled homes and public spaces. Meals were a time to enjoy with friends and family, spanning for hours on end. It was a place where individuals truly took their time to live and enjoy. 

In addition to general culture, I specifically wanted to learn more about the Spanish language and dialects within the country. Learning a new language has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. So to prepare for this incredible experience I minored in Spanish here in Montana so that in Granada I could be fully immersed. I took all my courses in Spanish and opted into living with a host family, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I had the goal of not only studying Spanish but living it. Through this, I was surrounded daily by the food, music and conversations that locals actually enjoy. On the flip side, I also got a real insight into the economical and political struggles that the country faces. I watched the news daily with my host mom and our conversations forced me to consider new perspectives and ideas. 

As for my global challenge, I focused on how dialects are changing within our modern world. While I still have so much to learn about this topic, I was able to hear many different dialects and accents throughout Spain as I traveled the country. Adjusting to each person’s accent was one of the most difficult yet rewarding parts of my time abroad. My host dad, for example, spoke with a very thick Andalusian accent, which I struggled to understand for much of my stay. Those conversations led to plenty of awkward moments, but just as many laughs. In addition, I took a course that explored the dialects of Spanish around the world, which gave me a deeper understanding of how and why regions within Spain speak so differently, even while sharing the same language.

This experience helped me grow not only as a student, but also as a person and a leader. I immersed myself in a completely new environment where nothing felt familiar, and instead of shying away, I leaned into the discomfort. As a result, I gained greater confidence in myself and in my ability to navigate the unknown. Now that I am back in a familiar environment, I feel optimistic and prepared to face any personal or professional challenges that come my way. I also know this will not be the last time I travel abroad, and for that, I am deeply grateful to GLI and to this life-changing experience.