Elizabeth Rollins Epperly


Elizabeth ‘Betsy' Epperly is a Victorian scholar, author, curator, English professor, and former university president of the University of Prince Edward Island. Epperly taught at the University of Prince Edward Island for 22 years where she also served as founding chair of the L.M. Montgomery Institute and UPEI's fourth president. The Epperly Plaza on the UPEI campus is dedicated in her name. Following her retirement she was made Professor Emerita by the university.
Epperly was the first student to ever register at the newly created University of Prince Edward Island in 1969. She moved to Canada from the United States because of her love for Lucy Maud Montgomery's writing. Epperly is also the author of many books and dozens of articles, and has curated several Montgomery exhibitions, including the L.M. Montgomery Virtual Exhibition Project and This Anne Place: Anne of Green Gables as Idea, Book and Musical. She also serves on the board of the Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority and the International Advisory Board of the LMMI.

Education

Following her graduation with a BA from UPEI in 1973 Epperly studied for an MA at Dalhousie University in 1974 and completed her PhD in English Literature at Birkbeck College, University of London in 1978.

Selected publications