Kevin H. Gary
- 127 Spencer Hall
- [email protected]
- (517) 607-2262
The above personal links are controlled by the individual and are not any form of representation of statement by Hillsdale College. They are provided as a convenience and views expressed on the sites may not reflect the views or opinions of the College.
"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts. The right defence against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments."— C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
Faculty Information
Additional Faculty Information for Kevin H. Gary
Education
Ph.D. in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies, Loyola University Chicago, 2005
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Loyola University Chicago, 2000
M.A. in Systematic Theology, University of Notre Dame, 1997
B.A. in Political Science, University of Notre Dame, 1992
Fellowships
Life Worth Living Faculty Fellow, Yale Center for Faith and Culture
Richard P. Baepler Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, Valparaiso University
Memberships
North American Association for Philosophy and Education
Philosophy of Education Society, Great Britain
Biography
Kevin Gary is an associate professor in the Education Department. Prior to Hillsdale, Kevin taught theology at Loyola Academy High School in Wilmette, Illinois, for ten years; education and philosophy at Goshen College for eight years; and education, theology, and the humanities at Valparaiso University for ten years. While at Goshen, Kevin and his wife Heather directed Goshen College’s international studies program in Lima, Peru, for three semesters.
Dr. Gary’s research is primarily in philosophy of education. He recently published Why Boredom Matters: Education, Leisure, and the Quest for a Meaningful Life with Cambridge University Press in 2022. Teachers face bored students every day. Drawing on multiple disciplines, Dr. Gary makes a case for teachers guiding students to engage with boredom constructively, steering clear of restless boredom avoidance on the one hand, or passive submission to boredom on the other.
Dr. Gary has published in multiple journals, including Educational Theory, Journal of Philosophy of Education, and Studies in Philosophy and Education.
Dr. Gary is one of the founding executives of the North American Association for Philosophy and Education (NAAPE), launched in 2018. NAAPE provides an international forum for scholars working at the intersection of philosophy and educational thought, where disciplines such as ethics, political philosophy, epistemology, philosophical anthropology, history, and others meet the practical challenges of teaching and learning.
Dr. Gary is passionate about liberal education as foundational for the preparation of good teachers, wise parents, and thoughtful citizens, as it aims to cultivate prudence, compassion, and a Renaissance spirit.
Sample publications
“Rediscovering Beauty in the Classroom: Going Beyond Educational Standards,” The Raised Hand.
“Cultivating Moral Epiphanies,” co-authored with Drew Chambers, Educational Theory, 2021.
“Pragmatic Standards versus Saturated Phenomenon: Cultivating a Love of Learning,” Journal of Philosophy of Education, 2019.
“Boredom, Contemplation, and Liberation,” Philosophy of Education, 2013.
“Kierkegaard and Liberal Education as a Way of Life,” Philosophy of Education, 2007
“Leisure, Freedom, and Liberal Education,” Educational Theory, 2006.