Standing In The Middle: Planting Seeds Of Liberation, Halle V. Smith

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio documents the development of an ecologically grounded and theoretically integrated social work practice across two years of practicum with the Crime Victim Advocate (CVA) program in Missoula, Montana. Drawing on ecofeminism, Indigenous Cultural Responsiveness Theory (ICRT), and trauma-informed practice (TIP), the author frames healing, justice, and liberation as ecological processes rooted in the conditions that surround people rather than the deficits within them. Cherokee teachings on ayetli, or standing in the middle, and a seeds of liberation metaphor serve as orienting frameworks throughout, guiding critical self-reflection, survivor-centered advocacy, clinical practice with domestic violence survivors, and policy engagement. The …

Rooted In Dignity And Hope: Clinical Practice, Advocacy, And Compassionate Care, Holly Ann Harris

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This MSW portfolio reflects my personal and professional journey toward becoming a social worker grounded in dignity, hope, and compassionate care. Inspired by early life experiences that shaped my understanding of the connection between dignity and hope, I entered the University of Montana’s MSW program with the goal of becoming a counselor supporting individuals and families experiencing grief, loss, and mental health challenges. Through coursework and the completion of my generalist and specialist practicums in hospice and the emergency department, along with ongoing critical self-reflection, my perspective has expanded to include a deeper understanding of systemic barriers, social justice, and …

Practicing In Broken Systems: An Advanced Integrated Social Work Portfolio, Andrew Tomt

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio documents my development as an advanced integrated social worker within behavioral health and crisis response systems. Grounded in the ten CSWE competencies, it illustrates my progression from foundational generalist practice to a more complex, systems-oriented approach that integrates ethical decision-making, trauma-informed care, research-informed practice, and policy awareness. Drawing on my practicum experience in Mobile Crisis Assessment and Triage (MCAT) in Spokane, Washington, the portfolio demonstrates my ability to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate across micro, mezzo, and macro levels. It highlights my commitment to social justice, cultural humility, and least-restrictive care, while also addressing the challenges of working …

Master Of Social Work Portfolio - Rooted In Relationship: A Journey Toward Integrated, Justice-Oriented Social Work Practice, Elisabeth Noel Marshall

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio represents my professional development throughout the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. Grounded in systems and ecological perspectives, trauma-informed practice, and the Just Practice framework, this work demonstrates the integration of clinical, mezzo, and macro social work practice across diverse settings, including therapeutic residential care, collegiate wellbeing, assisted living, and substance use treatment.

Through direct practice experiences, policy analysis, program evaluation, advocacy, and community engagement, this portfolio highlights the development of competencies aligned with the Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. Particular emphasis is placed on relationship-centered practice, justice-oriented advocacy, …

Msw Portfolio, Jasmine J. Klingaman

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This Master of Social Work (MSW) portfolio presents a comprehensive demonstration of professional growth and mastery of the ten core competencies as aligned with the standards of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Department of Social Work. Through selected artifacts and critical reflection, the portfolio illustrates the integration of knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes essential for advanced integrated practice. Emphasis is placed on ethical and professional behavior, engagement with diversity and difference, and the application of research-informed and evidence-based practice. The portfolio further highlights competence in policy practice, engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation across …

Professional Portfolio: Becoming A Justice-Centered Practitioner, Akemi Nakagawa

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio reflects my learning through this program, including the knowledge and skills I have developed, how my learning has been shaped by the people I have learned from and alongside, and what I will carry forward into future practice. I share my developing theoretical orientation that guides my thinking and practice, grounded predominantly in the Reproductive Justice framework, Critical Social Work, Janet Finn’s Just Practice framework, and by the work and wisdom of Paulo Freire–particularly his pedagogy of popular education.

This portfolio also reflects my ongoing development as a social worker who is committed to advancing intersectional justice …

Practicing What I Value: Growth And Identity In Social Work, Janelle Diane Schmit

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio showcases my growth as a social worker during the MSW program, highlighting both my academic accomplishments and practicum experiences. It contains artifacts that illustrate my proficiency in the key areas of social work practice. Guided by my personal and professional values, my work focuses on empowering individuals and communities in a variety of settings.

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Tara L. Beckman Ballis

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio demonstrates my professional growth throughout the MSW program through the application of social work competencies. It includes coursework, practicum experiences, research participation, advocacy, and volunteer work. Areas of focus include Wellbeing Support Coaching, cultural responsiveness, reproductive justice, maternal health advocacy, Indigenous research methods, and strengths-based practice.

Integrative Synchronicity: Learning To Hold The Space Between, Kelsey M. Bogumill

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio, Hannah N. Vasquez

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio documents my development as a Master of Social Work student, demonstrating integration of relational, trauma-informed practice with systems-level analysis. Drawing on coursework and practicum experiences, it illustrates competency across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice. Selected artifacts highlight the application of theoretical frameworks, engagement in critical self-reflection, and a commitment to advancing social justice. Particular emphasis is placed on caregiver engagement, community-based practice, and addressing structural barriers that impact well-being. Overall, this portfolio reflects my readiness for professional social work practice and my commitment to equitable, relationship-centered, and systems-informed approaches.

Msw Portfolio, Trebor J.C. Riddle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Introduction

My development throughout the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana has been guided by a longstanding understanding that social work is more than direct service. This belief was central to my decision to pursue an MSW rather than a master’s degree in counseling. While I value clinical skill and therapeutic relationships, I have always been drawn to the broader scope of social work, the profession’s commitment to social justice, systems change, and the integration of individual well-being with structural transformation. Over the course of this program, that orientation has deepened and become more theoretically grounded, …

Msw Portfolio, Kyle Dyrud

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

From Sea To Shining Sea: A Mastery Of Social Work Through A Critical Thinking And Social Justice Lens, Paige M. Gilchrist

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Completing a Master of Social Work degree across three years and two universities, Paige Gilchrist outlines how she has mastered the Five Elements of Advanced Integrated Practice and Ten Competencies required by the University of Montana to prove social work competency through a social justice lens.

Msw Portfolio: A Comprehensive Showcase Of Academic Work And Achievements, Emma Elizabeth Piskolich

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Social work practice carries significant professional responsibility. As political systems evolve and new research continues to emerge, it is essential for practitioners to remain committed to ongoing learning and professional development. The nature of social work involves serving vulnerable and impacted populations, which requires that care be delivered with the profession’s core values at the forefront. My approach to social work practice is guided by several theoretical perspectives that shape my professional framework. I am particularly drawn to Empowerment Theory, Systems Theory, and Ecological Frameworks. In practice, I integrate these with the Strengths-Based Perspective, the Person-in-Environment perspective, and trauma-informed approaches …

Transforming Experience Into Practice: A Portfolio Of Growth, Identity, And Leadership, Ana I. Loli

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio documents the integration of my academic learning, practicum experience, and personal transformation throughout the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. Drawing from trauma‑informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally responsive frameworks, I demonstrate competency across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice, with particular emphasis on ethical decision-making, ADEI engagement, community assessment, policy analysis, research-informed practice, and collaborative leadership. Through narrative reflections and applied artifacts—including case analyses, simulated clinical sessions, community-based research, organizational evaluation, and leadership implementation—I illustrate how meaning, context, power, history, and possibility shape my approach to social work. This portfolio highlights my development …

Advanced Integrated Practice: Holding Complexity With Integrity, Brittany Heather Mattfeld

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio presents an integrated approach to social work practice that holds systems-level analysis alongside relational, client-centered engagement. Drawing from graduate coursework, residential youth work, and applied program development, it examines how policy, power, and institutional structures shape lived experience within child welfare and juvenile justice systems. This work challenges the assumption that systems operate neutrally, highlighting how practices such as “voluntary” services may be experienced as coercive in application. Across core competencies—ethical practice, trauma-informed engagement, assessment and intervention, policy practice, research-informed practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration—the portfolio emphasizes that meaningful change occurs not only through structural reform, but through …

Beyond The Straight Road: A Narrative Of Growth Toward Integrated Social Work Practice, Samantha Bymaster

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio: Advancing Social Work Practice In International And Marginalized Communities, Emily L. Curtis

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

My portfolio presents an integrated reflection of advanced social work practice developed through my academic training and immersive field experiences across the United States, Germany, and New Zealand. Grounded in trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and strengths-based approaches, it demonstrates my application of the ten core social work competencies and five elements of advanced integrated practice within diverse and marginalized communities.

Drawing on my work with Māori and Pasifika women, refugee populations, and rural communities, this portfolio explains the importance of understanding individuals within broader cultural, historical, and systemic contexts. It emphasizes the need for socially just, culturally responsive, and relationship-centered …

Minutes From The April 30, 2026 Meeting Of The University Of Montana Faculty, University Of Montana--Missoula. Faculty

University of Montana Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes from the April 30, 2026 meeting of the University of Montana faculty.

Montana Kaimin, April 30, 2026, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Umcur 2026 Program Pdf

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This program includes the schedule for oral presentations and posters.

Inside The Study: A Meta-Exploration Of Undergraduate Ra Experiences In Social Work, April Janel Jackson-Andal

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Social work is not generally seen as a research-based field, yet social workers rely on evidence-based practices to address clients’ needs (Council on Social Work Education [CSWE], 2022; National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2021). Research has shown that social work students often avoid research due to disinterest or anxiety (Gredig et al., 2022). Professors typically favor master’s-level students, providing few hands-on research opportunities for undergraduates (Inoue et al., 2017; Sidell, 2007). This creates a gap in understanding undergraduate experiences.

This qualitative study explores the experiences of 5 undergraduate research assistants in the social work department at The University of …

Decarceration & Voting Rights Advocacy, Sophie E. Trudgeon

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Portfolio detailing my MSW practicum placement at Catalyst MT under the Justice Initiative and the growth that accompanied it.

Msw Portfolio: Grounded In Perpetuity And Well-Being Of The Future Generation, Silver A. Little Eagle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The MSW Portfolio, Grounded in Perpetuity and Well-being of the Future Generation, by Silver Little Eagle (Northern Cheyenne), is an Advanced Integral Practice portfolio submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Social Work degree at the University of Montana. Integrating the core competencies outlined by the University of Montana School of Social Work and the Council on Social Work Education, this portfolio draws on the author's identity as an Indigenous social work practitioner, as a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, as a Tsé-tsėhéstaestse naa Só'taeo'o woman, as an eldest sister raised by her grandmothers, and as a Youth …

From Classroom To Real Life: Chinese Esl Learners And Sex-Related Taboo Language, Yusi Chen, Gage Weston

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Sex-related taboo language (SRTL) is common in everyday English but often absent from English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction due to teacher discomfort, limited training, and perceived inappropriateness (Gale & Fernández, 2016). However, SRTL is important for expressing emotion, building social relationships, and negotiating interpersonal boundaries (Jay, 2009). Without instruction, learners may misinterpret these expressions, causing embarrassment, social challenges, or increased vulnerability in contexts involving consent, discrimination, or safety (Dewaele, 2004). Understanding when and how to use such language is essential but under-addressed in ESL curricula (Kremin, 2017). Limited prior exposure to sex-related language among Chinese ESL learners (Shi …

Mothering And Mental Health: Exploring Expressive Arts In The Postpartum Period, Beth Loudon

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Maternal mental health (MMH) conditions are mental health conditions that occur during pregnancy and/or in the year after giving birth (Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, 2025). These conditions are responsible for 23% of maternal deaths in the United States (Centers for Disease Control, 2025) and affect approximately 1 in 5 women (Fawcett et al., 2019). Unfortunately, while evidence-based treatment exists for many of these conditions, barriers to care exist, including (a) poor screening, (b) childcare limitations, (c) transportation, and (d) monetary constraints, amongst others (Place et al., 2024). Accordingly, traditional talk therapy is often inaccessible for these women, particularly disadvantaging …

Montana Kaimin, March 5, 2026, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Montana Kaimin, February 5, 2026, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Documents From The February 04, 2026 Meeting Of The Associated Students Of The University Of Montana (Asum), University Of Montana--Missoula. Associated Students

Senate Meeting Agendas and Minutes, 2007-Present

Agenda and meeting minutes from the February 4, 2026 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM). The following resolutions were discussed during the meeting:

SB14-2526 Resolution Establishing the Online Student Ad Hoc Committee (Passed by Senate)

Ahms 129.50: Introduction To Health Professions, Elizabeth A. Kelsey

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.