Dylan Haviland – General Assignment Reporter
The office in temporary building six was sparse save for the few personal touches added by professor Quintin Robinson. Despite the lack of belongings, Robinson said he packed plenty of, “ambition to help future leaders recognize the importance of responding to the needs of diverse students.”
Robinson, a professor of educational leadership and policy studies, is one of Southern Connecticut State University’s newest faculty members. The professor credits his mother’s constant support towards school when he teaches SCSU education grads, “the issue of diversity and parent engagement, so that they can really start what I consider the process of moving the issue forward.”
Robinson, fondly recalled his childhood in Compton, Cali. and his mother’s guidance which led to the pursuit of his career.
“You know it wasn’t bad, it was a good, safe, and comfortable middle class environment. Kids playing in the streets, good times, no hassles,” said Robinson. “It being an all-black community people have a tendency to expect or to make certain predictions about the culture that in a lot of cases aren’t true.”
During his happy childhood in Compton his father passed away, leaving Robinson’s mother to raise his five other siblings and himself alone.
“Not having a father was not having a role model to look up to,” said Robinson, “that was the biggest challenge of them all.”
Robinson said in many black households not having a parental figure negatively affects performance in schools.
Despite the high statistics of failing students, Robinson used his past experiences to study how black males in failing schools succeed when backed by a supportive mother like his. His studies have worked hand in hand with his classes in leadership development and perspectives.
“I ended up doing my work around black males who are successful in school, showing that black males can be successful,” said Robinson.
He said how his mother rose to the occasion to insure a quality education for all her children.
“It made challenges but my mother was very pushy about all six of her kids going to school and being successful,” said Robinson. “So there were academic challenges when you grow without a father, but my mother really just nailed it about reading, doing your homework, checking in with your teachers and following through.”
He stressed the importance of mothers making the “personal stride” to ensure a better future for their children.
Many students from SCSU faced similar struggles when living in a one parent household. Portia Green, junior sociology major, recalled how her single mother encouraged her academic success.
“She always pushed me to strive,” said Green. “She always wanted me to be better than what she became and go to college. She encouraged school and to work hard no matter what. My mom was very strict with education, before I was able to go outside I had to read a book and write a report on it every day in the summertime.”
Robinson is able to connect to Southern students and the obstacles they face towards higher education.
“It’s funny as a little kid in my community I always wanted to do something more, and I always thought about a PhD. It didn’t seem like a realistic dream but I thought about it a lot,” said Robinson. “I thought it would give me the tools to reach back into the community and be able to give other black males an opportunity like I had with going to college.”
