Infectious traveler: Roy Robinson
by Brooklyn Shearer, posted April 1, 2009
As Roy Robinson crunched on his apple, he talked about his study abroad experiences, with a sparkle in his eye that is undeniable and a smile almost too big for his face. He describes his experiences with the food, culture and people in the places he has traveled.
Robinson, CAFNR director of Study Abroad, went to high school at Hickman here in Columbia, Mo. After getting married, having two kids and working around the country as well as out of it, he never thought he would end up at the place he used to call home. Robinson attended MU and got his degree in history. As part of his undergraduate program, he studied abroad in Paris, this was his first but definitely not last study abroad experience.
After he graduated from MU, he worked in the Peace Corps for two years in West Africa. He then went to the University of California-San Diego, where he got his graduate degree in International Affairs.
Before working at the CAFNR Study Abroad Office, he worked at the Michigan State office as well as overseas at a university in India. He has now been with the CAFNR study abroad office for five years.
Cheryl Stevens, an administrative assistant in CAFNR, has worked with Roy for the past three years.
”He has such a passion for students and study abroad,” Stevens said. Although Stevens has not gone abroad, she likes to hear all of Robinson’s stories and look at the pictures he has taken while abroad. After talking with Robinson about the study abroad programs available through CAFNR Stevens said, “I haven’t found a program I wouldn’t want to go on.”
Stevens said that Robinsons’s “main focus is that every student gets a chance to study abroad.”
Robinson is known for having a persistently positive outlook on his job.
“You can always find the negative about jobs, but it’s wonderful,” he said.
Robinson is working with faculty to create more international study programs in CAFNR. He believes it is important for students to understand other cultures and places while learning about agriculture or natural resources and coupling that with learning about the culture and language.
Robert Sites, MU professor of entomology, was on the search committee that interviewed Robinson. Now, he is one of Robinson’s travel companions as well as friend in the States.
“Every winter break we travel to Thailand together,” said Sites.
In fact, Robinson spends several weeks abroad every year. Last summer he traveled to Australia for six weeks with the study abroad program, then onto South Africa for 10 days in September, and Thailand for five weeks during the winter intercession for the study abroad program developed by Sites.
“Gosh I guess (that’s) about two months (spent abroad), that sounds pretty good,” he said.
Robinson enjoys all of the study abroad programs, but his sentimental favorites are Prague and Thailand. “I’ve led them more than any other program,” said Robinson.
“[Prague] is beyond beautiful and the people are so nice, it’s kind of like going to visit your friends, it’s just great.”
Sites thinks highly of his co-worker and friend.
“Students just love Roy and it’s quite obvious students associate well with him,” Sites said. “He is able to stay young at heart, he’s got a great sense of humor and he’s always upbeat.”
Stevens agrees that Robinson connects well with students, “His passion (for study abroad) is contagious with students, he’s so knowledgable.”
