Pillar of UPEI’s history program gives last lecture

Last Lecture An award-winning UPEI history professor retires from teaching.

Ed MacDonald has been teaching at the University of Prince Edward Island for 24 years. He came to the university as an undergraduate himself 50 years ago, when he was just 16.

Now 67-years-old, he says it’s time to step aside.

“If some of the older people don’t move on, then the younger people can’t find a foothold, and contribute all the gifts that they have,” said MacDonald. “Part of me wanted to make room."

He’s been a fixture of the history department for years, popular with his students.

“You kinda think he would do this forever,” said Fenix Doherty-Kirby. “I’m going to miss just being able to pop by his office and ask his opinion on things.”

MacDonald came from the world of museums. When he became the university’s island history expert, he expected to have a lot of time for research and writing.

“Two things that I loved,” said MacDonald. “What I didn’t realize is that, within a semester, I knew what I really loved was the classroom experience with the students, and I’ve treasured that over the years.”

Many of those students loved learning from him just as much.

“I’m trying to be, like, ‘What if you just waited a couple years, just wait until I graduate and then you can retire, wouldn’t that be so much better?’” said Reese Carmody. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

MacDonald has contributed to 11 books and dozens of articles, even being inducted into the Order of Canada, but that’s not what he’ll tell you about when you ask him his proudest moment.

“I won a teaching award fairly early on in my career here, two teaching awards actually,” said MacDonald. “They meant a great deal to me, because when I came to UPEI I knew I was a good historian, I knew I could write, I knew I could research, but I didn’t know if I would be effective in the classroom.”

His reputation with students has proved he is.

MacDonald’s official retirement is in July and he plans to continue writing and researching. He said he might even make a few guest appearances back on campus.

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