2022 USCAA Awards

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Photo of Beatriz Garrido Jaramillo, 2022 USCAA Student-Athlete of the Year
UMFK senior volleyball setter, Bea Garrido Jaramillo was awarded the 2022 Student-Athlete of the Year at the USCAA National Conference this year.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent was well represented with awards for high-achieving athletes and coaches at the 2022 USCAA National Conference in November.

Jermaine West: USCAA Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year

Jermaine stepped in to fill the head coach role late into the season but made an immediate impact. His players connected immediately, and they hit the ground running with a successful season that ended with
the USCAA National Championship title.

“This is not a team; this is a family. Coaching this group, I couldn’t ask for anything more. It was a pleasure to work with this group of ladies, and if I could go back and do it all over again, I would without
hesitation,” said West.

Tara Kelley: USCAA Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year

2022 was Tara’s second season. In addition to a 16-game win streak, she elevated the volleyball program to a runner-up finish. She was able to mix in several new athletes with the returners and create a cohesive group.

“This team was built differently from the start,” said Kelley. “They have the leadership, encouragement, positivity, and energy that every team strives for. With every game, win or loss, they found positives that
they reflected on. They also found things they individually needed to work on.”

Beatriz Garrido Jaramillo: USCAA Student-Athlete of the Year

Beatriz (Bea) is slated to graduate in the spring of 2023 with a bachelor of science degree in Behavioral Science (MHRT/C concentration) with a minor in Criminal Justice. The senior volleyball setter is not only
a leader on her team but also serves as the SAB president, student senate secretary, and helps out anywhere she is needed. Her high GPA also has her on the All-Academic Team.

“Bea is a great ambassador of UMFK. She embodies everything you want in a student-athlete,” said UMFK Athletic Director Carly Flowers. “She is a good teammate and heavily involved on campus. I
have enjoyed getting to know Bea and watching her compete. This honor is very much deserved!”

MEN’S SOCCER USCAA AWARDS

2022 USCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

USCAA Academic All-American Team*

  • Aaron Boateng (Senior)
  • Marcel Holness (Senior)
  • Ronaldo Watson (Senior)
  • Vaughn Kelley (Senior)
  • Adil Iggoute (Senior)
  • Kevon Maitland (Sophomore)
  • Asib Khamush (Sophomore)

USCAA All American

  • Aaron Boateng
  • Kevon Maitland
  • John Amoah
  • Adil Iggoute

USCAA ALL-TOURNAMENT

  • Markell Holness
  • Aaron Boateng
  • Jaheim McIntosh
  • Ajay Chin
  • Ronaldo Watson

USCAA Tournament MVP

  • John Amoa

WOMEN’S SOCCER USCAA AWARDS

2022 USCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

USCAA Academic All-American Team*

  • Gizela Carranza (Senior)
  • Tarece Lawrence (Senior)
  • Angel Maxwell (Senior)
  • Ryan Hernandez (Senior)
  • Julia Audunsdottir (Sophomore)

USCAA Division I Women’s Soccer National 1st Team All-American

  • Sophia Noe
  • Chelsea Thornburgh
  • Isabel Kiledjian
  • Tarece Lawrence

2022 USCAA All-Tournament Team

  • Naylea Beltran-Mendoza
  • Tarece Lawrence
  • Chelsea Thornburgh
  • Dominique Valadez

2022 USCAA Tournament MVP

  • Sage Stroud

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL USCAA AWARDS

2022 USCAA NATIONAL RUNNERS-UP

USCAA National All-Academic Team*

  • Beatriz Garrido (Senior)
  • Danae Ford (Senior)
  • Carla Rodriguez (Sophomore)
  • Brooke Russell (Senior)

USCAA National 1st Team All-American

  • Halle Ham
  • Jamie Nena

USCAA National 2nd Team All-American

  • Kayla Iwata

* All-Academic Athletes need to maintain 24 or more credits on their USCAA transcripts and hold overall (cumulative) grade point averages of 3.50 (on a 4.00 point system) or greater.

For more information about athletics at UMFK, contact Carly Flowers at (207) 834-7571.

Travel Restrictions Forum

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The Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes at University of Maine at Fort Kent will host a community forum on the impact of the pandemic and international travel restrictions in the St. John Valley on Saturday, December 3rd, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in Nadeau Hall conference room.

The event is free and open to the public.

The event came about from oral interviews conducted by the Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes during this past summer. The project, titled “Voices of the Borderland: The Social Impact of International Travel Restrictions in Northern Maine,” captured local residents’ challenging experience with international travel from 2020 to 2022. The testimonies are now being transcribed and will form a new permanent collection at the Archives.

During the community forum, Acadian Archives’ staff will share their findings. You will also hear from Lisa Lavoie, Ph.D. candidate at the University of the Cumberlands and UMFK assistant professor of behavioral science, who wrote her master’s thesis on borderland communities, and Amber Rankine, executive director of the Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce. The forum will provide the audience with the opportunity to share their experience of border restrictions, family hardships, economic effects, challenges at ports of entry, and testing requirements.

“We gathered oral testimonies about the pandemic and its consequences while they were fresh in people’s minds,” states Dr. Patrick Lacroix, director of the Acadian Archives. “This event will help us think about our region’s past, present, and future relationships with the international border.”

Light refreshments will be offered.

This event is generously supported by the Maine Humanities Council.

For more information, please contact Acadian Archives Director Patrick Lacroix at (207) 834-7535.

The Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes is the premier center for the study of Acadian history in New England and serves as one of the many cultural hubs in the St. John Valley.

2022 USCAA Championships

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The University of Maine at Fort Kent made a strong representation at the 2022 USCAA Division I National Championships with both the men’s and women’s Bengal soccer teams as well as the women’s volleyball team making the playoffs. All UMFK teams entered the tournament as the #1 seeds. Both of the Bengal soccer teams brought home national titles and the UMFK volleyball team gave a strong representation with a second-place finish.

The 2022 UMFK Men’s Soccer team pose with their championship banner and trophy
The UMFK Men’s Soccer team brought home the 2022 USCAA Division I National Championship title after a competitive playoff against Bryant and Stratton – Syracuse. The Bengals edged out the Bobcats in a 1-0 final.

Men’s Soccer Highlights: After a memorable season, the UMFK Men’s Soccer team came off the field with the esteemed USCAA Division I National Championship title. This was the third attempt at the finals since Head Coach Oniqueky Samuels was appointed to his position in 2018 to give him and his nine seniors their first victory.

In 2021, the Bengals lost on penalty kicks against the same opponent — Bryant and Stratton – Syracuse, and the team felt the additional pressure when the outcome once again came down to penalties where the Bengals outshot their competition.

“The team played a high-energy game that was fluent and efficient. Although we did not capitalize on them in regulation, we moved the ball well and created many good scoring opportunities,” said Coach Samuels, “Even though it was nerve-wracking to find ourselves in the same situation as last year, this time around, we were able to come out victorious in the penalty shootout.”

In the last two championship tournaments (2021 & 2022), UMFK only conceded one goal in regulation time.

The 2022 season prepared the team well with high-level match-ups that proved to be their most challenging season. They played NCAA DI University of Connecticut and St. Francis, NCAA DII Palm Beach Atlantic, Nova Southeastern University, Franklin Pierce and Assumption College, and NAIA Giant: West Virginia Tech. During the regular season game, they also defeated Defending USCAA Champions (Bryant and Stratton – Syracuse) at their home (0-3).

“Our accomplishments this past season were based on our team’s chemistry and how well we worked together towards the same goal,” said Samuels.

The MVP of the tournament was third-year student and UMFK goalkeeper, John Amoah. He saved three penalties in the final match and held a clean sheet in the finals.

“He is a top-quality goalkeeper and has exceptional talent,” said Samuels.

Other honors included All Tournament Team members: Markell Holness, Aaron Boateng, Jaheim McIntosh, Ajay Chin, and Ronaldo Watson.

The 2022 UMFK Women’s Soccer team pose with their championship banner and trophy
After a competitive 2022 playoff season, the UMFK Women’s Soccer team once again reign as the USCAA Division I National Champions. This is the ninth time the Lady Bengals accomplished this big achievement.

Women’s Soccer Highlights: UMFK’s Lady Bengals are no strangers to the USCAA Division I National Championships, and this year, they brought home the coveted title for the ninth time. Their opponent, Bryant and Stratton – Syracuse, beat out the Bengals in a disappointing loss in the race for the 2021 title, but the Bengal’s hard work paid off and this year’s rematch brought redemption to the Fort Kent team with a 1-0 finish.

“This is not a team; this is a family,” said UMFK Women’s Head Coach Jermaine West, “Coaching this team, I couldn’t ask for anything more. It was a pleasure to work with this group of ladies and if I could go back and do it all over again I would without hesitation.”

In the well-matched final, UMFK outshot the opposition 14-12. UMFK Goalkeeper Dominique Valadez made four saves to keep the Bobcats at bay.

“Our team showed no sign of giving up because we knew what it meant to us. We gave everything we got,” said West.

Attacking Midfielder and sophomore Sage Stroud scored the only goal of the game and was awarded MVP.

UMFK Director of Athletics Carly Flowers noted,” Sage is a tremendous player who stepped up when her team needed her most. She works hard and deserves the MVP accolades. I’m very happy for her and the team.”

Stroud was joined on the All Tournament Team by Chelsea Thornburgh, Tarece Lawrence, Dominique Valadez and Naylea Beltran-Mendoza.

UMFK Volleyball players, Kayla Iwata and Jamie Nena also made the Volleyball All Tournament Team.

For more information on the athletic program at UMFK, contact Carly Flowers at (207) 834-7571.

Dana Murch Book Talk

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Dana Murch, author of The Ancestors and Descendants of Daniel F. Thibodeau and Rebecca Jandreau
Author Dana Murch at Port-Royal National Historic Site

The Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes at the University of Maine at Fort Kent will host a book talk by Dana Murch, author of The Ancestors and Descendants of Daniel F. Thibodeau and Rebecca Jandreau at the Acadian Archives, on Thursday, November 10th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

In the presentation, titled “The French Connection,” Murch will discuss the life and times of some of the Acadians and Québécois in his tree and the family connections of his maternal grandparents, St. Francis natives Daniel Frédéric Thibodeau and Rebecca Jandreau.

Written in the vein of Leo Cyr’s classic Madawaskan Heritage, the book is a major addition to the genealogy of the Thibodeau and Jandreau families, which also includes sketches of 160 related families from Albert to Vallière.  Most significant among these sketches are those of the Dubé, Ouellette, Pelletier, Michaud, Nadeau, Paradis, and Miville dit Deschênes families, followed by Ayotte, Cloutier, Gagnon, Jalbert, and Saucier.

The hardcover book includes copies of vital records, synopses of U.S. and Canadian census records, family photos, and photos of gravestones, family memorials, and churches. It also features a selected history of Maine and New France (including Acadia) from 1604 to 1850 and a chronology of the arrival of all immigrant ancestors.

“We are very fortunate to have an opportunity to welcome Dana Murch to campus,” explains Patrick Lacroix, director of the Acadian Archives. “It’s great news for experienced genealogists but also beginners who stand to learn about their roots and make fruitful connections.”

A Caribou native, Dana Murch is a retired state environmental regulator and a 13th-generation “Maine-ah.” He is a descendant of many early settlers of both Acadia and Quebec, as well as a multiple Mayflower descendant. He is now working on the definitive genealogy and history of the entire Murch family of Maine, whose roots have been traced back to 17th-century Devonshire, England. He currently resides in Belfast with his wife, Meredith Jones.

Copies of Murch’s book will be available for purchase at the book talk.

For more information, please contact Acadian Archives Director Patrick Lacroix at (207) 834-7536.

The Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes is the premier center for the study of Acadian history in New England and serves as one of the many cultural hubs in the St. John Valley.

Military Friendly 2022-23

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UMFK President Deborah Hedeen with U.S. Air Force veteran Leroy McKenzie
UMFK President Deborah Hedeen with Leroy McKenzie, who served in the U.S. Air Force and graduated with an associate of arts degree in computer science in May 2022.

A group that advocates for the education of military veterans have awarded the University of Maine at Fort Kent the designation of a 2022-2023 Military Friendly® School.

Viqtory determined ratings with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in higher education through a measurement of the institution’s ability to meet and exceed thresholds for retention, graduation, job placement, repayment, persistence, and loan default rates for all students and specifically, for student veterans. The information was compiled through an institutional survey and government/agency public data sources.

“We are very grateful for the Military Friendly® distinction,” said UMFK President Deb Hedeen. “Our career-focused programs and the supportive culture of the UMFK community makes our campus a great place for veterans to transition to civilian life. Providing accessible education to all of our students is something we aim to do, but being recognized for doing that for those who have served or actively serve our country is particularly meaningful.”

Veterans can find UMFK Assistant Registrar Joyce Plourde, who certifies veterans, in the centrally located Cyr Hall on the university’s campus. All veterans seeking VA funding can receive support to complete the Veterans Request for Certification (obtainable from the registrar) before the beginning of each term.

An education at UMFK can be a gateway to success for armed forces personnel who are seeking certifications, degrees, or pathways while considering their options before plunging into civilian life. The small class sizes and personal one-on-one interaction between students and faculty are key elements in helping veterans move forward after their service in the military ends.

The designation as military-friendly is another accolade to the University’s growing list of achievements. This year, UMFK claimed the title of a Best Northeastern College for the eighteenth-consecutive year among colleges and universities in The Princeton Review. UMFK is one of 224 outstanding colleges and universities that The Princeton Review recommends to college applicants.

The latest U.S. News and World Report rankings put UMFK in the top tier, ranked 34th for the twelfth consecutive year. That ranks UMFK as 18th among public colleges schools list. UMFK first achieved top-tier college status in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 rankings.

Each of these designations originates from nationally recognized and highly respected publications that students use to select an institution of higher learning.

Students Assist in Rescue

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UMFK Conservation Law Enforcement students assist a team during a live search and rescue operation
On August 30, 2022, The Maine Warden Service mobilized UMFK Conservation Law Enforcement students, trained in search and rescue to help locate an elderly man who went missing in the Fort Kent area. The man was successfully found.

When Will Pols enrolled in the Conservation Law program at The University of Maine at Fort Kent in 2020, he didn’t expect to be on an active search and rescue as a student. Earlier this summer, Pols joined eight other UMFK students in an emergency search and rescue mission in the Fort Kent area. Their knowledge and expertise were put into mobilization by the Maine Warden Service when an elderly citizen went missing.

“Being part of a live search impacted my experience as a student in a very positive way,” said Pols, “It gave me the opportunity to connect with many different game wardens and agencies. The real-world experience has increased my drive to enter the field of conservation law enforcement even more.”

The northernmost university has long been known for its hands-on learning opportunities. Several of UMFK’s programs, including Conservation Law Enforcement, prepare students with certifications required by professional employers, in addition to the awarded degrees that attract students to the campus. Conservation Law Enforcement students have the opportunity to earn their Incident Qualifications Card (Red Card) certification, qualifying them for wildland firefighting operations. At the completion of their search and rescue course, students have the opportunity to become certified to respond to search and rescue events in the state.

Kale O’Leary, a Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife game warden, is an adjunct professor at UMFK. He specializes in preparing students with the skills necessary to be successful during an active search and rescue.

“When I initially started teaching at UMFK, I knew there would be many positive takeaways from this involvement. I always hoped that in the future we would be able to use these students as highly trained volunteers, but their knowledge and assistance were extremely valuable to our recent search,” said O’Leary, “Without their help, we would have been limited to grid teams made up of only Wardens. This would have significantly slowed our progress and very likely led to a very different outcome, as time was critical in locating this man.”

UMFK’s Conservation Law Enforcement program is one of very few in the eastern United States. Located in the midst of thousands of acres of wilderness, the natural resources available to the northern Maine campus are unparalleled. Students can easily practice their professional skills in the environments they hope to work in and enjoy outdoor recreation interests such as hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling that may have influenced their career paths.

The program is interdisciplinary, working closely with forestry and environmental sciences to ensure that students receive a well-rounded, multi-faceted education that allows them to choose from a variety of pathways upon graduation.

“The Maine Warden Service expects to lose 50% of its workforce over the coming years, so the demand for wardens is great for the foreseeable future,” said Marilyn Epp, UMFK Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Public Safety. “Maine Forest service is in dire need of forest rangers. The education and skills that our program imparts makes applicants highly competitive in these high-demand professions.”

Conservation Law students develop skills in investigative techniques such as interviewing, writing reports and affidavits, and evidence collection.

As far as what he thinks about the UMFK program, Pols says the certifications he has obtained have greatly increased his satisfaction with his degree path. He is grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the active search.

“Overall, it impacted my experience as a student at UMFK in a very positive way, and I am very excited about what the future holds.”

For more information about UMFK’s Conservation Law program, visit the Conservation Law Enforcement page on the UMFK website.

2023 U.S. News Rankings

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UMFK photo with students holding UMFK swag at the Sports Center
The University of Maine at Fort Kent has been named among the top tier of all north region colleges for the twelfth consecutive year, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2023 rankings. UMFK first achieved top-tier college status in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 rankings.

The latest U.S. News & World Report ranked UMFK 34th on the Regional Colleges North list and 18th on the Top Public Schools list. This is an improvement for the university in both categories. UMFK is also ranked on the Regional Colleges list as a top performer in social mobility, which means UMFK has great success in helping economically disadvantaged students graduate on time.

“These rankings are very meaningful to our university and show that we are continually looking at ways to improve the student experience,” said UMFK President Deb Hedeen, “Our campus is very safe, it’s situated in an inviting community, and it has a wealth of natural resources all around us. These unique qualities offer a wonderful foundation for the quality education that we continue to deliver.”

U.S. News & World Report bases the U.S. ranking on key measures that education experts have proposed as reliable indicators of academic quality. The indices include peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving.

The U.S. News rating system rests on two pillars. The formula relies on quantitative measures that education experts have proposed as reliable indicators of academic quality that are based on the U.S. News’ researched view of what matters in education.

The North region includes the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.

For prospective students and their families, the 2023 U.S. News rankings provide an excellent starting point to help identify colleges and universities that are right for them because they offer the opportunity to judge the relative quality of institutions based on widely accepted indicators of excellence.

Poetry Express at UMFK

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headshot of poet Valerie Lawson
Poet Valerie Lawson will lead Poetry Express events at UMFK on September 21 & 22.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes will host Poetry Express, a collaborative poetry performance program, Wednesday, September 21st, and Thursday, September 22nd, on the University campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The theme surrounding the Poetry Express event will encompass Acadian Heritage.

On September 21st, the poetry workshop will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Acadian Archives. Program participants select Maine poems with support from Maine State Library and learn to perform those poems in a workshop taught by guest Poet Valerie Lawson.

Valerie Lawson’s work has been published in Café Review, About Place Journal, The Catch, Maine Farms, and others. Most recently, Lawson participated in the Writing the Land project, connecting protected spaces with poets. She wrote about Reversing Falls in Pembroke, conserved by the Downeast Coastal Conservancy, and with the help of the Maine Arts Commission, created a video of one of the poems. You may view the video at valerie-lawson.com.

At the Archives, on September 22nd, the poetry workshop will continue with a rehearsal of participants’ poetry presentations to be held from 3 to 4 p.m.

The Poetry Express event will conclude with a community poetry reading and conversation event for the public to come together and celebrate Maine poetry will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the UMFK Bengal Lair.

If you would like to participate in the Poetry Express, please contact Assistant Professor of Business Michael Curran at (412) 200-0978.

Poetry Express is a collaborative poetry performance program in partnership with the Maine Humanities Council and the Maine State Library to bring poetry to UMFK.

Welcome Reception to be held September 9 for UMFK’s twelfth president, Dr. Deborah Hedeen

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UMFK president Dr. Deborah Hedeen, UMFK 12th presidentThe University of Maine at Fort Kent will officially welcome its twelfth president, Dr. Deborah Hedeen, at a Welcome Reception on Friday, September 9, between 4:00 – 7:00 pm in the campus’ newest building, the Enrollment and Advancement Center.

President Hedeen was appointed UMFK’s twelfth president and provost on July 1, 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions over the past few years, her official welcome was postponed until now. The reception is part of a weekend of activities planned for the university’s Homecoming celebrations.

Prior to joining UMFK, Hedeen served as the provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Montana Western. Prior to that, she served at Idaho State University for 23 years as dean of the college of education for ten years, associate dean and assistant dean of teacher education, and professor of special education.

A proven leader in higher education, Hedeen’s extensive experience developing instructional delivery models for students in remote and rural areas has already impacted the northern Maine campus. In the last year, UMFK has implemented several new programs with certain ideas in mind: capitalizing on the natural resources that the campus is well-known for, providing more opportunities for nontraditional students to earn their degrees, and expanding technology and health-related programs.

“Our students are our number one priority,” said President Hedeen, “When the faculty approached me about some of these new possibilities, I felt that they were deserving to be added to our academic portfolio. Arctic Studies, Business Management Online Completion, Computer Systems Administration, Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Certification, and the Master of Science in Nursing all build on strengths that UMFK already offers and allow us to make these certificates and degrees more accessible.”

As a first-generation student, Dr. Hedeen understands the importance of a student-centered campus community. In addition to well-rounded support through the pandemic, a new strategic plan, opportunities for expanded scholarships, completion of the Enrollment and Advancement Center, and a new branding strategy have been noted as areas that have benefited from her leadership.

Her vision includes continuing to foster the partnership between the university and the greater community of Fort Kent — an attribute long celebrated.

“I love that UMFK has always had a special relationship with the community of Fort Kent. With a strong volunteer population and a lot of grit and determination, Fort Kent has done some really amazing things. UMFK couldn’t be in a better community to enhance the college experience by involving interested students in this way,” said President Hedeen.

On a personal level, the new president looks forward to more university events.

“Even though we had a few events last year that allowed for public attendance, this year’s Homecoming celebrations will allow us to welcome the community back to campus. I am really excited about that.”

The public is invited to the President’s Welcome Reception to attend at their leisure to meet and speak with President Hedeen while visiting the award-winning Enrollment and Advancement Center. Refreshments will be served.

For more information on the Welcome Reception, please contact Lisa Roy at 834-7504.

UMFK Professor Paul Buck Presents Webster Ashburton Treaty for Maine Speaks

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Paul BuckThe University of Maine at Fort Kent Associate Professor of History and Education Dr. Paul Buck II will present on the “Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842) and Maine’s Northern Border” on Thursday, August 18th at 7 p.m. at Musée culturel du Mont-Carmel in Lille, Maine. The event is free and open to the public.

The presentation is funded by the Maine Humanities Council, Maine Speaks program.

In his presentation, Dr. Buck examines the different perspectives of Maine statehood and Maine culture as seen through the prism of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which definitively established the boundary between British North America and the United States. Many forget that the treaty also formally established a new mechanism for collaboration between London and Washington to combat the continued international trade of enslaved peoples, which technically was outlawed in the United States in 1808.

Dr. Buck explores the treaty itself and its impact on the singular Acadian and Francophone community of the St. John Valley, which found itself split into two countries. He gives historical context as well, most certainly commencing with the long-standing Maliseet and Mi’kmaq communities of the region, along with Scots-Irish and, by the 1820s, Maine Yankee residents.

Dr. Buck is proficient in five languages (English, French, Spanish, German, and Russian) and is conversant in a sixth language, Wolof, spoken widely in Senegal. He arrived in the St. John Valley in July 2008. He taught French at Wisdom Middle/High School for one year. In the fall of 2009, he began teaching at UMFK as an adjunct professor of history, French, and Spanish. He began teaching full-time in the fall of 2010.

The study of the French language and culture, as well as the history of French speakers throughout North America, has been Dr. Buck’s academic passion since he was a teenager.

Dr. Buck holds a bachelor’s degree in Canadian Studies/Multilanguage (French, German, and Russian) from Saint Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and spent two years during that period of his life studying abroad at Université Laval in Québec City and Voronezh State University in southern Russia. Thereafter, while teaching middle/high school French and Spanish for six years in Maryland, Dr. Buck earned a master’s degree in Spanish at Middlebury College in Vermont. Finally, in May 2008, he earned his doctorate in American and Canadian history at the University of Maine, where his area of focus was the expression of identity and otherness in Canadian history textbooks used in Québec’s French Catholic secondary schools from 1955 to 1967.

Dr. Buck completed his dissertation in French. Two of its eight chapters are devoted to analyzing the Acadian deportation from 1755 to 1763 (Le Grand dérangement) and the mass migrations of French Canadians and Acadians to the United States from 1840 to 1930, respectively.

Dr. Buck was a Fulbright Exchange Teacher in French-speaking Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, during the 1997-1998 school year and later was named a Canada-U.S. Fulbright Scholar in 2006-2007 to continue his doctoral research again in Québec City at Université Laval and the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.

Currently, Dr. Buck serves on the Maine Humanities Council board; as a UMFK campus liaison for the Fulbright Scholar program; and as the University of Maine System representative on the Maine Acadian Heritage Council.
For more information on the presentation, please contact Don Cyr at (207) 895-3339 or by email at: doncyr@gmail.com.

Maine Speaks program supports individuals and organizations that bring people in their community together to learn from a gifted speaker who shares their expertise and life experience in engaging ways.