-Photo by Ryan C. Harris
Amanda Moore
Reporter
December 9, 2005
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Milligan professor, Dr. Roberts, will be retiring
after this spring semester. Roberts has been teaching for nearly 24-years at
Milligan College. -Photo by Ryan C. Harris |
This time next year, Dr. David R. Roberts, professor of Bible, might be found at a nearby spa receiving a therapeutic massage and a green facial mask. However, he will not be attempting to lower his blood pressure before giving the dreaded finals to a group of white-faced, petrified freshman.
Roberts will be enjoying the free time in his life created by retirement. Yes, the time of life that working-class citizens look forward to when they rediscover sleep and relaxation.
Roberts plans to retire from his nearly 24-year teaching career at Milligan. Originally, Roberts planned to retire after the spring semester of 2007; however, for several reasons, Roberts has found it best to retire after this year.
“For the first year or so I expect to step back and catch my breath and, I hope, rest up some,” said Roberts. “I have operated on very little sleep while I’ve been working, and I don’t tolerate that as well.”
However, Roberts will be doing more than just visiting spas with his free time. He plans to become more involved in church activities and devote more time to helping out with family needs.
“My mother is still living but in frail health, and I have other family members whose physical conditions are not strong; so we were anticipating more needs to be with them,” Roberts said.
After his retirement, Roberts and his wife, Donna, plan to stay in the Appalachian area but will travel frequently to visit their 10 grandchildren.
“I think grandparents do best when they can come in and spoil children for a little while and then leave - without making too much nuisance of themselves over a long time,” Roberts said.
According to Roberts his teaching career at Milligan has been a good one, particularly in his relations with students. One of his many good experiences at Milligan, Roberts said, has been “seeing students come alive with learning and get excited about Christian service.”
“The whole experience of working with such a tremendous faculty of colleagues in Christian education, and the privilege of teaching Bible and ministry classes to people who are just forming their convictions and patterns has been amazing,” Roberts said. “I feel very honored and blessed to have been here and been a part of Milligan College through all these years.”
As of now, a committee comprised of various professors and community members is looking for a replacement to fill Roberts’ position in the Bible department.
“It is a very desirable position, not from an economic standpoint but from sheer enjoyment and a sense of service to God and contribution to people’s lives,” said Roberts.
In the meantime, Roberts will still be around next semester teaching classes and coping with the side effects of sleep deprivation. Perhaps a massage will do him some good this weekend as students and professors prepare for finals.