Support for Professor Robin Gary
Donation protected
Robin Marie Gary, or as many may know her, as a sociology professor at Elon University in North Carolina.
Robin is loved by many at the university. Her students can attest to the impact of her work as a professor through the strong relationships they formed with her, as well as engagement in the classroom. In 2018, with little notice, Robin took over and prepared for an Intro to Poverty Studies after the initial professor took a leave of absence. Throughout all of her classes, she taught students vital social injustice lessons and skills. Not only did Robin teach this in her classes but she also fought for her and others' rights outside the classroom. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a professor that makes you feel you can make an impact on this world, but Robin was able to do that. Robin loves her students and gets joy from teaching every single one of them. Robin's voice is and should be extremely valuable to the Elon community during this time as a Black woman looking to enact change regarding conversations surrounding race inside and out of the classroom.
“During my first semester at Elon, Robin Gary taught my Intro to Sociology class. Though I am a Computer Science Major, Robin opened my eyes to the social sciences, gave me the motivation to direct my research towards positive social change, and most importantly, gave me the tools I need to navigate the world we live in in 2020. If I hadn't been placed into her Intro class my first year, I wouldn't have minored in sociology. Fortunately, I attend Elon, a liberal arts university with the means to employ incredibly talented adjunct professors. Robin Gary handed me the lens through which I now see the world.”
-Cole McCorkle ‘22
In the midst of moving closer to campus, on Wednesday, July 1st, 2020 Robin received a generic email from Human Resources for "Faculty Leaving Elon" that she would be "involuntarily leaving Elon," Robin states in her open letter to her colleagues. Amidst the pandemic, this has blindsided Robin and has left her unsure what her next steps are. In October 2019, Robin was featured in a USA Today article about the struggles of adjuncts in higher education. Robin fought to make sure the voices of temporary workers were heard and deserved better benefits. In the article, Robin shares that her knowledge about poverty and social justice is from personal experience. "To be teaching a class on poverty and to be living the experience is ironic."
North Carolina is known as one of the worst states for unemployment benefits and during COVID-19 the CARES Act, which allows states the option of extending unemployment compensation and other workers who are not typically eligible for unemployment benefits, will expire at the end of July 2020. Robin is looking for support from her fellow colleagues and students to get her job back at Elon, but as an Elon student we take care of our own and Robin Marie Gary is our own.
A donation to this page for Robin would be incredibly helpful towards ensuring her stability in the immediate future, though it is also imperative that we communicate with our university. please contact President Book and Provost Volety (both emails are also in Robin’s letter) to help support her and her fellow adjunct colleagues.
Robin is loved by many at the university. Her students can attest to the impact of her work as a professor through the strong relationships they formed with her, as well as engagement in the classroom. In 2018, with little notice, Robin took over and prepared for an Intro to Poverty Studies after the initial professor took a leave of absence. Throughout all of her classes, she taught students vital social injustice lessons and skills. Not only did Robin teach this in her classes but she also fought for her and others' rights outside the classroom. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a professor that makes you feel you can make an impact on this world, but Robin was able to do that. Robin loves her students and gets joy from teaching every single one of them. Robin's voice is and should be extremely valuable to the Elon community during this time as a Black woman looking to enact change regarding conversations surrounding race inside and out of the classroom.
“During my first semester at Elon, Robin Gary taught my Intro to Sociology class. Though I am a Computer Science Major, Robin opened my eyes to the social sciences, gave me the motivation to direct my research towards positive social change, and most importantly, gave me the tools I need to navigate the world we live in in 2020. If I hadn't been placed into her Intro class my first year, I wouldn't have minored in sociology. Fortunately, I attend Elon, a liberal arts university with the means to employ incredibly talented adjunct professors. Robin Gary handed me the lens through which I now see the world.”
-Cole McCorkle ‘22
In the midst of moving closer to campus, on Wednesday, July 1st, 2020 Robin received a generic email from Human Resources for "Faculty Leaving Elon" that she would be "involuntarily leaving Elon," Robin states in her open letter to her colleagues. Amidst the pandemic, this has blindsided Robin and has left her unsure what her next steps are. In October 2019, Robin was featured in a USA Today article about the struggles of adjuncts in higher education. Robin fought to make sure the voices of temporary workers were heard and deserved better benefits. In the article, Robin shares that her knowledge about poverty and social justice is from personal experience. "To be teaching a class on poverty and to be living the experience is ironic."
North Carolina is known as one of the worst states for unemployment benefits and during COVID-19 the CARES Act, which allows states the option of extending unemployment compensation and other workers who are not typically eligible for unemployment benefits, will expire at the end of July 2020. Robin is looking for support from her fellow colleagues and students to get her job back at Elon, but as an Elon student we take care of our own and Robin Marie Gary is our own.
A donation to this page for Robin would be incredibly helpful towards ensuring her stability in the immediate future, though it is also imperative that we communicate with our university. please contact President Book and Provost Volety (both emails are also in Robin’s letter) to help support her and her fellow adjunct colleagues.
Fundraising team (3)
Alana Campbell
Organizer
Elon, NC
Robin Gary
Beneficiary
Cole McCorkle
Team member
Izzy Gagliardi
Team member
