Backgrounder: Largest Donation to the Humanities Creates Fellowship in Scottish Studies
University of Victoria PhD student Susan Wilson grew up listening to Scottish stories in both Gaelic and Scots as told by her Scottish grandparents. Now pursuing graduate studies in Scottish literature, she’s thrilled that a new Scottish studies scholarship will assist graduate students following in her footsteps.
“One of my academic goals is to do what I can to prevent the loss of my cultural heritage and the demise of the Gaelic language,” says Wilson, who spoke at the Sept. 20 ceremony announcing the new Hugh Campbell and Marion Alice Small Fund for Scottish Studies at UVic. The bequest establishes a $10,000 scholarship for a graduate student to be awarded for the first time in 2006 and a $3,000 stipend for a faculty fellowship in Scottish studies. “This will provide a tremendous opportunity for graduate students and UVic to be involved in the cultural vitality exploding throughout Scotland,” says Wilson.
A second-generation Canadian living in Victoria, Wilson is fluent in Gaelic. While completing her doctoral course work at UVic, she was introduced to contemporary Scottish literature and the work of Hugh MacDiarmid, poet, journalist, cultural and political nationalist. Her doctoral research focuses on the relationship between MacDiarmid and Gaelic culture.
Ironically Wilson pursued her Scottish studies and wrote her third doctoral language exam in Gaelic under the auspices of UVic’s English department. A stipend from UVic and a scholarship from Edinburgh University enabled Wilson to spend the summer researching at the National Library of Scotland. While in Scotland she met celebrated contemporary Scottish writers, including James Robertson, first writer in residence of the new Scottish parliament; Alasdair Gray, author of the seminal novel Lanark; MacDiarmid expert Dr. Alan Riach; and poet Allan Spence.
Wilson, who has chronic diabetes, has struggled to cope with her illness, her studies and employment to cover her university costs. Although Wilson will be finished before the $10,000 graduate scholarship will be awarded for the first time, Wilson is enthusiastic about the potential for the future.
“My dream is that one day, there may even be a department of Scottish studies at the University of Victoria. This is surely the start of something wonderful. As we would say in Gaelic, “Ta se go hiontach!” (“This is wonderful.”)
< Back to Release“One of my academic goals is to do what I can to prevent the loss of my cultural heritage and the demise of the Gaelic language,” says Wilson, who spoke at the Sept. 20 ceremony announcing the new Hugh Campbell and Marion Alice Small Fund for Scottish Studies at UVic. The bequest establishes a $10,000 scholarship for a graduate student to be awarded for the first time in 2006 and a $3,000 stipend for a faculty fellowship in Scottish studies. “This will provide a tremendous opportunity for graduate students and UVic to be involved in the cultural vitality exploding throughout Scotland,” says Wilson.
A second-generation Canadian living in Victoria, Wilson is fluent in Gaelic. While completing her doctoral course work at UVic, she was introduced to contemporary Scottish literature and the work of Hugh MacDiarmid, poet, journalist, cultural and political nationalist. Her doctoral research focuses on the relationship between MacDiarmid and Gaelic culture.
Ironically Wilson pursued her Scottish studies and wrote her third doctoral language exam in Gaelic under the auspices of UVic’s English department. A stipend from UVic and a scholarship from Edinburgh University enabled Wilson to spend the summer researching at the National Library of Scotland. While in Scotland she met celebrated contemporary Scottish writers, including James Robertson, first writer in residence of the new Scottish parliament; Alasdair Gray, author of the seminal novel Lanark; MacDiarmid expert Dr. Alan Riach; and poet Allan Spence.
Wilson, who has chronic diabetes, has struggled to cope with her illness, her studies and employment to cover her university costs. Although Wilson will be finished before the $10,000 graduate scholarship will be awarded for the first time, Wilson is enthusiastic about the potential for the future.
“My dream is that one day, there may even be a department of Scottish studies at the University of Victoria. This is surely the start of something wonderful. As we would say in Gaelic, “Ta se go hiontach!” (“This is wonderful.”)
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Keywords: largest, donation, humanities, creates, fellowship, brin, scottish, studies
