Founded by an Act of Congress in 1983, the Mansfield Center is a central part of the University of Montana fostering globally minded leaders of integrity. The Mansfield Center is the sole Rural West nonpartisan institution supporting youth and communities through civic and international education guided by the Mansfield Legacy of ethical leadership, civic responsibility, and an unconditional commitment to the public good.

The goal of this project is to build capacity for the Mansfield Center’s Civic Education programs that provide civic education in underserved communities across the state of Montana. These programs invest in high-quality curriculum materials, comprehensive teacher development, and meaningful student civics events that can be used and adapted over time by school systems. The VISTA member will accomplish this goal by creating materials and developing the systems for the Civics Education team in expanding the scale, reach, efficiency, and effectiveness of its new programs to underserved schools in Montana and in the creation of civic education experiences. To address the challenges of civic education in underserved communities, the curriculum and workshops foster in students and teachers a better understanding of founding documents, constitutional government, local governance, public policy, and community organizing. This project alleviates poverty by equipping underserved youth with the leadership, advocacy, and professional skills needed to navigate economic systems and dismantle systemic barriers.

VISTA will enhance K-12 civics by researching existing curricula and developing original curriculum and materials to promote civic engagement in Montana. The VISTA member will create curriculum content for civics education to accompany a 20-episode video series about Mike Mansfield’s engagement with and promotion of civics issues and values. VISTA will develop strategies and tools to increase student engagement through partners statewide. By providing research-based recommendations, the VISTA member will refine programming to better serve the educational needs of k-12 schools, particularly 5th, 8th, and 11th-grade classrooms.

VISTA service will enhance partnerships with Montana schools, specifically focusing on underserved rural and tribal communities. To ensure sustainability, they will collaborate with experts to collect and analyze data on program reach, knowledge gains, and engagement quality. These efforts aim to measure the efficacy of civic initiatives and foster deeper community involvement, ensuring that these programs meet the long-term needs of Montana’s diverse student populations & educators.

Montana Campus Network for Civic Engagement (MCNCE) serves as the intermediary for this project. MCNCE is a coalition of colleges and universities dedicated to fostering civic engagement, service learning, and volunteerism across Montana. Led by CEOs from participating institutions, MCNCE works to improve community life and educate students on civic and social responsibility, preparing them to be thoughtful, compassionate, and engaged leaders.

Benefits Include:

• $24,962 VISTA Living Allowance (full year) = $957.46 bi-weekly
• $7,395 Education Award or $1800 cash award
• $1,000 per month housing stipend
• Relocation Allowance
• Health Insurance
• Personal & Medical Leave
• Non-Competitive Federal Hiring for one year
• University of Montana access & resources
• Access to regular professional trainings through MCNCE & University of Montana

The Affiliation of the University of Montana (UM Affiliation) is an equal opportunity employer. UM Affiliation does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of protected class status as described in UM’s non-discrimination policy and any applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law.

Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to the offer of employment. In accordance with university regulations, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations.

References: References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant. UM partners with SkillSurvey for reference checking. Applicants may receive emails from SkillSurvey to submit reference information.

Testing: Individual hiring departments within the UM Affiliation may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions.

Employment Eligibility: All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM and all affiliated campuses, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9). The University of Montana will require proof of authorization to work in the United States before final hiring. Due to the September 19, 2025 Presidential Proclamation and related guidance from USCIS and the Department of State, the University may be limited in its ability to offer H-1B sponsorship. At this time, we are unable to sponsor new H-1B visas that require payment of the additional fee introduced by the Proclamation.