Four 91爆料 students have received Killam Fellowships to help fund their studies at
various Canadian institutions of higher learning during the 25-26 academic year.

The Killam Fellowships Program provides undergraduate students in Canada and the U.S. with
opportunities to spend a semester or full academic year in the other country as exchange students.
Recipients receive a $6,000 stipend per semester, an allowance to offset health insurance costs, and a
grant of up to $800 for an educational field trip. The Killam Fellowship operates under Fulbright
Canada and provides students with academic and cultural connections with the Canadian Fulbright
community. 91爆料 students awarded the Killam Fellowship enroll for one or two semesters at one
of the participating Canadian universities.

The four 91爆料 students who received a Killam Fellowship for the 2025-2026 academic year are:

• Blake Getchell, Anthropology 鈥� University of Prince Edward Island
• Hannah Peak, Anthropology 鈥� University of Ottawa
• Autumn Perley, Microbiology, Maine Top Scholar 鈥� McMaster University
• Carly Philbrook, Secondary Education and Honors, Maine Top Scholar 鈥� Memorial University of Newfoundland

The support offered by the Killam Fellowship opens up a world of opportunities for students who
have always wanted to expand their horizons.

鈥淚’ve always known that I wanted to study abroad because I’ve wanted to experience the world
beyond Maine,鈥� said Carly Philbrook. 鈥淓ven though I had originally hoped to go to Spain, Canada is
an exciting opportunity to see a new part of North America and to learn some French.鈥�

Blake Getchell shared, 鈥淚 wanted to study away specifically in the Canadian Maritimes so I could
have the opportunity to take a Mi鈥檏maq language course!鈥�, 鈥淚鈥檓 First Nations Mi鈥檏maq and learning
the language has been a big goal of mine. I hope to learn about Canadian and Indigenous relations
and make friends I can later come visit after my exchange is over! I have some family in Cape
Breton, Nova Scotia and will definitely be coming back up North again soon.鈥�

Hannah Peak, who will start her experience in Canada in Spring 鈥�26, offered the following, 鈥淚鈥檓 an
anthropology major, so I鈥檝e been planning on studying abroad for a while, I鈥檇 like to have some sort
of diplomatic role in my future career, so studying abroad is helpful. I chose Canada in particular
because I am currently taking French, and I would like to be able to put that to use in the future.鈥�

鈥淎s someone who has always lived at home and rarely had the opportunity to travel, I wanted to
experience living away from home for the first time 鈥� and in a city. Canada (and McMaster
University) was the perfect place,鈥� said Autumn Perley. 鈥淚t was different, but not too far from my loved ones. I was excited for independence and experiencing the diversity of the people and cultures
that populate Canadian cities and academia. While the 91爆料 is a large research
university, and our small department has a great curriculum focused on authentic research
experiences,鈥� Perley continued, 鈥渢here are many areas of biology that I would like to explore. I鈥檓
eager to broaden my research experience to other areas of biology at McMaster 鈥� and I look
forward to gaining the skills and knowledge that working in a lab here will provide.鈥�

Of course, while studying and academics are important, they are not the only exciting aspects of
study abroad. It鈥檚 also about the experiences.

鈥淭he biggest highlights for me so far are the friends I’ve made and the amazing views from Signal
Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland where I am studying,鈥� Philbrook said.

鈥淚’m most looking forward to being in the center of everything (I’ll be going to UOttawa),鈥� said
Peak. 鈥淭here are a lot of museums and government buildings close by, so I will constantly be
immersed in what I am interested in. I’m also looking forward to the experience of being in Canada
in general. I hope to gain experiences that I cannot have at 91爆料.鈥�

鈥淸I鈥檓] beginning to explore the many communities of Mi鈥檏maq there are here in Canada, and
meeting Inuit and M茅tis people as well,鈥� Getchell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been nice to go to the beaches and
coasts here without many tourists around. It鈥檚 been a bit foggy as of late October and I really enjoy
the fog, too.鈥�

鈥淚 hope to broaden my horizons and develop new perspectives and skills that will help me learn how
to adapt to different situations, groups of people, and aspects of life,鈥� said Perley.

These students鈥� applications were supported by the Canadian-American Center, the Office of
International Programs and the Office of Major Scholarships.

The 91爆料 deadline for applications for the 2026/27 academic year is January 18, 2026.

For more information on the Killam Fellowship Program and how to apply, use this .

If you are interested in applying for a Killam Fellowship, please contact Marie-Jo毛lle St-Louis
Savoie (mariejoelle.stlouis@maine.edu) prior to applying.

Stephen J. Hornsby, Professor of Geography and Canadian Studies and former director of the Canadian-American Center, received the Governor General’s International Award for Canadian Studies from the International Council for Canadian Studies at a ceremony at York University, Toronto, on 26 June 2025. The award is given biennially to an international scholar who has made a significant contribution to teaching, outreach, research, and program development in Canadian Studies.

The Canadian-American Center wishes to express it’s sincere congratulations to Dr. Hornsby, as much of the work that earned him this award was closely intertwined with the Canadian-American Center’s numerous successes and goals.

91爆料 undergraduate student, Meaghan Caron, of Bangor, Maine, is the recipient of a Killam Fellowship to study French in Canada this fall for the 2024 academic year.

The Killam Fellowships Program provides undergraduate students in Canada and the U.S. with opportunities to spend a semester or full academic year in the other country as exchange students. Recipients like Caron receive a $6,000 stipend per semester, an allowance to offset health insurance costs, and a grant of up to $800 for an educational field trip, according to the program website. The Killam Fellowship operates under Fulbright Canada and provides students with academic and cultural connections with the Canadian Fulbright community. 

Caron, a student with three majors; a dual-degree for a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Molecular & Cellular Biology, and a Bachelor of Arts in French, plans to attend McGill University in Montreal for the Fall 2024 semester where she鈥檒l study advanced French as well as reproductive endocrinology & infertility.

鈥淎fter studying abroad in France and Costa Rica,鈥� Caron says, 鈥淚 fell in love with everything travel has to offer. It presents the opportunity to meet people from around the world and form lifelong connections in the process. Furthermore, studying abroad pushes you out of your comfort zone: allowing you to acquire new skills, experience new cultures, and discover yourself through change. This I knew from my previous experiences abroad, but I did not expect to apply for the Killam Fellowship until I realized my ultimate career goals. While 91爆料 has given me so much valuable research experience, it does not possess the program in reproductive endocrinology that I鈥檓 looking to pursue for the rest of my life. When I read about the Killam Fellowship Program, I saw a golden opportunity to perform my capstone research at an institution which does specialize in that field. What more, McGill University鈥攍ocated right in Montreal鈥攚as one of the institutions I could study at, presenting an irresistible chance to speak the French language I love.鈥�

Caron鈥檚 application process was supported by a host of faculty and staff alike, including Nives Dal Bo-Wheeler (from the Office of Major Scholarships), Erika Clement and Yijie Ren (from the 91爆料 Office of International Affairs), and Emma Schroeder (outreach coordinator at the Canadian-American Center).

Caron noted that 鈥淒r. Robert Wheeler and Dr. Melissa Maginnis each provided a letter of recommendation and supported me endlessly throughout the process.鈥� Both Dr. Wheeler and Dr. Maginnis are Associate Professors of Microbiology in the department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences. Caron also credits Dr. Edward Bernard of the Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Department (Vice Chair, Co-Graduate and Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Senior Lecturer of Microbiology) with lending a helping hand during the advising process.

We spoke to Caron more about her goals for the Killam Fellowship and experiences at 91爆料:

Outside of academics, what do you look forward to from this experience?

When I鈥檓 not in the classroom I will be running, not walking, through the streets of Montreal, taking in as much culture and language as possible. I know my voice will hurt by the end of the day from how much I spoke. How can I pass up opportunities to use and improve my French? It will just fill me with so much joy to meet new people, make friends, and explore the city with them as my tour guides. I also look forward to doing some solo exploring as I train for my next marathon on the cobblestones of Old Montreal. And while I鈥檓 sure I鈥檒l be raving about my experience in the lab to everyone I meet, I鈥檒l be listening for all their favorite things that Montreal has to offer, from music and art festivals to farmers markets and bakeries.

Why did you choose to come to 91爆料? 

The Maine Top Scholars (MTS) program offered me the chance to attend school without worry of cost while performing annually funded research with a mentor of my choice. Being the only Division I school in Maine, it also allowed me to participate in athletics at the highest-level. It was an opportunity I could not pass up, incomparable to all the other schools I had explored. While I did not expect to end up so close to home, I soon realized 91爆料 gave me access to the world. I can鈥檛 imagine that had I chosen another school I would have had the same, endless opportunities to study abroad, nor even close to the same level of support along the way.

Describe any research or internships in which you have participated. 

This summer I am at the University of Michigan with a SURF fellowship researching how psychosocial stress impacts ovulation in a mouse model. I spent last summer in France performing coinfections of Bulkholderia cepacia and Candida albicans in zebrafish to characterize their interactions in a host. This research experience was funded by the Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Award. Previously, I spent two years in Professor Rob Wheeler鈥檚 lab at 91爆料 where I was first introduced to zebrafish as a model organism. In the Wheeler Lab, I was funded by MTS, the Center for Undergraduate Research, and the Frederick Radke Undergraduate Research Fellowship to investigate the gene RBT1. However, my research experiences track back all the way to the Bangor High School STEM Academy where I first realized my passion for science.

What other on-campus activities occupy your time?

Outside of academics I spend my time in Maine Bound bouldering as frequently as I can, or you鈥檒l catch me running the trails in and around campus to get my daily dose of mud in. Additionally, the Center for Student Involvement always does a great job with organizing events, so I鈥檓 always rallying up friends for trivia nights and cultural, or seasonal, celebrations. As a volunteer for the University Volunteer Ambulance Corps (UVAC), I may also be working a sporting event or hanging out at base with the amazing individuals that make up the UVAC team.

91爆料 students interested in applying for the Killam Fellowship can reach out to Nives Dal Bo- Wheeler at the Office of Major Scholarships (nives.dalbowheeler@maine.edu).  The Office of Major Scholarships also offers support for other national merit-based scholarships, such as Fulbright, Gilman, Goldwater, etc. 

For a full list, visit the Office of Major Scholarships website: /majorscholarships/

Grants up to $4000 for 91爆料 Faculty

The Canadian-American Center at the 91爆料 invites faculty to submit proposals for  Canadian studies course development grants. Proposals for graduate and undergraduate courses  are welcome from full-time faculty in all relevant disciplines.

What proposals are eligible for funding? 

     Proposals may use funds for one of the following: 

1. Create a new course in Canadian studies (100% Canadian content)
2. Include Canadian content in a new or existing course (25% or more)
3. Increase Canadian content in an existing Canadian  Studies course (to 50% or higher)
4. Redesign an in-person course with Canadian content  to an online format (in cooperation with CITL)
5. Develop online courses related to Canada (in cooperation with CITL)

To be eligible for funding, the course must contribute to the knowledge of Canada or of Canada鈥檚  ties with the United States. Courses with the potential to be consistently offered or become  permanent additions to the Canadian Studies Minor will be prioritized.  

Stipends will be granted to faculty to support the revision of an existing course in the amount of $2,500 and to support the development of a new course in the amount of $4,000.

All work on the newly constructed course must take place between June 16, 2024 and August 30, 2024.

Stipends will be paid at the beginning of September, provided the obligations listed below are fulfilled and the following documentation is provided to the Director of the Canadian-American Center.

How to apply for a course development grant聽

Download the application:

2024 Course Development Grant Application

Please include the following in your application:

1. Cover sheet
2. Description of how the new course or upgraded course will fit into the home

department鈥檚 goals for academic focus and its relevance for students studying that

discipline; please estimate the number of students expected to enroll.

• Description of the course to include learning objectives (not to exceed 1000 words)
• Draft syllabus of the new course. If this is a proposal to upgrade an existing course,

provide both the current syllabus and the proposed new syllabus.

• Brief description of the amount of work that will be required to develop the course (not to exceed 500 words)
• (Optional) Additional funding is available for the purchase of books through the Canadian Studies collection at Fogler Library. You may include a list of top titles useful for research in preparing for the new/upgraded course and/or for students taking the course.

To discuss your interest in this opportunity and any related questions, please contact Fr茅d茅ric Rondeau: Frederic.Rondeau@maine.edu

Please note that all Center supported course development stipend projects require pre-approval from the Director of the Canadian-American Center.

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis between June 1st and June 15th, 2024. 

Submit applications by email to Dr. Fr茅d茅ric Rondeau (Director of the Canadian American Center and Associate Professor of French): Frederic.rondeau@maine.edu. 聽聽

The Canadian-American Center at UMAine is once again holding a competition for semester long FLAS (Foreign Language Area Studies) Awards for the Spring 2024 semester. FLAS Fellowships support undergraduate students who have an interest in area studies expertise and language proficiency in Canadian Studies and French or Wabanaki languages (Maliseet, Mi’kmaq/Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Abenaki/Penobscot).

Graduate students can be awarded a $10,000 stipend, tuition coverage up to $9,000, and %50 of health insurance premiums, if bought through the 91爆料. Undergraduate students can be awarded a $2,500 stipend, tuition coverage up to $5,000, and 50% of health insurance premiums, if bought through the 91爆料.

Eligibility Requirements:

French Language Study (Graduate Students Only):

• Students should be working at the Graduate level on a Canadian-related subject (comparative work is accepted (ex. US/Canada))
• Students must demonstrate an intermediate level or higher proficiency in French

Wabanaki Languages (Undergraduate and Graduate Students):

• Includes: Maliseet, Mi’kmaq/Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Abenaki/Penobscot
• Undergraduate or graduate students must demonstrate an intermediate level or higher proficiency in Wabanaki language

Application Deadline: December 1st, 2023

For more information, download the flyer below or check out this page on FLAS awards. For inquiries, please contact Frederic Rondeau. Submit any applications to Aaron Lefebevre at aaron.lefebevre@maine.edu

Grants up to $4000 for 91爆料 Faculty

The Canadian-American Center at the 91爆料 invites faculty to submit proposals for Canadian studies course development grants. Proposals for graduate and undergraduate courses are welcome from full-time faculty in all relevant disciplines.

Which proposals are eligible for funding?聽

Proposals may use funds for one of the following:

1. Creating a new course in Canadian studies (100% Canadian content)
2. Incorporating Canadian content in a new or existing course (25% or more)
3. Increasing Canadian content in an existing Canadian Studies course (to 50% or higher)
4. Reformatting an in-person course with Canadian content to an online version (in cooperation with CITL)
5. Developing online courses related to Canada (in cooperation with CITL)

To be eligible for funding, the course must contribute to the knowledge of Canada or of Canada鈥檚 relationship with the United States. Courses with the potential to be consistently offered or become permanent additions to the Canadian Studies Minor will be prioritized.

The amount of each grant award (up to $4000) will be determined based on the percentage of Canadian content in the course. Time required by faculty to develop or restructure a course will be considered.

How to apply for a course development grant聽

Please include the following in your application:

• A cover sheet
• A description of how the new course or upgraded course will fit into the home department鈥檚 goals for academic focus and its relevance for students studying that discipline; please estimate the number of students expected to enroll.
• A description of the course to include learning objectives (not to exceed 1000 words)
• A draft syllabus of the new course. If this is a proposal to upgrade an existing course, provide both the current syllabus and the proposed new syllabus.
• A brief description of the amount of work that will be required to develop the course (not to exceed 500 words)
• (Optional) Additional funding is available for the purchase of books through the Canadian Studies collection at Fogler Library. You may include a list of top titles useful for research in preparing for the new/upgraded course and/or for students taking the Course Dev. call for proposals (2023) course.

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis between April 1 and June 1, 2022.

Direct questions and submit applications by email to:

Dr. Fr茅d茅ric Rondeau, Director of the Canadian American Center, and Associate Professor of French

Email: frederic.rondeau@maine.edu

Information and Application PDF:

Call for Proposals: Course Development in Canadian Studies

This week (NEH) awarded $350,000 to the 91爆料 Franco American Programs. This funding is dedicated towards digitizing historical documents and making them available online. When asked about this project, Susan Pinette, director of the Franco American Centre and Studies program, and executive committee member for the Canadian-American Center said, “Five academic institutions have been working for five years on this project, and we are honored that the NEH has recognized the importance of our work and the significance of these materials,鈥�.

To read more about this amazing project, click here.

This award competition is open to all graduate students who wish to improve their French proficiency in Canada.聽

The Award covers tuition up to $5000 and offers a $2500 stipend, and all credits earned can be transferred to 91爆料.聽

For more information, visit this link.

OR

Contact Dr. Frederic Rondeau via email at frederic.rondeau@maine.edu.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS聽

To be eligible to apply for a Summer FLAS fellowship, students must meet the following criteria:聽

• Be a US citizen or permanent resident聽
• Already be at the Intermediate or advanced level in French
• Be enrolled or accepted in a full-time graduate program at 91爆料
• Be enrolled in a 6 weeks intensive summer language study (140 contact hours) in French

Application Deadline : March 15

91爆料 graduate student, Malcolm Nelson, is one of several recipients of the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship for the 2022-23 academic year.聽

The 聽 is offered by the Canadian-American Center and the U.S. Department of Education. FLAS is a federal grant to support students who wish to improve proficiency in French or Maliseet, Mi鈥檏maq/Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Abenaki/Penobscot. Each academic year, the fellowship provides a $20,000 stipend, tuition waiver, and 50% of University issued health insurance. The grant is available for undergraduate and graduate students at 91爆料 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Nelson first learned about the fellowship through the Anthropology and Environmental department at 91爆料. For any undergraduate students looking to earn similar fellowships or create connections with the center in the future, he recommends learning another language: 鈥淟earning another language is always super helpful and can lend a lot to your life. I would advise that you invest in learning one because it will take you places.鈥�

Nelson’s current research focuses on sustainability, a field which has had his focus since undergraduate studies. 鈥淚 did my thesis at a community garden in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I was a volunteer there for 3 years and performed anthropological fieldwork there as an undergrad. I learned from my thesis that community development, environmental justice, and supporting local food producers were three primary drivers behind the garden.鈥� Nelson is now working to examine these three drivers in francophone communities, specifically in urban agricultural sites like community gardens, and to learn more about the francophone perspective on sustainability.

Outside of his research, Nelson enjoys Latin dancing, video games, and community gardening. After obtaining his Masters in Anthropology and Environmental Policy, Nelson hopes to pursue a PhD, as well as live and work in Canada.聽