David Robbins

For those of us who knew him through InterFuture, David was an instructor, an advisor, a mentor, and, yes, a colleague and friend.  He was the President of InterFuture for over a quarter-century, and during that time was a thoughtful leader who inspired loyalty and affection from his students and co-workers.  

David was profoundly committed to intercultural education, giving students an opportunity to design their own, academically rigorous ways of exploring other societies, and thus gain a better understanding of their own.  He did this not only at InterFuture, but also through programs at the Charles University in Prague and at Suffolk University in Boston, where he was a professor of history, chair of the History Department, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the University Archivist.  He had a particular gift for helping others organize their thoughts into genuine insights, and then bring those insights to bear on practical problems and research projects; and he fostered long-lasting relationships between InterFuture in the United States and its international network of country coordinators and student advisors.

None of this was simply an academic exercise for David.  Deeply principled, he brought to his work and his relationships a keen intelligence, sympathy, and humor that warmed many of us.  We are saddened by his passing, and offer our condolences to his family.