In early May, as the rest of the world was just getting used to the idea of life grinding to a halt due to COVID-19, one group of UPEI students was just getting revved up. UPEI’s Bachelor of Education students earn their degree in a 12-month program, running annually beginning in May. The 2020–2021 cohort found success (and community) despite never having met face-to-face for the first four months of their program.

Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891-1981) Commemoration Project and Reunion events that took place in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in May 2013. The events were designed to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. 

The cultural legacy of PEI’s Irish community will be in the spotlight on Sunday, October 4, when the UPEI Robertson Library and the Benevolent Irish Society of PEI (BIS) co-host a public launch of a digital collection of oral history interviews and lectures. The launch will be held at the BIS Irish Cultural Centre, 582 North River Road, Charlottetown, from 2–4 p.m.

The Institute of Island Studies at UPEI is delighted to announce that the annual Island Lecture Series will be hosted online for the upcoming 2020–2021 season. The first lecture in the series will take place on Tuesday, October 20, at 7 pm, featuring author JoDee Samuelson.

A new book by UPEI professor Michelle Evason is helping keep dogs and their owners safe. As the geographic ranges of ticks rapidly expand in Central, Eastern, and Atlantic Canada, it is important to understand the different tick-borne diseases in dogs and how to treat them. Published by Island Studies Press, Tick-borne Disease in Dogs is an invaluable reference for veterinarians and dog owners.

We are deeply saddened by the death of Dr. Thomas (Tom) Trenton on September 17, 2020. Tom joined the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Prince Edward Island, in 1973 with his newly minted doctorate from the University of Toronto. He retired in 2009 after 36 years of teaching Sociology.

Seven universities in Atlantic Canada are co-ordinating efforts to engage and support student entrepreneurs by hosting virtual workshops this fall.

Five virtual workshops open to all students, and an additional three virtual fireside chats for female-identifying students, will be hosted by different participating institutions. Attendance is free.