{"id":34,"date":"2010-01-28T15:13:06","date_gmt":"2010-01-28T20:13:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.umaine.edu\/wle\/?page_id=34"},"modified":"2026-03-02T10:57:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T15:57:49","slug":"distinguished-wildlife-alums","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/wle\/alums\/distinguished-wildlife-alums\/","title":{"rendered":"Distinguished Wildlife Alum Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recipients<\/a> |\u00a0 Description<\/a> | Criteria<\/a> |\u00a0 Procedure<\/a><\/h2>\n

<\/a>Recipients:<\/h2>\n

2025 – Sara J. Oyler-McCance (1993), M.S.
\n2024 – Gordon R. Batcheller (1978), B.S.
\n2023 – Angela Fuller (1999), M.S.; (2006), Ph.D.
\n2022 – Carl Korschgen (1976), Ph.D.
\n2021 – Jane E. Austin (1980), B.S.
\n2020 – None
\n2019 – Duane R. Diefenbach (1988), M.S.
\n2018 – James M. Ramakka (1971), M.S.
\n2017 – Diane Roth Eggeman (1986), M.S.
\n2016 – Kate M. Wynne (1981), M.S.
\n2015 – James P. Gibbs (1986), B.S.
\n2014 – Scott M. Melvin (1975), B.S.a <\/sup>Watch the presentation here!
\n<\/a>2013 – Mark McCollough (1981), M.S.; (1986), Ph.D.
\n2012 – Herbert Frost (1994), Ph.D.
\n2011 – Jonathan Jenkens (1986), M.S.
\n2010 – Guy A. Baldassarre (1975), B.S.
\n2009 – Daniel J. Harrison (1983), M.S.; (1986), Ph.D.
\n2008 – Alan E. Hutchinson (1969), B.S.; (1980), M.S.a<\/sup>
\n2007 – Pralad Yonzon (1989), Ph.D.
\n2006 – William B. Krohn (1969), M.S.
\n2005 – Paul R. Nickerson (1966), B.S.
\n2004 – John T. Major (1979), M.S.; (1983) Ph.D.
\n2003 – David E. Capen (1972), M.S.
\n2002 – Harry E. Hodgdon (1968), B.S.
\n2001 – Lee E. Perry (1967), B.S.
\n2000 – Malcolm L. Hunter (1974), B.S.
\n1999 – Gary C. White (1972), M.S.
\n1998 – Gary G. Donovan (1968), B.S.
\n1997 – G. Bruce Wiersma (1964), B.S.
\n1996 – Matthew Scott (1962), B.S.
\n1995 – None
\n1994 – Frederick C. Dean (1950), B.S.; (1952), M.S.a<\/sup>
\n1993 – Richard B. Anderson (1957), B.S.
\n1992 – Susan D. Haseltine (1971), B.S.
\n1991 – Eric G. Bolen (1959), B.S.
\n1990 – Richard N. Smith (1959), B.S.
\n1989 – Arthur Davis (1947), B.S.a<\/sup>
\n1988 – Edward L. Kozicky (1941), B.S.a<\/sup>
\n1987 – James D. Rearden (1950), M.S.
\n1986 – Milton Friend (1958), B.S.
\n1985 – William L. Robinson (1959), M.S.a<\/sup>
\n1984 – Malcolm W. Coulter (1948), M.S.a<\/sup>
\n1983 – Clarence E. Faulkner (1949), B.S.
\n1982 – James M. Shepard (1949), B.S.a<\/sup>
\n1981 – Russell T. Norris\u00a0(1938), B.S.a<\/sup>
\n1980 – Robert B. Weeden (1955), M.S.
\n1979 – F. Victor Schmidt (1942), B.S.
\n1978 – Merwin A Marston (1939), M.S.a<\/sup>
\n__________________________________________
\na<\/sup> – deceased<\/p>\n

<\/a>Description:<\/h2>\n

The Department annually presents one recipient with the Distinguished Wildlife Alum award.\u00a0 This award is based on \u201coutstanding professional achievement and sustained contributions to the wildlife profession.\u201d It is generally awarded to a professional past the mid-point of their career, but still active in wildlife conservation, and is meant to be the department\u2019s highest award.<\/p>\n

The award consists of a plaque presented by the chair to the recipient during the department\u2019s annual scholarship awards program. Upon acceptance, the recipient is encouraged to make a few comments to students and friends of the wildlife program and to give a presentation at the department\u2019s noontime seminar series.<\/p>\n

Return to top.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Criteria:<\/h2>\n

To be considered for this award, nominees should have a record of (1) outstanding professional achievement, and (2) sustained contributions to the wildlife profession (includes aquatic science, fisheries, and biology).\u00a0 Alums will be considered eligible to receive this award if they have received a B.S. degree in Wildlife Management or Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine, or if they were a graduate student advised or co-advised by a member of the Full Graduate Faculty in the Department, regardless of degree conferred.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Procedures:<\/h2>\n

The Department will annually solicit nominations for candidates for the award through an online nomination process<\/a>.\u00a0 Nominations materials should include the following:<\/p>\n

1) The candidate’s name, and if known year of graduation and degree(s) conferred<\/p>\n

2) Contact information for the nominee (email)<\/p>\n

3) A letter of nomination from the nominator that details the professional accomplishments of the nominee and their contributions to the profession.<\/p>\n

4) If possible, the nominee\u2019s CV.<\/p>\n

5) One additional letter of support is optional.<\/p>\n

Nominations will be reviewed annually by the Department\u2019s Alum Award Committee.\u00a0 The committee shall select one recipient and notify the department chair of their decision. Then the department chair will communicate the decision to the faculty and prepare materials for the annual awards ceremony.\u00a0 Selections should be made no later than January of each year so that recipients have adequate time to schedule for the spring awards ceremony in April.\u00a0 If nominees for the Distinguished Wildlife Alum have not previously received the Award of Professional Excellence, the Alum Awards Committee may recommend for the latter.<\/p>\n

To nominate an alum for the Award of Professional Excellence, please complete this nomination form.\u00a0 Nominations are accepted at any time, but for full consideration should be submitted by December 31 each year.<\/p>\n

Return to top.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recipients |\u00a0 Description | Criteria |\u00a0 Procedure Recipients: 2025 – Sara J. Oyler-McCance (1993), M.S. 2024 – Gordon R. Batcheller (1978), B.S. 2023 – Angela Fuller (1999), M.S.; (2006), Ph.D. 2022 – Carl Korschgen (1976), Ph.D. 2021 – Jane E. Austin (1980), B.S. 2020 – None 2019 – Duane R. Diefenbach (1988), M.S. 2018 – […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":445,"featured_media":0,"parent":61,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/page-withsidebar.php","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-34","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nDistinguished Wildlife Alum Award - Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology - University of Maine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/wle\/alums\/distinguished-wildlife-alums\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Distinguished Wildlife Alum Award - Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology - University of Maine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Recipients |\u00a0 Description | Criteria |\u00a0 Procedure Recipients: 2025 – Sara J. 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