Principal Michael Goldbloom skips ‘retire’ word at his last convocation at Bishop’s University

Principal Michael Goldbloom skips ‘retire’ word at his last convocation at Bishop’s University

By Sarah Pledge Dickson

Special to The Record

 

Michael Goldbloom is attending his last convocation after serving as principal and vice-chancellor of Bishop’s University for 15 years. He holds degrees in modern European history and literature (Harvard 1974), civil law (McGill 1978) and common law (McGill 1979). He worked as a writer for The Gazette for a year before spending 10 years practicing law. He spent time as president of the Montreal YMCA and worked as the publisher for both The Gazette and the Toronto Star. In 2013, he received the Order of Canada and is now chair of the board at CBC/Radio Canada.

Goldbloom reflects on his time with Bishop’s University over the last 15 years and his plans for the future with his wife Fiona.

Q: What are you most proud of during your time with Bishop’s?

A: I would say our efforts at achieving environmental sustainability for Bishop’s. We announced this spring that we had achieved carbon neutrality. I’m most proud of the fact that the university has moved forward over these years, with a pretty common purpose with a sense of unity, shared values and ambitions.

Q: Is there something you feel as though you’ve left unfinished?

A: University is by definition unfinished. One of the reasons it’s been such an honor to serve here is that universities are about the future. Are there things that I would like to have completed? Of course. We have a plan to convert what was formerly called “Divinity House” into a building that will include a center for research and gathering space for our Indigenous students. I’m reasonably confident that in the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be able to announce that the project will go forward. I would have hoped that it would have been done by now. I’m now more optimistic than I’ve been in a long time that that project will proceed.

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