The professors here at the Mount are some of the best mentors, teachers, and people I’ve ever met. They truly care about their students and want them to succeed. One example is Dr. Peter Robinson, a professor here at MSJ, teaching history.
Robinson has just reached his 20-year mark here at Mount St. Joseph, and has recently announced his retirement from teaching after this current semester. I had the opportunity to interview him over email before he leaves, and reflect on his inspiring career. Before teaching at Mount St. Joseph, Robinson previously taught at Northern Kentucky University as well as the high school level for a bit.
When I asked him what initially drew him to teaching, he remembered and thought of his own schooling days, saying, “Like many people, I was inspired by the many excellent teachers I had during my own years in school. I saw firsthand what influence caring educators can have on shaping hearts as well as minds for the benefit of the common good, and I aspired to be one of them.”
Robinson has realized that the transformative power of compassionate teaching shapes not only intellect, but also nurtures young souls.
During his career, he has tried and succeeded to teach his students to use new ways of thinking.
“I believe I had some success encouraging students to think rigorously, broadly, and critically, to express their thoughts with conviction, and to listen to the thoughts of others with respect,” he says. “As a historian, I have strived to promote an appreciation for how our collective past connects to the challenges we face today.”
This quote displays Robinson’s dedication to fostering intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and historical understanding, all with the goal of enriching students. What he does differently with his history class is that he relates the things he teaches students about back to our lives now.
Like with anything else, there were many challenges faced by Robinson. He referenced the somewhat recent global COVID pandemic. He talked about how it forced us into isolation and severed the connection between students and teachers. But he remains hopeful, saying, “The ripple effects of that sad time will be with us for some time--but I maintain hope that it will heal and that we will emerge stronger, having learned from our past.”
Finally, I asked how much teaching methods and student interactions have changed since he began his teaching career, and his answer is intriguing.
“So much has changed, particularly with technology and communication. We’ve come a long way from mimeograph machines and chalkboards to QR codes, smartphones, and social media,” he says. “We’ve all had to adapt to leverage the best out of these advancements while maintaining personal interactions that are vital to our own lives, not only as students and teachers, but also as human beings.”
As MSJ bids farewell to Dr. Pete Robinson, we reflect on his 30 years of teaching as well as the impact he’s had on the lives of so many students. Through his unwavering commitment to education, and teachings that stayed with students, he’s embedded knowledge, a passion for learning, and new ways of thinking critically. Dr. Robinson, as you embark on this new chapter of your life, please carry with you the gratitude of generations of students whose lives you touched. Your presence in the classroom will be missed!