Dr. Paul Robinson has a lifelong connection to the Democratic Republic of Congo, having been born and raised there until, at the age of 8, he became a refugee with his family. For most of his adult life, Paul has carried a very deep sense that God would one day bring his path full circle to reconnect with the land of his birth. That reconnection began 15 years ago and continues through to this day. Since 2002, Paul has played a central role in the visioning, early formation, leadership, and ongoing growth of Congo Initiative and in particular, the Christian Bilingual University of Congo (UCBC). At UCBC’s 10-Year Celebration this past July, Paul was formally declared one of the Co-Founders of Congo Initiative and UCBC—a well-deserved pronouncement to signal his enduring legacy.

Paul has always been passionate about equipping the next generation for transformational witness and service. With an insatiable need to understand the continent that bequeathed to his deepest pain and greatest joy, he earned both a MA and PhD from Northwestern University as a Fulbright Scholar in African History. He and his wife Margie then returned to Africa with St. Lawrence University, where they raised three children, and where for three decades he developed and led what became a premier international academic program for St. Lawrence University. During that time, he also developed and led varied university initiatives in Africa and designed, consulted, and evaluated development programs that addressed critical issues relating to poverty and human need – including a major response to the HIV-AIDS crisis. In 1999, he joined the faculty of Wheaton College as Professor and Director of the college’s Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR) Program, where he served until 2013. In 2013, he took an early retirement from Wheaton College as Professor Emeritus, in order to give his full energies to the transformative vision of CI as Senior Advisor.

This newly established Fund honors Paul as a teacher and mentor. Specifically, this Fund will provide scholarships to the courageous women and men who study at UCBC and are preparing to become Congo’s future leaders. Having just completed 10 years of existence and graduated 500 students, UCBC is now poised to equip and send out 500 more leaders through our Next 500 Future Leaders of Congo campaign.