MISSOULA — Ten thousand students will be welcomed back to campus on Thursday for the spring semester at the University of Montana.
Students will be returning to some new but highly anticipated additions to campus after the five-week break. Domes and fire pits have been added to the oval so students can have a warm hang-out spot throughout the semester.
The ice rink is set up and ready for ice skaters to hit the ice on Thursday as well. It's something UM does annually for students at no extra cost as a way for students to stay interactive.
“Students love it. That's why we keep doing it year in and year out. It's important for us to have that vibrant atmosphere when students come to try to reduce any sort of risk of isolationism," UM spokesman Dave Kuntz told MTN. "Ensure that we know when students are doing activities when they're hanging out with friends, when they're exercising those social benefits of being here on campus, they're gonna do better in school too. So this has been a real strategic priority for the university,”
UM will be hosting a bonfire on Jan. 25 on the Oval so that students can really hit the ground running.
