Scholarships

Scholarships for travel to professional events

The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology (WFCB) has three funds to support travel to professional events by undergraduate and graduate students:  the David Veverka Fund, the Eric C. York Fund, and the Samuel Perley-Donald Gates-Thomas Gates Fund.  To request these funds please submit an application at least two weeks before the funds are needed. If more than one person is attending please try to submit a group application.

An application should include:

  1. A short letter (200-500 words) describing why you wish to attend the conference. For example, explain how the travel will enhance your career, provide an opportunity for you to present a poster on your work, etc.;
  2. Your résumé;
  3. A description of the conference (this can be attached or conveyed by a URL in the letter);
  4. A budget that shows the various costs of attending (registration, travel, lodging, food),  how much you are requesting from WFCB,  and how much you are requesting from other sources. Also indicate how costs will be shared with other students (e.g., through sharing a room or car);
  5. Any other pertinent documents, such as a recommendation letter (this is optional but might strengthen your request).

Please submit these via email with attachments to wildeco@maine.edu

General Academic Scholarships

The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology awards approximately $48,000 in scholarship support to approximately 35 undergraduate students each year based on academic achievement and/or financial need.  At this time, scholarships are not available for incoming students.  For most Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology scholarships, students apply in January/February once they are matriculated.

The College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences provides additional scholarship support as does the University of Maine.

Note: Scholarship amounts are subject to change annually.

The Arthur S. Allen, Ph.D. and David J. Allen, Brig. General (Ret.) Wildlife Conservation Scholarship

This scholarship was established in the University of Maine Foundation in 1998 for the benefit of the University of Maine, Orono, Maine, in memory of Harry S. Allen and Marion C. Falt Allen with gifts from their sons, Dr. Arthur S. Allen ‘56, ’60, and Brig. General (ret.) David J. Allen ’58, family and friends.  The Allen family has had life-long conservation interests. Harry S. Allen was a lifelong conservationist; Arthur became a professor, teaching and researching in wildlife management; and David was responsible for the restoration of a pond in Laurel, Maryland, that was subsequently renamed Lake Allen by the U.S. Department of Interior. Marion C. Falt Allen was a Brewer public school teacher of science and mathematics. This scholarship is awarded to a Wildlife Ecology student who is a Maine resident, has attained a grade-point average of 3.0 or greater, and has demonstrated an interest in pursuing a career in wildlife conservation.

The Applied Ecology Scholarship Fund

The Applied Ecology Scholarship Fund was established in 2022 with gifts from Steve Pelletier ’80, John Lortie ’81, and Doug Stewart ’93. hall be used to provide financial assistance to meritorious full-time University of Maine Orono undergraduate student(s) who are majoring in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Wildlife Ecology, or related fields.

Ashman Summer Camp Fund

This scholarship is awarded to students with a strong potential in their profession as expressed by their scholarship and professional interest and a need for support for summer camp expenses.

Inez Boyd/Bangor Nature Club Quasi-Endowed Scholarship

This scholarship was established in the University of Maine Foundation in 2016 with a gift from the Bangor Nature Club made possible through a bequest from Inez Boyd.  Two scholarships shall be awarded each year, one to a deserving junior majoring in Wildlife Ecology and one to a junior majoring in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, who has shown a special interest in the conservation of all natural resources.  Academic excellence is the principal criterion for selection.

Raynor K. and Georgia T. Brown Scholarship Fund

This scholarship was established in the University of Maine Foundation in 1997 with a gift to the Pooled Life Income Fund from Raynor K. Brown, a member of the Class of 1937, and Georgia T. Brown.  This fund provides scholarship assistance for undergraduate students in the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences who are majoring in Forestry.  A second preference shall be for those who are majoring in Wildlife Ecology.  Eligible recipients shall be graduates of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School with a first preference for those individuals who reside in Waterford at the time of their high school graduation.  If there are no eligible recipients from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, any student who resides in Western Maine at the time of their high school graduation shall be eligible.  Western Maine is defined as Oxford and Androscoggin Counties and that portion of Kennebec County lying west of the Kennebec River.

The Malcolm W. Coulter Wildlife Alumni Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1983 in the University of Maine Foundation at UM by a gift from Malcolm Coulter, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Resources, and gifts from Wildlife alumni and friends. This scholarship is awarded to a deserving student in the Wildlife Ecology program based on scholastic achievement and leadership. Our tradition has been to reserve this award for an outstanding student – possibly our most outstanding student.

Andre E. Cushing ’28 Scholarship

The Andre E. Cushing ’28 Scholarship Fund was established at the University of Maine in 1995 with gifts from family and friends. The funds are used for scholarship assistance to students enrolled in wildlife or forestry.

The Penobscot County Conservation Association Annual Scholarships

These scholarships were established at the University of Maine in 1971 to provide awards to wildlife students who show high promise as potential wildlife biologists and are dedicated to a career in wildlife conservation. A total of 21 undergraduate scholarships are awarded annually.

J. William & Virginia H. Peppard Scholarship Fund

The J. William and Virginia H. Peppard Scholarship fund was established in 1992 by Bill and Ginnie Peppard ’45 for the benefit of University of Maine students.   This scholarship was created to support students in the wildlife field and in the education field and is for students who have graduated from a State of Maine high school and who have financial need. The scholarship will alternate annually between a wildlife major and an education major.

The Joseph A. Rossignol Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1978 at the University of Maine by the members and friends of the Sunkhaze Stream Chapter of Trout Unlimited in memory of Joseph Rossignol. Mr. Rossignol sought ways to preserve and improve Maine’s wildlife resources. This award is given to a Wildlife Ecology student on the basis of scholarship, leadership, and need. Because this scholarship is sponsored by Trout Unlimited, we look for a fisheries student who fits those criteria.

The Veazie Salmon Club Undergraduate Fisheries Scholarship

This scholarship was established at the University of Maine in 1999 with a gift from the Veazie Salmon Club. It will be used for scholarship assistance to a second-, third- or fourth-year student with a fisheries concentration or major, or if such a program no longer exists, the scholarship should be awarded to a student majoring in a fisheries-related area. Should a fourth-year student be selected, he/she should have demonstrated plans to attend graduate school in fisheries.

George Wiersma Memorial Scholarship

The scholarship was established in 1995. The funds are to provide financial assistance to forestry or wildlife students in good academic standing and who will be going to a required field session during the current year.