FORT KENT, Maine –- The University of Maine at Fort Kent will host its 12th annual Scholars’ Symposium on Wednesday, April 26 on the UMFK campus. The theme of this year’s event is “Serendipity.” The symposium is open to the public.
“The Scholars’ Symposium is the summative academic event for all schools within the Maine system. The University of Maine at Fort Kent will focus on student scholarship, research, and academic achievement. Posters of student research will be displayed, and there will be presentations by several students on their research. The University welcomes students, faculty, staff, community members, and all stakeholders in the educational future of Maine to attend this event,” said Dr. Michael Curran, UMFK assistant professor of business and the Scholar’s Symposium chair.
The event kicks off on Wednesday with a welcome from UMFK President Dr. Deb Hedeen at 9 a.m. in Fox Auditorium. She will be followed by the keynote speaker, the Hon. Valerie Stanfill, chief justice of the Maine Supreme Court, who will speak to the UMFK campus community at 9:15 a.m.
Stanfill is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and the University of Maine School of Law. Following a clerkship, she was a member of the law firm of Berman Simmons, P.A., until 1997. She joined the faculty of the University of Maine School of Law, where she was a clinical professor and acting director of the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic. After a brief stint in private practice, she was first appointed to the District Court by Gov. Baldacci in December 2006. Gov. Mills appointed her to the Superior Court in January 2020 and then appointed her as chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. She was sworn in as chief justice on June 8, 2021.
At 9:45 a.m. in Fox Auditorium, undergraduate awards will be presented by Dr. Hedeen.
You will hear from six UMFK faculty members, who will speak on their research which will focus on a single topic, example, idea, project, or technique at 10 a.m. in the auditorium.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, tours of the Rural Practice Clinic of the Maine Law School located in Powell Hall on the UMFK campus will be given. A ‘first of its kind’ in Maine, the law clinic serves the rural population of northern Maine and focuses on all aspects of legal services to the community. Students have the opportunity to learn about the 3 + 3 Law Program between UMFK and the Maine Law School.
The symposium will include a panel discussion on legal issues facing Maine and the United States today by Erika Kranz, director of Career Services at Maine Law School; Dave Soucy, retired District Court judge; Todd Collins, Aroostook County district attorney; and Toby Jandreau, Fort Kent Attorney starting at 11 a.m. in Fox Auditorium. A question and answer session will follow presentations.
The afternoon continues to highlight students’ research with poster sessions, presentations, and demonstrations, and the students will answer questions about their methodologies and findings, at the Sports Center from 1:30-3:30 p.m. There will also be forestry and greenhouse demonstrations in the labs located in Cyr Hall, second floor.
Students can earn an Undergraduate Research Scholar micro-credential through their research and are eligible to earn awards and certificates.
UMFK offers multiple degree paths which lead to associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees. For a complete program listing and more information, please visit umfk.edu.
For more information on the Scholars’ Symposium, please contact Dr. Curran at michael.curran1@maine.edu.
