Michael D. Wilson Scholar Program: Succeeding at the Highest Level

In fall of 2006 the Michael D. Wilson Scholar Program was created to promote outstanding original scholarship and innovation by undergraduates at UMF. This selective academic award has become increasingly sought after by students as it underwrites research project expenses and helps promote expanded opportunities for pre-professional academic investigation.

"These students exemplify the creative student and faculty collaboration that takes place in all corners of UMF," said Theodora J. Kalikow, UMF president.

Since 2006, the Wilson Scholar Program has distributed monetary awards to nearly 75 single-semester Wilson Research Scholar projects, and has since been expanded to include two additional full-year Wilson Research Fellow awards to support more substantive research projects. The funding is made possible due to a generous gift from Michael and Susan Angelides, Stonington, Conn., in honor of their good friend and UMF alumnus Michael D. Wilson, class of 1976, who died shortly after graduating.

Michael and Susan Angelides have also pledged funds to underwrite the annual Michael D. Wilson Symposium, a university-wide event where UMF students have the opportunity to present their original projects and independent research. This artistic and academic event brings together over 400 students working in collaboration with faculty mentors to display their scholarly work through papers, oral and poster presentations, readings, art gallery exhibits and performances.

Pictured above are the Spring 2009 Wilson Research Scholars.

Read more in the Daily Bulldog.

Read more in the Sun Journal.

Pictured from left to right: Allen Berger, UMF provost and vice president of academic affairs, Shelley Vachon, sister of the late Michael D. Wilson, Michael Angelides, and Theodora J. Kalikow, UMF president.

Undergraduate Research At Work on the Appalachian Trail

by Paul Rees '09, UMF creative writing major

Jacques Rancourt’s ’09 proposal to hike the final 120 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Maine as a platform to write poetry was awarded a Michael D. Wilson Scholarship in 2008. With support from faculty sponsor Jeff Thomson, associate professor of creative writing, Rancourt wrote eight poems based on his experiences on the Trail. “The experience was terrific,” said the creative writing major on becoming a Wilson Scholar and putting his undergraduate research plan to action. “It has been influential on my artistic life, especially these poems.”

Rancourt's poems draw inspiration from various experiences during his hike--from walking through deep mud and crossing rivers to struggling to build a fire in a wet forest. Summer of ’08 saw a lot of rain, especially in the month of August when Rancourt was on the Trail. Trying to start a fire with nothing but wet wood available was one of his earliest and most difficult challenges. In the poem “Building Fire,” Rancourt presents a memory of his father building a huge fire from kindling with the image of him in the middle of 100-mile woods, unable to start a fire and going to bed hungry because of it.

The poem "Trail Names" draws its inspiration from a hiker’s log Rancourt found in a lean-to. “It’s part of the Appalachian experience to choose a new name when setting off on the trail and some of these names were really interesting,” Rancourt explained. “The poem is a list of these names with some narrative lines connecting them.”

Thomson contributed to the project by offering creative direction and suggesting reading material by people who have completed similar projects. He also worked with Rancourt helping him with the editing process. According to Thomson, “Jacques came up with everything. He is a prominent voice for art and poetry at UMF and this experience is all part of his growth as a writer and a person.”

Since the hike, Rancourt has been able to pull other writing endeavors from this experience, but acknowledges that it all began with the Wilson Scholarship. Through his undergraduate research at UMF, Rancourt has been able to produce an extensive portfolio, which he used to gain acceptance to University of Wisconsin’s MFA Program starting in fall 2009. “It’s great that we have the research initiatives for creative projects,” said Rancourt. “I would never have had the resources or motivation to do this without it.”

Wilson Scholar Makes Automoting Look Easy

by Paul Rees '09, UMF creative writing major

Derek Gilbert '09 knows far too well the challenges that face low-budget radio stations. In his eight years of working in radio broadcasting around the state of Maine, Gilbert knows firsthand what it is like to work with faulty equipment and the stress and frustration felt when there is no room in the budget to replace or repair it.

With support from the Michael D. Wilson Scholarship Award in 2008, Gilbert has created a software program that will automatically play music, advertisements and public service announcements on the radio after hours, and during other times when DJs are not available—something that many college and low-budget stations are in dire need of.

When the DJs leave the station, music still needs to be played. Gilbert explained that many low-budget radio stations rely on large collections of CDs in a disc changer to automate their station after hours. Not only is this equipment usually old and constantly breaking down, it is illegal. According to Gilbert, there are certain requirements that radio stations are legally bound to meet every hour they are on the air such as public service announcements, advertisements, and legal IDs which identify the radio station at the top and bottom of every hour.

“Modern day equipment and software costs thousands of dollars,” said the computer science major. “Many low-budget radio stations are using equipment from the 60s, which is not practical.” Gilbert’s software is simple and easy to use. It organizes music based on genre and ensures that certain types of music each get equal air time. Additionally, it includes all of the legal requirements and advertisements in the line up. Gilbert says the software is easy to access and is available to anyone who wants to use it, like low-budget stations or other developers. “Just download it right off my website,” he said.

After investing so much time and sacrificing many nights worth of sleep, Gilbert is grateful for the opportunities that this his software project has given him. Feelings of satisfaction, excitement, and relief surrounded him after his presentation to the UMF campus on Symposium Day. “I enjoyed the experience and am thankful to UMF for giving me the opportunity, said Gilbert. “It’s a great feeling, especially towards the end.”