UM Student Success Important to Registrar Mangold

Maria Mangold says of the University of Montana educational opportunities, "People want to be here and if you seize the opportunities, UM is a place where your passions can take flight."

With student success as her continuing goal, Maria Mangold became the new University of Montana Registrar in December. She was UM Law School registrar and director of student services for about three years before becoming the interim UM registrar last July. And, before she came to the Missoula campus in 2010, she had worked with student support positions at Roosevelt University, Loyola University, DePaul University and the University of Chicago.

In a news release, Mangold emphasized that the role of the registrar's office is important to the students. "Our work is sprinkled throughout with student contact." The department is the repository of all UM academic records from orientation to graduation.

She also said the University of Montana has a "whole-person" approach to the students and staff, including being family-friendly and concerned with life outside the classrooms. She also supports the school's Office of Organizational Learning and Development department. "We are getting better and better at providing pathways for staff to grow as individuals and members of the UM community."

Of course, the COVID pandemic has been a struggle. "Covid has been a challenge, and we've really seen here at UM how you can step up to the challenge and learn from both your successes and your challenges." Those challenges include some technology upgrades at the Registrar's Office that are planned this year.