When Hailey Robinson arrived at Arkansas Tech University as a freshman, she did so with a goal of finding and developing a new identity.
She had been a standout athlete in high school at Okmulgee, Okla., and she recalls how immersing herself in campus life at Arkansas Tech helped fill the void of competitive athletics.
“I’m not going to lie…that was the hardest transition for me,” said Robinson. “For me, it was about getting involved. That’s what I was always used to. I don’t just sit at home. When I got to Tech, I wanted to do everything. That involvement fulfilled some of my competitive edge. It was about my events. As an athlete, you train to be the best. You always want to improve. In planning events, it had to be right. It had to be better than it was last year. It had to evolve.”
The evolution of Hailey Robinson has led her to become the winner of the 2016 Margaret Young Award as the most outstanding senior female student at Arkansas Tech.
She was announced as the winner during a reception at Lake Point Conference Center in Russellville on Tuesday, April 26, and she will be honored at Arkansas Tech spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 7.
“It means that people saw what I was doing, and they thought it was pretty cool,” said Robinson when asked about the award. “My mom always told us that someone is always watching. This solidifies that statement. I believe that college is what you make it, so make it a good ride.”
Robinson has served as president of the African American Student Association (AASA), organizer for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month celebrations on campus and chairperson of International Women’s Week events at Arkansas Tech.
She found that developing impactful programs for her peers gave her satisfaction.
“Once I began planning events I just liked it,” said Robinson. “It was fun to see something in my mind and then watch it come to life. You never know how it’s all going to work out because sometimes things go wrong, but seeing how those events affect people — be it emotionally, or it makes them think — that’s big for me. I get to help students see things differently.”
The opportunity to discuss issues related to race and gender helped Robinson see things differently, too. She learned the value of being proactive when developing programming and other educational resources.
“It was nice to find a home with people who look like me and identify with me on various levels,” said Robinson. “That’s where I felt at home when I first came to Tech. I think there were five of us in (AASA) when I was a freshman, so we’ve done a lot of growing. It was the place where I could go and find people who understood what I was going through.”
Robinson said she is proud of the growth in Martin Luther King Jr. Day events and Black History Month programs that AASA has helped bring about at Arkansas Tech. She credits Dr. Robin E. Bowen, Arkansas Tech president, with creating a climate that supports diversity and inclusion.
“It’s good to know that Dr. Bowen openly cares,” said Robinson. “She doesn’t have a problem talking about issues, and so it makes you feel included and that someone is thinking about you. It might not change when you want it to, but you know that the person in charge cares. I think that is very important.”
Robinson has represented Arkansas Tech at such events as the Southwestern Black Leadership Conference and the NASPA National Conference for student affairs administrators in higher education.
She has given of her time on the leadership team for Wesley Foundation’s Age-to-Age program, and she has worked as a freshman orientation leader, resident assistant and resident director. Robinson was selected as a NUFP Fellow by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and a member of the 2015 Arkansas Tech Homecoming court.
“I’ve learned to be a lot more organized,” said Robinson. “Some things can wait. I have to keep my classes in order. That’s something my parents stressed. You can play all the sports you want, but that’s going to stop one day. What you learn academically, you will have that forever and build on it. No one can take that from you. The rest of this will fade and awards will fade, but what I learn is there forever.”
Robinson has maintained a 3.6 grade point average while majoring in speech communication and sociology. Robinson describes her instructors as mentors who taught her that “true evidence of knowledge is the most visible when used to help others.”
Robinson will graduate from Arkansas Tech on May 7 with plans to pursue her master’s degree higher education administration and serve as a residence hall director at Oklahoma State University.
