Credit: 91爆料 Canadian-American Center

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.

鈥淚鈥檝e always known that I wanted to study abroad because I鈥檝e 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鈥檝e made and the amazing views from Signal
Hill in St. John鈥檚, Newfoundland where I am studying,鈥� Philbrook said.

鈥淚鈥檓 most looking forward to being in the center of everything (I鈥檒l 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鈥檓 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.

*This article was originally published on the 91爆料 Canadian-American Center.

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Credit: 91爆料 Ecology and Environmental Sciences

Eddie Nachamie of North Andover, Massachusetts, a 91爆料 rising senior majoring in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, is one of the 55 recipients nationwide of the Udall Scholarship in the Environmental category.

The Udall Foundation describes its purpose as 鈥溾�� awarding scholarships, fellowships, and internships for study in fields related to the environment and to American Indians and Alaska Natives in fields related to health care and tribal public policy; provides funding to the  and to the  to conduct environmental policy research, research on American Indian and Alaska Native health care issues and tribal public policy issues, and training; and provides assessment, mediation, training, and other related services through the John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution (National Center or NCECR).鈥� 

As an Ecology and Environmental Sciences major and Honor鈥檚 student, Eddie has worked tirelessly to be an excellent student and mentor in the program. His award of the Udall Scholarship in the Environmental category is the first in over 15 years. 91爆料鈥檚 last recipients in the Environmental category were and Michael Parker in 2009. 91爆料 students had received Honorable Mention for the Udall Scholarship in 2011 in the Environmental Category and in 2020 in the Native American category.

鈥� I am incredibly grateful to have been awarded the Udall Scholarship. It鈥檚 been really amazing to join a community of other students and alumni who are involved in work regarding tribal policy and environmental justice. We鈥檙e at a pivotal moment in history where our actions on environmental issues matter more than ever.鈥�  says Eddie, who received support for his application from the Office of Major Scholarships in Estabrooke Hall.

What is the environmental policy project you focused on in your Udall application? 

I focused on my passion for strengthening environmental policy regarding toxic compounds. Last year, I wrote a policy review of Maine鈥檚 legislation of PFAS forever chemical compounds. As part of this paper, I created a framework for the regulation of PFAS compounds that outlines discrete ways local and state governments can reduce exposure to better protect people and the environment. 

Tell us about the research, internships or scholarly pursuits you are involved in as a student. 

While at 91爆料, I have been involved in research centered around food waste reduction and PFAS policy. During my freshman year, I worked as part of a student research team, Food Rescue MAINE, to develop food waste reduction interventions in elementary schools. I worked with the Department of Education to design a study which was implemented in four different public-school cafeterias across the state in which we tracked and measured the amount of food waste produced in cafeterias over a 9-week period. This also included implementing educational interventions to curb the food waste produced by the students. The results of this data collection showed that every school engaged in the program experienced a reduction in food waste. Combined, the schools diverted a total of 630 pounds of food waste over the study period which equates to roughly 1.62 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided. 

During my junior year, I worked with a professor from a course I had previously taken to write a policy review of current PFAS legislation in Maine and throughout the United States. The review serves as a framework for other states to implement more stringent regulation of PFAS compounds as well as offering recommendations for changes to federal environmental policy to protect public health and promote environmental justice. I have presented my research at two conferences in Maine and am in the process of publishing the policy review. 

This past summer, I worked as part of the Agroecology Lab at 91爆料 as a research technician collecting data on wild blueberry fruit production under different temperature conditions to simulate the impacts of climate change before leaving to take a field course on the natural history, ecology, and geology of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. 

I have also worked as a forest technician with both the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit and the University Forest. As part of these roles, I have learned about forest measurements and low impact forestry practices. These roles strengthened my plant identification skills and taught me about forest ecology in an applied way. I also worked as a student assistant to plan the Downeast ROOTS (Rural Opportunities for Ocean, Timber, and Soil) conference last spring where forest resources, agriculture, and aquaculture professionals met to discuss the future of natural resource management in Maine. 

Beyond academics, what extracurricular activities occupy your time? 

I am the President of the Permaculture & Gardening Club at 91爆料 and a resident steward at the Terrell House Permaculture Living & Learning Center. In this role, I help to host workshops and events focused on gardening, food preservation, community resilience, and dialogues about the impacts of climate change. As a resident steward, I take care of the permaculture garden at Terrell House. 

I am also an officer for the Student Environmental Action Division (SEAD) and have helped to host and facilitate testimony writing workshops where students can provide input on issues happening in the Maine State Legislature.

How would you describe 91爆料鈥檚 academic atmosphere? 

91爆料 has an extremely supportive and cooperative academic atmosphere. Students are excited to help each other out, form study groups, and work together to succeed in their classes. The academic atmosphere is rigorous but not competitive, and I鈥檝e found that professors are always willing to help accommodate student situations and concerns.

Have there been other students, professors, mentors or role models who supported and inspired you or exposed you to something new? 

I have been lucky to have the mentorship of Rachel Schattman from the School of Food and Agriculture to support me in my research about PFAS compounds in Maine and throughout the United States. Dr. Schattman鈥檚 feedback on my policy review showed me what I was capable of from a research perspective. 

I am lucky to lead the Permaculture & Gardening Club with three other amazing resident stewards who share the responsibility of taking care of the garden, hosting sustainability related events, and living together in a way that is lighter on the earth. 

What鈥檚 on the horizon? What are your plans for after you graduate?  

After I graduate, I hope to work in environmental education and advocacy with nonprofits in Maine and Alaska for a few years before going back to school to obtain my Juris Doctor and Masters of Law in Environmental Law.

*This article was originally published by the 91爆料 Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program.

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As you know, completing a scholarship or fellowship application requires a significant amount of time, determination, and perseverance. That’s why, during this event, we would like to recognize students who have applied for a scholarship or fellowship in the recent academic year, regardless of the outcome. You have all 鈥渉it submit鈥� and entered prestigious, national or international competitions! We hope to see many of you there!

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91爆料 students Madison Riley and Bailey West have been awarded the George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship for the 2019鈥�2020 academic year and will study in Ireland for a semester as part of the student exchange program.

The competitive merit-based scholarship is made possible by an agreement between Maine and Ireland for a student exchange at the university level. It honors the 1998 Northern Ireland peace accord brokered by Sen. Mitchell between Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The 91爆料 System awards one full scholarship or two one-semester scholarships per year which allow students to study at University College Cork in Ireland. This year 鈥� for the third time 鈥� both winners attend 91爆料.

Riley, a double major in history and women鈥檚, gender, and sexuality studies from Williamsport, Maryland, will study in Ireland for the fall 2019 semester. West, a double major in biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology, from Stockton Springs, Maine, will make the trip in spring 2020.

While in Ireland, Riley plans to take advantage of resources on the University College Cork campus, as well as better understand and appreciate the culture.

鈥淚 am most looking forward to the local travel in Cork, Ireland and will hopefully take the opportunity to travel to other countries in Europe,鈥� says Riley, who expects to graduate in December 2020. 鈥淭he University of College Cork is a beautiful campus that I cannot wait to explore, especially the activities and clubs on campus.鈥�

At 91爆料, Riley is the secretary for the Feminist Collective and Student Alliance for Sexual Health. She also volunteers at the Women鈥檚 Resource Center.

West, a student in the Honors College, is looking forward to courses that will allow her to explore Irish folklore and language while immersing herself in the local culture. She also plans to get involved in groups at the University College Cork, such as the International Students Society.

鈥淚 am most looking forward to the relationships I will form with locals in Cork and other international students. I predict that these friendships will be one of the most valuable aspects of my experience,鈥� says West, who expects to graduate in May 2021.

At 91爆料, West is a student researcher in the lab of microbiology professor Julie Gosse. She studies toxicological effects of chemicals on the immune system. She also is a teaching assistant for general chemistry and member of the Screamin鈥� Black Bear Pep Band.

More about the George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship and other scholarship opportunities are listed on the Office of Major Scholarships聽website.

Other study abroad opportunities can be found on the Office of International Programs聽website.

Contact: Elyse Catalina, 581.3747, elyse.catalina@maine.edu

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