To the StFX Community,
On behalf of the Board of Governors and the Presidential Selection Committee, it’s my privilege to announce Dr. Kent MacDonald as StFX University’s 18th President and Vice-Chancellor.
The Board of Governors and the Presidential Selection Committee conducted a thorough and comprehensive search to identify a President and Vice-Chancellor who embodies the academic experience, values, and leadership skills necessary to be president of one of the best institutions in the country. The selection of Dr. MacDonald concludes an eight-month international search in which the Board received expressions of interest from across North America and beyond.
Dr. MacDonald was born in Halifax and raised in New Glasgow. He is a graduate of StFX with a Master of Education in 1993, and a Bachelor of Science, Physical Education, in 1986. He completed his Doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania where his research focused on higher education management. He also holds an MBA from Université d'Ottawa.
Dr. MacDonald is currently President and Chief Executive Officer at Algonquin College, an institution with over 20,000 students and campuses in Ottawa, Perth, Pembroke, Saudi Arabia, and a newly constructed campus in Kuwait that will be opening later this year. He has held increasingly complex roles within higher education, having served as an Academic Chair; Dean, School of Business; Executive Director, Strategy and Business Development; Vice President, Student Services and Development; and Vice President Academic.
He brings a deep understanding of higher education enrolment management and the pragmatic application of digital technologies in the learning environment. He has lectured and addressed audiences in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In addition to his post-secondary academic pursuits, Dr. MacDonald has led private sector and not-for-profit organizations in Ontario and has been a teacher in the K-12 system in Canada and New Zealand.
Dr. MacDonald is married to Mary-Ellen MacPhee, also a StFX graduate, and they have four children: Adam, a 2013 StFX graduate; Matthew, a junior at Algonquin College; Meagan enrolled in her first year at StFX; and Patrick, a junior at Sacred Heart High School in Stittsville, ON.
Dr. MacDonald assumes his duties as StFX President and Vice-Chancellor on August 1, 2014, after nearly two decades of unprecedented growth and momentum under the leadership of Dr. Sean Riley.
Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the members of the StFX Presidential Committee for their tireless work over the last eight months. A very heartfelt thank you to Rob Bennett, Dr. William Sweet, Kim West, Angus MacIsaac, Dr. Charmaine McPherson, and Ben Gunn-Doerge. Working alongside such talented and dedicated individuals was truly inspiring.
Mark Wallace
Chair, StFX Board of Governors
Chair, StFX Presidential Committee
