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from there he went on to earn his M.A. in English (University of Iowa), studied Drama at the University of Bristol (his dissertation was in Medieval Drama), and before the age of 30, earned his Ph.D. (English) at UCD.
Soon afterwards, Kevin turned to lecturing in Medieval Studies (along with Writing, the Humanities and Computing). The rest is history. Throughout his career Professor Roddy has earned the respect, trust and loyalty of his peers, colleagues, and most impressively, of his students.
As one of these ex-students, I found myself standing outside of Voorhies 350, waiting to interview the professor. Upon entering the office I found myself in a room befitting of a scholar; papers piled high, books stacked haphazardly, half filled cups of coffee and tea lost in the forgotten recesses of the discarded. Behind the desk, Professor Roddy was already holding forth and I found myself in lecture again, listening with a half smile of reminiscence and open ears.
“My classes are not conversation,” replies the professor to my inquiries. “Nor are they a stream of factual information: they are exercises in discovery of other human beings, both like and unlike us, and like us they deserve respect. My teaching style is based on medieval techniques: I use a text or some other cultural artifact (architecture, art, music, weapons, writing materials, coins), explain it, and then call upon the students to react. I believe that the student is in the end in charge of his/her own education, and by making the students participate (by calling them by name on the fly), I have driven home that they are in charge, and that their insight is critical to their success.”
Soon afterwards, Kevin turned to lecturing in Medieval Studies (along with Writing, the Humanities and Computing). The rest is history. Throughout his career Professor Roddy has earned the respect, trust and loyalty of his peers, colleagues, and most impressively, of his students.
As one of these ex-students, I found myself standing outside of Voorhies 350, waiting to interview the professor. Upon entering the office I found myself in a room befitting of a scholar; papers piled high, books stacked haphazardly, half filled cups of coffee and tea lost in the forgotten recesses of the discarded. Behind the desk, Professor Roddy was already holding forth and I found myself in lecture again, listening with a half smile of reminiscence and open ears.
“My classes are not conversation,” replies the professor to my inquiries. “Nor are they a stream of factual information: they are exercises in discovery of other human beings, both like and unlike us, and like us they deserve respect. My teaching style is based on medieval techniques: I use a text or some other cultural artifact (architecture, art, music, weapons, writing materials, coins), explain it, and then call upon the students to react. I believe that the student is in the end in charge of his/her own education, and by making the students participate (by calling them by name on the fly), I have driven home that they are in charge, and that their insight is critical to their success.”