Friends, family and members of the university community gathered at the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning on Sept. 12 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the residence opening, and the lasting impact of the man for whom it was named.  

George was the university’s longest-serving president, and left an enduring legacy of leadership, kindness and community. 

Serving three terms as president from 1995 to 2010, George led the university during a time of profound growth and change, which saw McMaster rise as a leader in both research and student experience.  

“He was an amazing person and made an indelible impact on McMaster during his three terms as president,” President Susan Tighe said at the event. “We are all beneficiaries of this work.” 

That work included championing and building the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC), which opened in 2002.  

“He wanted McMaster students to have places of their own,” said Tighe.

“It’s so fitting that this active, student-centred hub, which brings together so many elements of our dynamic community, should be named in his honour.” 

Peter George’s life and legacy 

George (1941-2017) grew up in Toronto. He was the first person in his family to graduate from university, receiving his BA  in 1962, followed by his MA and then his PhD in economics in 1967. Recognizable by his dark brows and cropped beard, George joined McMaster in 1965 as a lecturer in Economics.  

He served as dean of Social Sciences from 1980 to 1989, and president of the Council of Ontario Universities from 1991 to 1995, before becoming McMaster University’s sixth president and vice-chancellor in 1995. He retired in 2010.  

As president, George worked closely with community leaders such as Michael G. DeGroote and David Braley, whose transformative multimillion-dollar gifts, along with contributions from Ron Joyce, Lynton (Red) Wilson, Suzanne Labarge, Michael Lee-Chin and others, fuelled McMaster’s fundraising success.  

Their support helped drive the Changing Tomorrow Today campaign, which raised nearly $129 million, and the subsequent Campaign for McMaster University, which raised $471 million.  

Those gifts, combined with government and university contributions, helped a campus building boom during George’s 15 years as president.  

Buildings erected during those years include the David Braley Athletic Centre, Ron Joyce Stadium, The Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, the Engineering Technology Building, the Ron Joyce Centre, the McMaster Health Campus and LR Wilson Hall. 

As president, George also oversaw the opening and early stages of the development of McMaster Innovation Park.  

George is also remembered fondly for creating the President’s Award, an award given to staff members who have displayed outstanding service to the university.   

Closest to George’s heart, though, was building  MUSC, fulfilling a promise that dated back generations. 

In the “Last Lecture” that George delivered before his retirement, he said, “I gave my life to education because there is nothing better than bearing witness to the opening of the human mind and spirit.” 

A proud supporter of McMaster throughout his adult life, George had a licence plate that said, “MAC 4U”, and in retirement he remained a familiar figure on campus, often seen cheering on the Marauders.  

McMaster recognized George’s contributions to the university and the broader community in March 2017, presenting him with an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Health Sciences and announcing the naming of the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning.  

He passed away on April 27, 2017, at the age of 75.  

The Peter George Centre for Living and Learning 

“Everything he did… was about giving students the greatest opportunities to live and to learn,” said Karen McQuigge, director of alumni engagement and emcee of the event.  

“This building, which puts living and learning under one roof in a way no other building on our university does, is as much an idea as it is a structure.” 

Construction of the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning officially finished in 2019. Today, the 12-storey building is a hub for students and visitors.  

PGCLL is home to a 500-bed student residence, teaching spaces, underground parking, student meeting and activity space, the Student Wellness Centre, the Black Student Success Centre, and the McMaster Childcare Centre.  

“The Peter George Centre for Living and Learning stands out as one of the most iconic buildings on campus,” said Sean Van Koughnett, associate vice-president (Students).

“It’s a place where students live, study, connect, and grow, and it’s a fitting tribute to someone who cared deeply about the student experience.”  

In 2013, shortly after Van Koughnett started in his role, George came in to talk to him about student mental health and well-being.  

“It was clear to me from those first days, meeting him, how much he cared about the people here and especially the students,” Van Koughnett said.

“He believed that a university should be a place where students flourish in all aspects of their lives.” 

Medical student Fayth Frank, who lived and worked in PGCLL as an undergraduate, never met George, but said his vision has left an enduring impact.  

“Peter George believed that education should reach beyond lecture halls to embrace the whole person, mind, body, and community,” said Frank, who worked as a Senior Community Advisor and at the Student Wellness Centre.  

Her experiences made her realize that she wanted her future career to involve creating community and supporting people. Recently, in one of the active learning classrooms in PGCLL, Frank had one of her first classes of medical school.  

“[The PGCLL] has shaped my own education and continues to shape the lives of thousands of other students who come here not only to earn degrees, but to build friendships, discover their passions, and create community.”  

With files from the Daily News archive