Name: UM President Seth Bodnar's “Inclusive Prosperity" U to You Lecture
Start: 2026-01-15T19:00:00-07:00
Location: Great Falls College MSU

Seth Bodnar, president of the University of Montana since 2018, is the lead-off speaker in the 2026 season of the Great Falls “Bringing the U to You” lecture series which is celebrating its 25th year.
Bodner's lecture, “Inclusive Prosperity: How UM is working to drive social mobility, workforce development and economic growth across Montana,” will be 7 p.m., Jan. 15, at Heritage Hall at Great Falls College MSU.
Series passes, $25, are available at Kaufman’s downtown and can be ordered by calling 406-899-0277. Tickets for individual lectures are sold at the door, $10 for adults, $5 for students.
Bodnar is a frequent speaker on the role of higher education in democracy, social mobility and global competitiveness. His presentation in Great Falls on Jan. 15 is titled “Inclusive Prosperity: How UM is working to drive social mobility, workforce development and economic growth across Montana.”
He will discuss the challenges faced by higher education nationally and in Montana. His talk will highlight the mission of the University and the ways in which UM is adapting and responding to what Montanans need of their university.
Under Bodnar’s leadership, UM has focused on making higher education more accessible and helping students realize their potential. Enrollment has grown and the four-year graduation rate has increased by more than one-third. The University was reclassified as an R1 high research university in 2022.
Before becoming UM president, Bodnar served with the Green Berets in Iraq, taught at West Point and was a senior executive at General Electric. A Pennsylvania native, he graduated first in his class at the U.S .Military Academy at West Point. He continues his service as a lieutenant colonel in the Montana National Guard. A Rhodes Scholar, he has two master’s degrees from the University of Oxford in England.