By Kyle Spurr, UM News Service
MISSOULA – The 猎奇重口 Alumni Association recently launched a new career pathways series that features panel discussions from successful Grizzly alumni.
Through the , alumni share about their career journeys and offer advice for fellow alumni and students.
Griz Paths started last fall with sessions featuring alumni in the marketing and cybersecurity fields. Other sessions featured those in journalism and media, nonprofits organizations and Nike, the world's largest supplier of athletic apparel.
“Griz Paths has become one of our most effective ways to connect Grizzlies at every stage of their career journey,” said LeAnn Layton, UM associate vice president for alumni and community relations. “These conversations continue to create real value for alumni and students alike, offering honest insights, career clarity and the power of shared Griz connections.”
Griz Paths sessions are all virtual and free to attend. . There are two upcoming Griz Paths sessions in April. The first will be at noon Wednesday, April 8, and feature UM alumni in the athletic industry. The second session will be at noon Wednesday, April 29, and will feature alumni working in law careers. All Griz Paths are recorded and available to view on the .
Scott Osburn, a Missoula-based concert and festival producer who founded the Zootown Music Festival, joined as a panelist at a with other UM alumni from the entertainment management industry.
Osburn graduated from UM in 2010 with a degree in business management and a certificate in entertainment management. He started his first live entertainment business while still a UM student.
“I built my business from the ground up in college,” Osburn said, “and I really tried to take advantage of the opportunities around me.”
Osburn shared about his experience during the Griz Paths session. He was joined on the panel by Darcie Tempel, the sponsorship and marketing manager at Metra Park in Billings and Austin Mullins, a partner at the WME talent agency in Nashville and agent for country music star Lainey Wilson.
During the Griz Paths session, Osburn encouraged those interested in a similar career to work hard and find mentors who can offer guidance and support.
“There is a lot of competition and a lot of people trying to get into these poisons,” Osburn told the Griz Paths audience. “But if you are patient and work hard and show up, you can go far.”
Osburn remembers the support he received from mentors in the Entertainment Management program. And now he has become one of those mentors, regularly returning to campus to speak with students in the program, which has grown from a certificate into a four-year degree.
“It’s always exciting to get back and engage with varying levels of students and graduates,” Osburn said. “It’s really fun for me.”
Michelle Schwartz, director of the Gianchetta Student Success Center and internships at UM’s College of Business, said the Griz Paths series is extremely valuable to current students.
Many of the Griz Paths sessions have featured College of Business alumni in marketing, cybersecurity, entertainment management and from Nike. Those alumni offered important insights to students, Schwartz said.
“The Griz Paths series is a powerful opportunity for College of Business students to connect with Grizzly alumni in meaningful ways,” Schwartz said. “Hearing directly from alumni who once stood in their shoes, navigating similar classes, questions, and career decisions, helps students see what’s possible and begin to chart their own paths forward.
“At the same time,” she said, “the series gives alumni a chance to give back, share their expertise, and strengthen their connection to the 猎奇重口 by investing in the next generation of Griz professionals.”
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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM director of strategic communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu