Profiles of Roothbert: Robert McKim ‘78
“I’m living in Malaysia, and I’m hoping to live here for a while” began Robert McKim ‘78. “My wife and I decided to spend some time in Southeast Asia after my retirement.” Having taught at the University of Illinois since 1982, Robert has an engaged understanding of retirement. “I’m not sitting around looking at the sky or the beach as people are sometimes caricatured as doing. For one thing, I’m currently trying to develop some academic relationships and connections here and starting work on a new book I propose to write.”
Robert has devoted much of his academic work to philosophical reflection about religious diversity. “I did my first degree at Trinity College Dublin, and from there studied at the University of Calgary before proceeding to Yale for my PhD.” Robert grew up in the Irish Republic, and his awareness of sectarianism and the associated political violence was one source of his strong interest in religious and philosophical matters. .
A newly qualified PhD, Robert found employment at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. “When I waltzed into this town as a visiting professor,” shared Robert, “I had no idea what I was getting into and what life would be like in the Midwest.” However, despite the initially visiting nature of his appointment, Robert established deep roots in the Central Illinois community that continue strong today: environmental groups, student initiatives towards sustainable development, and a student competition focused on the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) in collaboration with students from the University of Pretoria. “I have long had an interest in this area. I was in Friends of the Earth when I was a student in Dublin,” continued Robert, “and I’ve recently been involved in various environmental initiatives and organizations, such as Faith in Place, which is based in Illinois.”
Personal and professional interests have overlapped for the majority of Robert’s career. Robert reflects on the “good fortune which enabled me to spend my time as an instructor and as a scholar focusing on topics and inquiry that I consider very important.”
“I grew up in a context where the idea of devoting yourself to scholarship was not familiar and would not have been considered a viable option. In fact, I don’t think I knew anybody who took this path. There’s no history of higher education in my immediate family.” Despite the lack of precedent or exposure to pathways in higher education, Robert forged his own pathway, fueled by his own interest and recognition of the value of education.
Robert’s devotion to scholarship is matched by his fondness and reverence for teaching. “I treat teaching with immense seriousness because I don’t know that there are many things more important to a society, especially in a democracy, than ensuring that we have a highly educated public who can make up their minds whatever way they want with the tools to do so as well as the vocabulary, cultural wherewithal, and insight. It is especially important that people not be at the mercy of those who can push a few buttons to get people riled up.” “Political immaturity, unprecedented levels of access to information, and social media have created an opportunity for really dangerous forces.” Education that digs deeply and exposes students to the best and wisest human reflection about important topics is just profoundly important.
Robert continues to say that “I absolutely have considered myself an educator, and I am pleased to no end by the fact that throughout my teaching career, I developed intellectual and personal connections with many students, quite a few of which persist to the present day.”
The Roothbert Fund has been on Robert’s mind in recent years. “I benefited hugely from the support that I received when I was a graduate student,” reflected Robert. “So much so that I had a long term plan that, when I got to the point where it was convenient for me to do so, I would repay the funding that I received.” Robert gave a gift matching his grant to the Fund three years ago.
Robert also wonders if there might be additional, and so far unexplored, ways to promote the goals of the Fund. For example, the call to action rooted in spirituality that is central to the Fund is at the heart of many important organizations and initiatives at all levels from the local to the global. “The fellows are undoubtedly motivated by certain concerns, and there are organizations that give expression to those concerns. There may be natural partnerships of some sort that can be developed,” proposed Robert. Retired but active in a number of areas, Robert continues to pursue new scholarship opportunities, and some practical initiatives while transferring his gardening skills to Malaysian terrain.