S5E3: ‘I Try to Meet Students Where They Are’ | (Dr. Keith Robinson, Graduate, Career Educator, and Elected Official)

Dr. Keith Robinson is an accomplished Ball State graduate who has dedicated his career to informing and inspiring high school students, first as an educator and now as an administrator. 

In his current role, Keith serves as the associate principal of educational services for Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. He is also a dedicated servant leader. He is the first Black trustee elected in the Village of Skokie. And Keith is also a member of the Ball State University Foundation Board of Directors and our Teachers College Advisory Council. 

In this episode, Keith talks about how the academic struggles he experienced in high school and college fueled his passion to become an engaging educator. Keith also shares how, in addition to his professional career, he’s found a new purpose in his role as a public servant. And he reveals why the chance Ball State took on him as a student is the reason he’s been a loyal advocate in service to his alma mater ever since.  

Transcript

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Hello, I'm Geoff Mearns, and I have the good fortune to serve as the president of Ball State University. Today's guest on my podcast is a graduate of Ball State who embodies the enduring values of our university. Doctor Keith Robinson is a native of Gary, Indiana. He received his bachelor's degree in secondary English education from Ball State in 1995.

He then earned a master's degree in education administration and a doctorate degree in educational leadership. Keith has dedicated his professional career to informing and inspiring his students, first as a teacher and now as an administrator. In his current role, Keith serves as the Associate Principal of Educational Services for Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. 

Keith is also a committed servant leader. He is the first Black trustee elected in the village of Skokie. And Keith is also a member of the Ball State University Foundation Board of Directors and our Teachers College Advisory Council. Keith is in Muncie this week to participate in a meeting of our Foundation Board, and I'm grateful that he agreed to sit down with me for a conversation about the impact that our University has had on his career and on his life.

So, Keith, welcome back to campus, and thank you for joining me in the studio today.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Oh, it's such a pleasure to be back. And every time I come, I cannot believe the look. It looks different. It's construction all over the place and it's just good to be back.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Well, that’s great. So let's begin maybe a little bit with your origin story about your childhood. That's how I like to start off this podcast. Tell us where you were born, where'd you grow up? And tell us a little bit about your family.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah, sure. Super interesting story. I grew up in Gary, Indiana. Single family home. My mother had four children. I am the second eldest. You know, and frankly, I enjoyed Gary, Indiana.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Pretty typical childhood for you?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah, it was great. You know, 80s kid, you know, bikes and drinking out of the water hose and, you know, all the good things ... Saturday morning cartoons. I loved going to school. It was, it was a safe place for me. But also, you know, just being in in an environment like Gary, I totally bought into everything the kids on my block did in my neighborhood and really, really enjoyed a typical kid experience. Again, the single family piece, which was, again, very common for a lot of the friends that I had who were also in single family homes. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. Was your mother instrumental in inspiring you, encouraging you to love school?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

You know, my mom, really, she’s still with us. She lives down in Georgia. My mother is one of the most brave, courageous women I know. I think what I really appreciate what she's done is she's given me a foundation, of care, empathy. You know, she took us to church all the time. You know, so that piece of just the care and nurturing spirit, she really passed on to me.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. Well, maybe we'll get to this a little later. I bet she's pretty darn proud of you, too.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

She is. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So, while you were in high school, I understand that you thought about and listening in the military, but something happened that made you or maybe closed that door for you.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah. I you know, I didn't know what I was going to do after college. You know, a lot of friends that I had had aspirations of going to the service—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

After high school? 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

After high school. Yeah. A lot just, you know, worked, you know, found a gig and worked. So I was excited about going to the Navy. So, a good friend of mine, he said, “Hey, I'm going to go to the Army.” And I said, “Well, I'm going to the Navy.” So we kind of made the pact that we would do just that. And, sure enough, senior year, we met with recruiters. He got locked and loaded and went and signed up for the National Guard. And I remember it was my senior year, like in April ... 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So pretty, pretty close to high school graduation? 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Very, very close to the end. I went to MEPs in Chicago from Gary with a couple of other kids who were all going to get sworn in and do our last, you know, bit of things before, you know, the big swearing and, and I didn't pass MEPs.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

What is MEPs?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

It's like their medical exam.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Medical assessment. 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah. And so I didn't pass because, you know, when I was a kid, I was hospitalized with asthma. And of course, in looking back at the social determinants of health, I get it, you know. And it's unfortunate, because I really thought that was going to be a good pathway for me. You know, I swam in high school and, um, the one thing I didn't do is focus on my academics. So, again, when you're not focusing on something, you know, you don't really pay attention to it.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So that door of possibly going into military service closed. So then you started to think about enrolling in college. Why at that point, I understand that it really felt kind of that that was an option that was unattainable for you.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Just because it never really was top of mind. You know, I never had aspirations, never took an honors class or AP class. All the things that students do in preparation to have that option. As a matter of fact, my parents were both high school dropouts and later got their GEDs, but they didn't really even instill in us, “We want you to go to college,” or “We want you to, you know, have a career.” It was kind of just flying by the seat of the pants. And so after the door slammed for me, for being able to serve in the Armed Forces, I say, okay, well, what am I going to do? And I went all over the place, and I landed at, maybe I'll try this college thing—which was weird.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So did you apply to several colleges or?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So how did you pursue that option?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

So, you know, you have the other popular colleges for a kid from Gary. You know, you hear about Notre Dame and Purdue and IU. I figured let me apply. You know, in those days, it was the old application that you had to mail in and, I heard about Ball State University.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

How did you hear about Ball State?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

So my brother, who's 13 months older than I am, he applied, and he came here for a short time. So I said, “Let me just apply to Ball State.” So, again with a 2.3 GPA, I'll never forget it ... trying to go to college... to seek a career as a first generation college kid. So, you know, I had my challenge ahead.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So what happened? How did you land here?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Ball State was the only school that accepted me. I was like, this is got to be a clerical error. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Right. And so what year was that? 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

This was in 1990.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Okay. So Ball State admitted you...you came down. Had you been to campus?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

I had not. So one of my really good friends and I, we drove down, for orientation. You know, I have two kids now, right? It wouldn't even cross my mind to say, okay, kid, you know, go ahead with a friend and drive three hours away to go to your college orientation, whatever that is. Right? But—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

I was, of course, for your mother that was a foreign concept.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Absolutely. Yeah, but thank goodness. She gave me that opportunity. She gave me permission to go, and I had a friend who came with me. And we came down, and I met a couple of people. It was like, man, this college thing. I think I'm going to like it here.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Not a bad deal, yeah. Did you know, as you started to enroll at Ball State, what you wanted to study, or were you kind of just exploring the different options?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

You know, I know it sounds so superficial, right? But I think, because I had such a love for being in a school—again never really was great at—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

You hadn't applied yourself, but you enjoyed the experience.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah, I was an athlete. I enjoyed going to the parties, you know, the school experience, the hanging out part, the socializing part of a school. It provided a lot of safety for me. So I said, you know what? I understand if you go back, you can be a teacher. Teachers get automatic raises every year. They're off on the weekends and summer. So why not? What a career.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So you thought you were going to pursue, or you decided to pursue a degree in education?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

I did, I did. And more specifically, English education.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Why did you choose that?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

So my English teacher, freshman year, Sandra Craig, shout out to Sandra Craig. She came here to actually be a teacher. I learned that later. My former assistant principal also came to Ball State as an educator. So it's really interesting how these dots connect. But Miss Craig was I would say, she held me accountable. She was my favorite English teacher. I probably got C's in the class. But what I remember was her care, her high expectations of the classroom. Her joy, her laughter. And so I said, you know what? I think English would be, you know, the subject where I want to study.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So how did that evolve during your time here at Ball State?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

You know, it was really, really tough. I gotta admit, my first year I took a lot of remediation—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Remedial courses.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah, a lot of remediation courses. Writing. You know, the math. I did not have those skills. As a student, I felt like I wasn't taught those skills, and particularly didn't care to learn them because I felt like I didn't need them. So here I am, a freshman on this campus, over in the Bell Building. I remember, you know, first floor, taking a lot of these remedial courses. And it was super challenging for me. But I gotta tell you, you know, I'm in the class. You know, the only one who looks like me, you know, in this foreign land, trying to figure out who I am in this space and, you know, had some tough times. You know, I gotta say, with the academic piece.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Who helped you through those tough times? Were there particular faculty members, mentors, student affairs folks?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

You know, initially it was other kids who were here with me. I saw that kids came here extremely prepared, at least in my perception of being prepared. And they were about the business. You know, they were all about standing on business. I got it. I got homework. I got to write this paper. I got to do this. And so I'm watching their behavior like, oh, I get that's the way to do this.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So you started modeling ... they were models for you in terms of how you needed to approach your own studies.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Absolutely. And they were a safe model because some of these kids were also from Gary and Indianapolis. Which was—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So these were peers. These were students who also looked like you and had a similar experience before they arrived.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So when we were walking over this afternoon, you also told me about somebody in the Administration Building who played an important role in helping you complete your undergraduate degree here.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah, that was weird. You know, you walk into a space and you time travel—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Those memories come back.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

It did. It rushed right in my head. I remember my third year here, having some academic struggle. And the financial piece was critical in me staying here. So I came to the ombudsman office. I can't remember who said, hey, you should go to that office and ask that lady over there. You know, I have found her to be, super helpful. So it was—she was right. She was able to give me what I needed. You know, I felt so thankful, and I was worried that I had to pay it back right away. And she said, no, no, this is a gift for you. We want you to stay. You just have to pay it back, is what she told me. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Down the road? 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Down the road. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Do you remember her name?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

I don't, it's bothering me. And I'm sure I'm going to walk away from this mic and know exactly what it is. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

But my guess is you can see her face right now. 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Absolutely. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So you're a first generation college student. You graduate from Ball State, and then you go on to continue your education, as I mentioned in the introduction, in a master's degree and doctoral degrees. What motivated you to continue to get more education?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

So, you know, I felt I had this chip on my shoulder. I felt like there were a lot of skills and experiences that I didn't receive as a high school age student. So I said, you know, I'm going to make sure that, you know, when I become a teacher and when I teach those lessons, that I'll make sure that I approach it differently. You know, in a way that I thought would be more engaging for students, especially students who didn't really have the skill set to even care about school and what it meant. So that inspired me and motivated me.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So you realized that that extra education, that additional education, would help you to serve those students even better than maybe just an undergraduate degree?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Right. Because I'm thinking about the science of teaching and learning, and you know how I received it and what I can do to be better. So, to learn about it, to study more about it. It had an impact.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So I'm going to ask you a few more questions now about where that education took you. But first, I'm going to take a little detour from your career. [KEITH: Okay.] A really important detour, as you'll realize in just a moment. While you were a student at Ball State, you met your wife. [KEITH: I did, yeah.] So tell us how Ball State University played that important role in your life.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

It was so crazy. My sibling and her sibling were high school sweethearts back in Gary, and it was that thing, hey, you know, I got a brother your age. You should meet him. Fine. What's his name? So we did the number exchange. She was actually in her first year as a medical student at IUPUI and Indiana. So, I went down, you know, Circle City Classic weekend and met her. And she would come and visit me on this campus, and I would go visit her. And here we are, you know, many years later with two children and happily married.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. Wonderful story. Ball State plays an important role in a variety of different ways. So you and your wife have a couple of daughters? [KEITH: We do.] Tell us about your girls.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

We have two amazing daughters. One is a senior at Duke University.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

What is she studying?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

She has a psychology/sociology major, but she's really focusing her efforts on marketing and management. So she's looking at trying to get into brand consultant.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

She must be a pretty good student if she's at Duke.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

She's a cool kid. Great personality. And we're so proud of her.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Although, I must say, I tried to recruit her, you know, to come to Ball State. So I'm 0 for 1.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

So did I know. So did I.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Your younger daughter—

[KEITH ROBINSON]

My youngest daughter, Cari, is a freshman at the University of Maryland. She's really fired up about being a chemical engineer right now. So, again, we're super proud of both of the girls. And I know they have a very different preparation than I did, and that's already evident. And just their academic ability and how they're able to engage at their different schools.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So was your wife a first-generation college student as well?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Oh, no. No, no, no. She may have been a third or fourth gen. Okay. So she had the script.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

And what's she doing now?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

She currently works for Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Illinois. She was a 21 year pediatrician, um, in North Shore of Chicago before this new role. She just celebrated her second anniversary. And it's been really fun to see her have a second career.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Right. Using her medical education and medical experience, you know, in a new administrative role?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah. Very inspirational, because, you know, you don't hear a lot of people, you know, later in their careers go back and get different diplomas and kind of change it up. So, during COVID, she actually went back and got her MBA, and she used it right away. Not just continuing to do the work that she did, but she wanted to have more of an impact.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. She's a good role model for your girls.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Absolutely. And for me.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So today you're a high school administrator? But before that, you were a teacher in the classroom. You also coached sports, as I understand? Maybe football and swimming. You mentioned being a swimmer. What did you find most rewarding about your early days as an educator? As a teacher, before you became an administrator? Tell us what was rewarding, exciting, inspiring, and what was the flip side of that coin? What were the challenges?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah, I found out how much I didn't know, you know, and that was scary. My second teaching position was in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis. And, you know, by this time I'm a second or third year teacher, and I am going, I am grooving. You know, I'm talking, I'm teaching, and I'm using my hands, and I'm standing before my class, and I stopped. Every eye was on me. The room got quiet and I was like, “Oh, my God, it happened.” You know, so I felt like I did it.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

You had matured. You were now clicking. 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Absolutely. All cylinders were clicking. I had students, they were engaged. They were looking and just, you know, every word that I said, they were all in. The entire class. So I felt like, you know, I became pretty good at it and, I wanted to have more of an impact, which led me to get my master's degree, to impact more students. And the dean's work, you know, I believe was my best work. You know, supporting students who made some tough choices, but helping them navigate their way through high school.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Getting over some of those obstacles. So when did you migrate from the classroom and coaching into being an administrator? When did that happen? Was that when you became like a dean?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yes, it was ten years after teaching English. I decided that there were, you know, I needed to do more things. You know, it's ... I tell people it's a calling. You know, this work, it's spiritual work. It's good work. And it's a calling. So I felt like I needed to do more and impact more students.

Students would hang out in my classroom before school, after school. “Hey Mr. Robinson, Mr. Robinson.” So, I would see other kids who started having some difficult times and experiences. And I'm like, “Man, I bet I can reach that kid, because I know I reached them in the classroom.” So it inspired me to get my master's degree and become a high school dean of students.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So you mentioned a moment ago that it was both a calling, and you said, you used the word spiritual. Tell me a little bit more about why you chose that word.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Because it ain't easy, you know. And there's technical work and processes that are easy to follow. But the human connection, that's the real work. You know, that's where I think when people connect on a spiritual level where the magic can really happen, the change can really happen.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Reaching the students not just intellectually, but emotionally reaching their heart.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

That's right.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

And touching them ... and touching their hearts in the sense of giving them a sense of hope and an inspiration to overcome those challenges.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Absolutely.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So tell us what you do now at Evanston High School. Tell us what a typical day looks like. Is there a typical day in the in your job at Evanston? 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

No, and I think that's probably why I love my job. Because every day is a new day. It can be an issue with a student, a parent, a community, or a staff member. But I have the pleasure of supporting our student activities team. So prom and Homecoming and all the clubs and activities. That's always fun. I have the pleasure of being in charge of graduation, which is the highlight—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

The culmination of all that work.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

All of it. And it's the biggest showcase of the district. So I take great pride in supporting that effort. I also support the dean's office, our safety office, and serve as a support of our arts and innovations department.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So I'm not sure everyone who might be listening knows how large Evanston High School is. How many students are enrolled at Evanston High School?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

It's a huge place. I mean, 3800 kids. 1.3 million square feet, and five miles of halls. So it's a great place. It's the lighthouse on the North Shore of Chicago. Super cool. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So this is going to be a real hard question. What is one piece of advice that you share on a regular basis with high school students? Is there something like that?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

It is. And it doesn't make a difference which kid it is. I always, you know, looking at my own experience, when I had one option. One option. My goal is to always encourage kids to put themselves in a situation where they have choice. Sometimes one choice is good, and it worked out for me. But I've seen when students have an array of choices, they have more agency in what they want to do and where they want to go and what they want to pursue. So that's always been my thing.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. And do the students, when you're giving that advice, ask for a specific example? Or is that always related to the particular student.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah, yeah. I try to, you know, meet students where they are.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. So I understand, in preparing for this conversation, that about five years ago, you were inspired to serve your community in a way that was really new to you—you talk about opportunities or options. Tell us more about your journey to become the first Black trustee of the Village of Skokie.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Isn't that something?

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

So after having worked in my community, there are three high schools in the area, so I've served students and families at all three of those high schools. And when George Floyd was murdered, I felt a calling. I know that seems to be a theme: to do more. And so I said, I feel like I need to do more. You know, people are posting and people are protesting, and I'm like, What else? What more can I do? So I began to ask questions, you know, like, hey, what can I do? And my neighbor said, hey, you should talk to one of the trustees in Skokie.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Because Skokie is immediately adjacent to Evanston?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

It is. It’s right west. So my response was, What’s a trustee?

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Right.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

So, you know, in the world of education, you know, I've been just locked into that career.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

And that terminology—

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah. So I didn't know. So, I connected with the trustee who served on the village board, and I said, hey, I love to serve. I was introduced to the mayor and the village council, the village manager, and we had a meeting. I said, I have a pretty unique skill set. I love to be able to serve in a capacity, let's talk. Tell me you know where you need me to plug in. So we had a great meeting, and I was fortunate to be put on a plan commission. So, I served on the plan commission for a few months, and the next year, probably about 6 or 7 months later, there was going to be an election for the board and trustees.

So again, that's when they were like, you know what a trustee is? Have you ever thought about serving, you know. And I said, well, let me figure out a little bit more of what that means and what the commitment is. And when I learned that it was a, you know, a lawmaker on the village board and you talk about the impact and ... who doesn't want to be, you know, especially in my life's experience, you know, someone literally at the table making decisions that impacts now instead of just a school, an entire community.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So you had to run for election, right? 

[KEITH ROBINSON]

I did. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

You had to campaign—

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Campaign. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

How was that?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

You know, it was different. You know, it was fun, but not too off the beaten path from being a high school administrator. 

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Right.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

You know, by that time I had made so many different relationships with students and their families. And I was fortunate to have a trusting and authentic relationship with them. And so I was lucky enough to win and lead.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So let's dial back now a little bit closer to home here at Ball State. For about 30 years now, you've been the epitome of an engaged graduate of Ball State University. Thinking about all those different opportunities and responsibilities. Tell us, what are the things that you've been involved in that have been most fulfilling to you?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

Yeah. When I, first of all, just being a student here and having and meeting faculty and having such a rich experience with, you know, other students who were here, inspired me to kind of stick around. When I graduated, I immediately became involved with the Black Alumni Constituent Society, where I did for almost 20 years. And that was a way for me to just, you know, have a good reason to come back on campus. We looked at scholarship opportunities. But still just maintaining a connection. Additionally, I was blessed to be nominated to receive an award and recognition as the Graduate of the Last Decade. The GOLD award, which was, again, struck me right at the right time and just gave me more inspiration to continue to double down on my connectedness with the university.

Then became, look more into the School of Education. Teachers College. And was asked to be on the Council for the Dean and thought that was amazing. And again, you know, I think a lot of folks deal with imposter syndrome. I, too, fall victim of that. But the reality is, you know, I'm a 30 year veteran educator who taught in an urban center, suburban districts, for many years. And, you know, I have a perspective that I appreciate the university honoring. And seeing me, you know, for who I am, what I've done, and the body of work that I've done. So that's been awesome.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

So, a few years ago, Jean Crosby and I, asked you whether you would be willing to serve on our Foundation Board. Why did you say yes to that opportunity?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

You know, I'm a loyal person. And when people do right by me, I try my best to do right by them. And I've walked this walk with Ball State for 30 years. And again, to me, it's also about impact. And again, it seems to be a theme, the more we're talking, what's the impact of my relationship with the university and now on the foundation board?

It's, I feel like it's a greater impact. I've loved what we've done as a board. I love your leadership and all the work that you've done. [GEOFF: Thank you.] And I love the board. You know, I'm learning so much, you know, from my colleagues, of how to even lead differently. So it enriches me as a human, as a professional. And I'm just very gracious of that, you know, opportunity.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Yeah. We're grateful for your willingness to serve in that respect, to serve both Ball State and our students. So, you know, you talked about that you've learned from them about leadership. But, I think anybody who's listening to this conversation can see you as the personification of servant leadership. So that really leads me then to kind of the last question that I really ask all of my guests. I think, you know, where I'm headed. We walked over this this afternoon—beautiful, sunny, late fall afternoon on our beautiful campus. And we walked by Beneficence. And as you know, that is the symbol of our commitment to the enduring values that I believe make Ball State a truly distinctive university and institution. And as you know, Keith, beneficence means the quality of doing good for other people through service and philanthropy. So as we wrap up the conversation, why don't you tell us, on your Ball State experience, your life experience, what does beneficence—what does doing good for other people—mean to you, Keith Robinson?

[KEITH ROBINSON]

It’s the service, you know, and finding a way to be authentic in those relationships that you have for the greater good. It's consistent with, you know, values of my fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. It’s consistent with values that I learned from my parents, growing up. And it's also consistent with the values that I learned right here on this campus. It's, you know, it goes back to a spiritual connection. You know, Beneficence has .... there's a box. I can't remember if it’s on—

[GEOFF MEARNS]

She’s holding out—

[KEITH ROBINSON]

She’s holding it, right? [GEOFF: Right.] Which to me is like just a hidden gift. You know, it symbolizes you know, something I think pretty cool inside. And it gives us the opportunity to determine what that is. And for me, again, being on the board, I may not have the financial gifts, you know, as some of my colleagues, but I think there's so much more talent, connection, and time that, you know, anybody can give to this institution.

And, you know, I just don't want people to feel that, “You know, oh, if I'm connected, that means I need to do X, Y, and Z. Just the presence, being a mentor to a Ball State student. Just again, staying engaged is really the gift.

[GEOFF MEARNS]

Well, thank you. Thank you for your service to the University and most importantly, to our students. And thank you for joining me for this conversation. It was wonderful.

[KEITH ROBINSON]

I appreciate it. It was great. Thank you.