The Kaimin Cast

The University of Montana Campus is alive with the music of the Roots Group, a class and band who play free form music. Their music includes singing, the fiddle, the spoons and much more. The group has become a tight knit community who rely on the laid back style of music as an escape from the rigid structure of classical music.  In this week's episode, news reporter Claire Bernard brings you the...

On February 24th, 2023, University of Montana dorm and office building, Aber Hall, flooded. A pipe had burst on the top floor. Students were quickly evacuated from Aber and not allowed to return. They were relocated until the building was cleaned up and deemed safe again. The University says the flood was not preventable, but a former facilities and maintenance manager doesn’t believe the same.  L...

Many University of Montana students rely heavily on financial aid in order to pay for their education. As important as the department of financial aid is, it is the cause of plenty of stress and heartache for many students. But, why is financial aid causing so many issues for students? Kaimin Cast reporter Clayton Murphy sits down with Kaimin news reporter Claire Bernard to dive into her past repo...

This Thursday, more than 30 different schools from across the west and the Marshall Islands will be at the University of Montana’s campus for the Western Regional Honors Council Conference. UM's Davidson Honors College applied to host the event five years ago and are now getting their chance to shine. Students from the honors college are doing many different types of presentations ranging from aca...

The ROTC, or Reserve Officer Training Corps, often seems like an private club. Many people know that the students who are a part of the ROTC are training to be involved some way in the military. But beyond that, what is the ROTC? Meet some of the people that make up the University of Montana's ROTC and what they think it actually is. Full transcripts of this episode and all others are available on...

Although the University of Montana doesn’t have a competitive swim team, they do have a 25 meter pool. The pool isn’t in the same building as the rest of the University of Montana’s recreation facilities, so it’s out of sight and out of mind for many students.   Listen to meet some of the people who keep the pool up and running for students to enjoy and why they keep on coming back.    Full transc...

Have you ever stopped to think about how much money you spend on DoorDash and delivery apps like it? DoorDash and other food delivery apps have built an empire with some very loyal customers. But, how did they do that? This week, Kaimin Cast reporter Clayton Murphy dug into the world of how DoorDash got to be such a big deal amongst one of the most notoriously broke demographics: college students....

Boris Granovskiy and Allison Brown are a couple that were brought together with the help of one sport most people have never even heard of. Granovskiy is a lover of the sport of orienteering, which requires you to find your way to check points using only a map, a compass and your wits. Brown had never even heard of orienteering until she met Granovskiy, now it's a huge part of their life together....

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, the University of Montana's campus is alive with  love. However, what about the other side of the holiday? Hear from UM students about their own heartaches and heartbreaks in this week's episode with Kaimin Cast reporter Clayton Murphy. Full transcripts of this episode and all others are available online at https://www.montanakaimin.com/ Questions? Comm...

You’ve probably passed by the pond-style ice rink on the Oval and the propane fire pits and adirondack chairs around it. The rink officially made a home for itself on the Oval in 2020, but who started it and who skates on it? In this episode, Kaimin Cast editor Alyssa Tompkins laced up her skates and hit the ice to talk to the students who brave the winter air to skate on the oval. Full Transcript...

Choosing your major fresh out of high school is a daunting task not for the faint of heart. It can be one of the best or worst decisions you've ever made. Would you change your major if you had the chance? In this episode, Kaimin Cast reporter Clayton Murphy speaks to students who have or who have thought about switching their major and what that means for their academic and personal lives. Full t...

Many students traveled near and far for winter break this year. Traveling is not environmentally friendly, but it does have its upsides like seeing family and bolstering your mental health. In this episode of the Kaimin Cast, editor Alyssa Tompkins speaks with Environmental Ethics Professor Christian Preston and The Director of Climate Change Studies Program, Peter McDonough to dig into whether or...

Everyone has that one relative they just can’t stand. Before UM goes home for the holidays, we decided to hit the streets and ask students for their most memorable holiday stories, secrets and scandals. But, to avoid family drama making it back to the source, we kept it anonymous.    In this Kaimin Cast episode, reporter Clay Murphy and editor Elinor Smith unearth UM students’ holiday mishaps and...

Earlier this year, Gabbie Byers started the bug club. Crickets, worms, roly polies, and beetles— ever since she could remember, Byers has been interested in creepy crawlies. But she hasn’t always been able to find a community that shared her entomological love.    In this Kaimin Cast episode, reporter Clay Murphy tells the story of how bug club came to be and how students across UM found a home in...

Have you ever wondered who keeps the University Center Garden looking so lush and green? Well, look no further! Dive into the world of the UC Gardens and the changes it has seen over the years. Maybe even spot some dinosaurs or garden gnomes while you’re at it!    In this Kaimin Cast episode, reporter Alyssa Tompkins speaks to Sean Helms, the new UC Gardening manager, to dive into its past and wha...

Do you know what a fandle is? If you don’t, it’s a fan-themed candle. My sister, Harriet Smith, used to make twilight-themed candles for her Etsy shop. Claire de Lune, Forks, La Push, and Olympic Coven, to name a few. Hear the story of the rise and fall of my sister’s Etsy shop, Thistle Candle Co. In this Kaimin Cast episode, editor Elinor Smith speaks to her sister about her old Etsy business and...

From court jesters to Pennywise, their painted faces haunt countless people worldwide. The trope of the creepy clown is well-established, but how did clowns go from jokesters to monsters?    In this Kaimin Cast episode, reporter Alyssa Tompkins answers why clowns give us the creeps.    Full transcripts of this episode and all others are available online at http://www.montanakaimin.com/     Questio...

Traveling preachers visited UM’s campus earlier this October. Students’ reactions were strong, and at times, the preachers drew crowds of around 150 people. The preachers yelled at the crowds, and the crowds yelled back.    In this Kaimin Cast episode, editor Elinor Smith answers why the open-air preachers visited our campus, what their end goal is and how students can properly respond to any futu...

Carl Shaw has to work three jobs to pay for college. Although in-state tuition at UM has stayed the same for the last three years, that doesn’t stop the out-of-pocket costs from affecting students. Many students have to sign on to multiple jobs to afford school and living costs.    In this Kaimin Cast episode, reporter Alyssa Tompkins talks about balancing work and life while enrolled in classes. ...

Doug Emlen has been working at the University of Montana for around 25 years, but he's been studying beetles for even longer. Emlen has always been interested in the extremes of the animal kingdom, and the huge horns on some of the beetles he studies caught his eye. Since then, he's learned the ins and outs of beetle battle.  In this Kaimin Cast episode, editor Elinor Smith talks to Doug Emlen abo...

The local band, Queenager, is made up of one UM professor and one UM student. Together they write and produce synth-pop songs. Their album Easy was released last year.    In this episode, Kaimin Cast reporter Alyssa Tompkins speaks to local musicians Sarah Frazier and Bryan Kostors about how they came to form "the pop duo of the millennium," Queenager.    Full transcripts of this episode and all o...

The PEAS Farm is a 10 acre farm in the Rattlesnake just about ten minutes from the University of Montana. They grow everything from pears to garlic, and call themselves home to some pigs and many chickens. The farm is a part of Garden City Harvest, a local non-profit that donates food to organizations like the Food Bank and UM Pantry. Students at UM are offered an internship through the program to...

Since 2017, fentanyl overdose has gone up more than 1,000% in Montana. Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a service organization focused on harm reduction, educates students at UMT on how to take drugs and avoid overdose safely. They do this through distributing fentanyl testing strips, Narcan, and most importantly, sharing information about how to take drugs safely.  In this episode, Kaimin Cast...

Ben DeBar and Paige Kerwin are the drum majors for this year's Grizzly Marching Band. They help students learn how to march, foster a fun environment in the band, and, most importantly, conduct the show.  In this episode, Kaimin Cast editor Elinor Smith speaks to drum majors Ben DeBar and Paige Kerwin about how they came to lead the marching band.  Full transcripts of this episode and all others a...

Elani Borhegyi's drag name is Jackie Rosebutch, and they're a drag goddex. That's the term for a non-binary drag performer. Borhegyi is a dragtivist-- using their platform to combine their passion for the environment with drag performance.    In this episode, Kaimin Cast reporter Alyssa Tompkins speaks to Borhegyi about their life and how they came to be a dragtivist.   Full transcripts of this ep...