Nan McDonald, Ed.D.

Building/Location

5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182

Bio

Nan L. McDonald, Ed.D., was Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Education at San Diego State University School of Music and Dance from 1985-2014. With over 50 years of teaching experience in preschool through university level music and integrated arts education, Dr. McDonald led workshop trainings for teachers and arts administrators across the nation and beyond.

Dr. McDonald is the author of numerous scholarly publications in referred journals. She was a National Program Author for Pearson Education/ Silver Burdett Music’s K-8 national basal-text series in music, Making Music (2002, 2005), and Making Music With the Arts and Across the Curriculum (2008, Pearson/Silver Burdett Music, Parsippany, New Jersey). She was also a Program Author for Pearson/Savaas/Silver Burdett Music’s Interactive Music (2015). Other books include Handbook for K-8 Arts Integration: Purposeful Planning Across the Curriculum by Nan L. McDonald (2010, Pearson Allyn & Bacon); Teaching Literacy Through the Arts: A Guidebook for Teachers by Nan L. McDonald and Douglas Fisher (2006, Guilford); and Developing Arts-Loving Readers: Top Ten Questions Teachers are Asking about Integrated Arts Education by Nan L. McDonald and Douglas Fisher (2002, Rowan & Littlefield).  

In 2003, Dr. McDonald was awarded the prestigious “Monty Award,” the SDSU Alumni Award for Outstanding Contributions to the University for the SDSU College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. She was also awarded an SDSU President’s Leadership award and numerous grants for community projects. She has twice been designated as the Outstanding Faculty Member in both Liberal Studies (1999) and School of Music and Dance (2005). Dr. McDonald has been honored as the California Outstanding University Music Educator (2000) by the California Music Educators Association and was twice elected the Executive State Vice President of CMEA (1994-1998).  

Since 2018, Dr. McDonald has been a consultant for San Diego Unified School District’s Visual and Performing Arts Department. She continues to mentor K-12 Music Teachers and TK-Grade 3 Integrated Arts Teachers in classrooms all over San Diego.