Edwin
Roberts
Professor
taught with animation
By
Starr T. Balmer
Online Forty-Niner
City Editor
Edwin Roberts, political science professor and faculty adviser of the Political
Science Student Association at Cal State Long Beach, died last week of a heart
attack, leaving behind family, students and faculty who said they enjoyed his
teaching abilities and passion for politics. He was 43.
Many people attended the memorial service held for Roberts in the University
Chapel at the University of Redlands on Sunday.
Benita Roberts, Roberts’s mother, said he was a serious academic person,
yet a person who enjoyed aspects of popular culture, such as collecting comic
books as a child.
“He was a good person,” his mother said. “He loved everyone.”
Eric Anthony , a fourth-year political science and broadcast journalism major,
had Roberts as a professor for Introduction to Political Science and Political
Theory. Anthony said Roberts’ teaching style made learning fun and interesting
for CSULB students.
“I thought he was a great professor,” he said. “He was a rare
professor who connected with students.”
Nicole Davis, a fourth-year recreation and leisure studies major and political
science minor, also attended his Introduction to Political Science class and
said he was an animated person and she looked forward to going to his class.
“It was one of the best political science classes I ever took,” she
said. “He wanted us to think for ourselves and not accept information that
people gave us.”
Although Political Theory and Marxist Theory courses were his area of interests,
his passion for politics caught the attention of many, including his colleagues.
“Edwin was not only a teacher, he was one of the most dedicated and passionate
teachers I’ve ever known,” said Charles Noble, political science
department chair. “He wanted to make students passionate about politics,
passionate about ideas, and believe that ideas could change the world.”
Roberts was born in Riverside and received his undergraduate degree in political
science at the University of Redlands. He received his A.P. Master’s
degree and doctorate at the University of Riverside and has been teaching at
CSULB for 15 years.
Noble said before Roberts’ death, Roberts wanted Jurupa Unified School
District (JUSD) in Riverside to receive donations for a scholarship fund to
provide students attending CSULB with scholarships.
Noble also said the department plans to organize a memorial for Roberts during
the fall semester at CSULB, inviting all students and faculty to attend. Additionally,
he plans to meet with other members of the department to create a scholarship
fund in Roberts’ name. |
