It was founded as the Montana State Normal School in 1893, to train teachers according to a model used by other states. Education was considered highly important for the state. It was expanded with increased programs and had a four-year curriculum; the addition of other subjects and departments led to its being renamed as Western Montana College. It became part of the Montana University System in 2000, and is titled University of Montana Western. The first term of the Montana State Normal School began on September 6, 1897 with courses in elementary education for all grades below high school which took two years to complete, a one-year professional course for all teachers with two years of prior experience, an English-Scientific course which gave students a four-year diploma, a four-year Latin course, and a graduate course. The first-course catalog had this statement along with an explanation of the necessity of teachers: "On September 6th the Montana State Normal School will be organized for its first year's work. A well-equipped building has been provided; a faculty of thoroughly qualified teachers has been employed and courses of study adapted to the needs of those preparing to teach have been arranged. The citizens of Dillon have made every effort to secure good accommodations for the students. The State Normal will open under the most favorable conditions for a high grade of work. The most satisfactory results may be promised all who enter upon any of its courses of study."
The University of Montana-Western athletic health care team provides service to nearly 300 student-athletes under the direction of UMW Team Physician Dr. Nick DiGiovine from Montana Orthopaedics. Physician Assistant Brandon Bayers from St. James Healthcare also sees patients in the Kendall Clinic throughout the week.
Head Athletic Trainer: Kaleb Birney
Associate Athletic Trainers: Mary Placzkowski, Zach McCarthy
KDWG is a radio station licensed to serve Dillon, Montana. It is located on campus and provides educational and alternative programming to the University of Montana Western and the surrounding Beaverhead Valley. Since KDWG is a free-form variety station, it plays a broad range of programming including talk, sports, and a wide spectrum of music. Students, faculty, and community members generate some of the stations content; however, the station itself is run by UMW students.
History of KDWG
In the fall of 1998, the students at the University of Montana Western voted to implement a fee to fund a student-operated radio station. KDWG filed for their FCC application on May 13, 1999. Approval by the FCC was granted on November 28, 2000. The staff of KDWG proceeded to construct studio facilities, develop programming, and train on-air DJs. The station was assigned the KDWG call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on December 4, 2000. The station's first broadcast aired on January 17, 2001.
