Alicia Robinson first came to Kent State as an undergraduate fashion merchandising major. After graduation, Robinson started working in the fashion industry but found that her heart was elsewhere. Robinson knew she wanted to help women achieve their goals. So, she decided to go back to Kent State and earn her master’s in human development and family studies. Today, she is a faculty member of the Women’s Center, teaches a class at Kent State and has her own non-profit called Limitless Ambition that supports and empowers young women to achieve their goals. Robinson sat down with Her Campus to talk about her time at Kent State, Limitless Ambition and overcoming obstacles to become successful.
Name: Alicia Robinson
Hometown: Warren, Ohio
Relationship Status: I have a Boyfriend : )
Her Campus: What brought you to Kent State (undergrad)?
Alicia Robinson: When I was in HighSchool I was in a program called Upward Bound, which is a pre-college program for students who are low-income or who will be first generation college students. The program gave me the opportunity to come to Kent State University every summer while I was in high school to help prepare me for college. Through the program, I developed a strong network of mentors and friends who all either worked at Kent State or were students at Kent State. I also knew I wanted to major in Fashion Merchandising and I knew Kent State had a very good fashion Program. All of these things led me to Kent State University.
HC: What activities were you involved?
AR: I worked while I was in Undrgrad so I wasn’t super involved. I was in Sister Circle, The University Mentoring Program, Modista Fashion organization and The Fashion Student Organization.
HC: Why did you decide to stop working in the fashion industry?
AR: I decided to do a career change and leave the fashion Industry because I wasn’t passionate about the work I was doing. In high school and college I went through a lot of things that caused me to become depressed. Once I started going to counseling and found spiritual support, I was able to work through a lot of my issues. Once I overcame those things, I became very passionate about empowering women to overcome obstacles in their lives that hinder them from pursuing their dreams. Although I enjoyed working in the fashion industry, I wanted to do more meaningful work that directly helped women achieve their goals.
HC: Can you explain what Human Development and Family Studies is?
AR: Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) is the study of how people develop physically, emotionally and socially within the context of the family and society. HDFS offers an interdisciplinary approach to individual and family development across the lifespan. Kent State’s program focuses on child and adolescent development, adult development and aging, biological aspects of human development, family studies, intervention research, and developmental research methods. Students in HDFS will learn about the stages of development from infancy to adulthood, how to promote healthy family development, diversity and many other skills!
HC: What were some of the challenges of earning a master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a background in fashion?
AR: One of the main challenges I had earning my master’s was completing my Master’s Thesis. It was a struggle because I didn’t do that much research based projects in The Fashion School. So, when I went to do my thesis, I struggled a lot with the APA process and gathering research.
HC: What class do you teach at Kent State?
AR: I teach Adolescent Development.
HC: Can you explain what Limitless Ambition is?
AR: Limitless Ambition is a 501c3 non profit organization with a mission to empower young women through career coaching, academic assistance and emotional support. We facilitate teen enrichment programs in economically deprived areas to help teens overcome issues and pursue their passions. We have programs all across Northeast Ohio that teach teens about a variety of topics such as passion discovery, goal setting, self-esteem, body image and healthy relationships.
HC: What inspired you to start Limitless Ambition?
AR: As a teenager, I went through a variety of hardships. I had low self-esteem and I was in a series of unhealthy relationships. I also had a lot of family members and classmates who were murdered or in jail because of drugs and gun violence. Once I overcame all of these issues, I became really passionate about helping young girls overcome these types of issues so that they can pursue their dreams and live a life they desire – which is what Limitless Ambition does!
HC: How long have you been working at the Women’s Center?
AR: I have worked at the Women’s Center for 3 years.
HC: What’s a typical day like at the Women’s Center?
AR: No day at the Women’s Center is ever the same!! We do a variety of things to help give students, faculty and staff the tools they need to reach their academic goals. Our goal is to empower and connect women to the resources they need through civic engagement, women’s leadership, activism and women’s empowerment. We have a pantry for students, faculty and staff who may need food, personal hygiene items or feminine hygiene items. On any given day I could be meeting with students to help them on their academic journey, or planning a program to help highlight student success or I could be developing a women’s empowerment workshop to facilitate with sororities.
HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
AR: In 10 years I see myself as a motivational speaker and author who travels across the country speaking at different universities and launching my teen programs in various places across the country. My ultimate goal is to be a full time entrepreneur. But, if that doesn’t happen by then, I could also see myself as an Associate Vice President of Diversity at a university.
HC: Is there anything else we should we know about you or Limitless Ambition?
AR: We are always looking for board members and volunteers! Visit our website at www.limitlessambition.org to learn more!