Boy Scouts’ Merit Badge U This Weekend at University of Montana

The scout that can earn the "Thawing the Frozen Tundra That is Missoula Right Now" merit badge will be my hero.

Okay, no such thing. But Missoula, Montana, will offer plenty of other merit badges to be earned this weekend, during an exciting event on the University of Montana campus - the second time UM has hosted "Merit Badge University."

Our friends at UM News Service tells us that the university is teaming up with over 170 members of the Boys Scouts of America from across the region, for the second-ever Merit Badge University (MBU) at UM. Events will be held tomorrow evening (Friday) and Saturday, February 24-25.

UM and the school's ROTC program team with the Boy Scouts’ Montana Council and the Mullan Trail District. during Merit Badge University, Scouts  have the chance to earn 25 different merit badges! Eight of those badges are required to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

It's quite the impressive range of badges scouts can attempt to earn, including:

>Animation

>Art/Sculpture

>Athletics

>Chemistry

>Citizenship in the Community

>Citizenship in the Nation

>Citizenship in the Society

>Citizenship in the World

>Climbing

>Crime Prevention

>Electricity/ Electronics

>Engineering

>First Aid

>Geology

>Indian Lore

>Leatherwork

>Personal Fitness

>Plumbing

>Surveying

>Welding

UM faculty members and Boy Scouts of America merit badge counselors will lead various classes across the campus.

UM's first Merit Badge U took place in the winter of 2020. Of course, we all know what hit the world just a month later, and like so many other future events, pandemic postponement shelved the second gathering until now.

UM News Service also provided an awesome testimonial from a 2020 participant, Adam Krause, attended the 2020 MBU as a senior from Frenchtown High School. Adam then chose to attend UM and enroll in ROTC, which covers his tuition in return for a commitment to serve after college.

Now a sophomore, Adam says, “Merit Badge University allowed me to make invaluable connections and get some hands-on experience with career fields that were of interest to me.

“Before MBU I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after high school. MBU helped me make an informed decision.”

We welcome all these ambitious, dedicated young people and wish them the best of luck in their merit badge pursuits this weekend.