Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine will soon be welcoming a new class of an estimated 135 students.
The Great Falls Development Authority is asking the community for help in welcoming the new students into the Great Falls community.
Many of the students at TouroCOM come to Great Falls from out of state and larger metropolitan areas, and the GFDA says one of their goals is to welcome and include them in the community.
Last year, more than 40 businesses donated over $40,000 worth of items for the new students including museum passes, concert tickets, and vouchers for local restaurants for gift baskets.
Over the past year, businesses have been happy to report seeing the students out utilizing those tickets and enjoying the community.
Jenn Gallmeier, Investment Director for the GFDA says, “The purpose behind that was not only just to make them feel welcome and wanted to show them how excited we are that they're here, but we wanted them to get out in the community and, you know, go explore downtown, go explore the museums, go explore the ski hill. We want them to fall in love with Great Falls. And so this year we're asking the same thing. I've even talked to a lot of the students and they love it here.”
The Development Authority is also looking for those interested in sponsoring a white coat for $50, helping with costs of white coats that are given to them during Touro’s white coat ceremony.
A tradition at other Touro campuses around the country is to have members of the community take a group of students out to dinner. This was also implemented at the Great Falls campus for its first year, with around 40 people taking students out for a meal.
Gallmeier explains, “They took 105 students out to dinner, different restaurants and small groups, and it was so much fun. I reached out to everybody that hosted just to kind of get a recap and, you know, a lot of them stay in touch with their students. That was just another way for us to help them feel part of the community. It's scary moving somewhere new, and so if they feel like they know a couple of people, then it might make their transition a little bit easier.”
If you’re interested in finding out how you can support this new class, contact Gallmeier at Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.
