Senior Spotlights
These graduating seniors have made an impact on us here at Campus Recreation. We are sad to see them go and so excited to hear all of the adventures their futures hold! Good luck to each of you and thank you for all of your hard work.
Luca Well
Luca is a Montana native, having grown up in Whitefish, MT. He grew up spending his winters skiing at Big Mountain and his summers hiking in Glacier National Park. Luca double majored in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science & Practice, double minored in Climate Change Studies and International Development Studies. He has been a part of the Davidson Honors College and the Franke Global Leadership Initiative while at UM. He is passionate about singing, rock climbing, rafting, playing D and D, reading, and watching science fiction movies. Luca cares deeply about conservation and the environment. He can even be found digging popcorn or pizza out of the dumpster so it does not go to waste.
Luca came to UM in 2021 at took part in the Freshman Wilderness Experience (F.W.E.) as a participant. He then proceeded to become a F.W.E. leader every year after that. In 2022 he led a F.W.E. canoe trip down the Missouri river, in 2023 he led a F.W.E. backpack trip in the Bob Marshall, in 2024 he led the F.W.E. Flathead canoe trip and in 2025 he will lead a backpack trip as his final F W E experience. Luca has worked a week-long Spring Break Capitol Reef backpacking trips three different years, several cross-country ski trips, has worked in the rentals department and also at the Climbing Wall. While at UM he got his Wilderness First Responder certification, his American Mountain Guide Climbing Wall Instructor certification, and his Avalanche Level 1 certification. Luca has become a well-rounded outdoor leader and mentor to many. He is bright, humble, calming, flexible and rolls with the flow when things get stressful. We are excited for him as he moves on from UM and look forward to see where his path leads. This summer he will be raft guiding in Glacier National park. Best of luck, Luca.
Sam Stewart
Sam joined us here at the Outdoor Program from Dallas, Texas in 2022. Once he arrived in Montana he fell in love with rock climbing and the mountains Montana had to offer. He took a few climbing classes his freshman year and went on the backpacking trip to Capitol Reef, Utah over spring break as a student in 2022. He had never really backpacked before and had an amazing time. Sam gravitated towards rock climbing and he then went on to take his American Mountain Guide Climbing Wall Instructor course and became a nationally certified climbing instructor. Soon after that class, he began working at the Outdoor Program and eventually teaching all of the climbing classes we offer including: the intro to indoor, the fundamentals of rock climbing, and the intermediate climbing class. He taught them all several times and became a great instructor. He also led the week-long backpacking trip to Capitol Reef in 2023 - a year after he was a student on the same trip. Sam was a Freshman Wilderness Experience leader and took on the gear coordinator role in 2024, which was a big role. Sam worked at the climbing wall, was a primary route setter at the wall and worked the rentals desk. Sam was most passionate about rock climbing and pursues it every chance he gets in his free time.
Sam majored in Sustainable Construction Technology and he plans to work here in Missoula in the building field with a fellow climbing friend and ODP employee. Sam enjoys hanging out with friends, listening to good music, and going on climbing trips. He is easy going, humble and passionate about climbing, teaching climbing, and wild places and hopes to continue to pursue rock climbing and start building homes here in Missoula. Best of luck to you Sam!