The UE Department of Physical Education was organized almost simultaneously with the Philippine College of Commerce and Business Administration (PCCBA), the nucleus of the University.

The Department started with Ms. Maggie Shea as a part-time instructor. Ms. Shea then left for abroad on a Fulbright grant. Upon her return two years later, after obtaining a graduate degree in physical education, she was appointed as UE’s Assistant PE Director. In this capacity, she has been primarily responsible for developing the physical education curriculum to its present state and, with the encouragement of Dean Gabriel Mañalac of the College of Education, she introduced physical education as a major field.