UPEI honoured 2025 Founders on February 26
The University of Prince Edward Island held its 2025 Recognition of Founders ceremony on Thursday, February 26, 2026, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.
The award acknowledges those who have contributed to the University in a significant way and honour the many contributions, commitments, and sacrifices that have brought higher education in PEI to where it is today.
Recognized as 2025 Founders during the ceremony were Donna Barnes, retired veterinary technician, Atlantic Veterinary College; Dr. Gerald Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College; and Dr. Debbie MacLellan, Professor Emerita of Applied Human Sciences.
The citations were read by Rebecca Michelin, fourth-year veterinary student, for Donna Barnes; Julia Skinner, fourth-year veterinary student, for Dr. Johnson; and Luciana Quiroa Paredes, UPEI Student Union president, for Dr. MacLellan.
UPEI choral music students Sadie Ghiz, Marius Lavoie, and Evelyn McEwen sang O Canada, and University Chaplain Sister Sue Kidd gave a blessing.
UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Wendy Rodgers thanked the Founders for their dedication to the University, which contributed to its tradition of excellence in teaching, research, and service.
About the Founders:
Donna Barnes
Donna Barnes served as a veterinary technician in AVC’s veterinary teaching hospital for 28 years, retiring in 2015. During her time at the College, she was highly respected for her dedication to her work, patient care, and student learning, and for fostering a positive work environment. She supported and helped train hundreds of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students, as well as veterinary technician students, post-doctoral students, and many staff members. Her extensive experience and unwavering professionalism set a standard against which all others in the veterinary technician profession were measured. Click here to read the complete citation.
Dr. Gerald Johnson
Dr. Gerald Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Microbiology, is a renowned educator, researcher, and visionary in aquatic veterinary medicine. Largely through his efforts, AVC and UPEI became known as one of the premier academic institutions in veterinary medicine for aquatic food animals and associated graduate training. Dr. Johnson’s support of aquatic veterinary pursuits at AVC connected the College to industry-driven projects, making it an integral part of aquaculture success in the Atlantic region. His pioneering work in the 1980s and 1990s, as the founding member of fish pathology and the Coordinator of Fish Health at AVC, impacted national and international programs in fish health. Click here to read the complete citation.
Dr. Debbie MacLellan
From student to faculty member and administrator, Dr. Debbie MacLellan, Professor Emerita of Applied Health Sciences, has a longstanding connection to UPEI. During her tenure as a faculty member, she made significant contributions to UPEI through teaching excellence, administrative and service roles, and program development. In the late 1990s, she and her colleagues created a new vision for foods and nutrition at the University. She has had a significant impact on the profession of dietetics in Canada and internationally, pioneering research on client-centredness in nutrition counselling. For her dedication as a dietetic educator and contributions to her field, she was awarded the prestigious Ryley-Jeffs Memorial Award from Dietitians of Canada in 2020. Click here to read the complete citation.
