HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY • OFFICE FOR RESEARCH & SPONSORED PROGRAMS
The
SPRING 2018 ISSUE 6
GRANT Seeker
A spotlight on excellence in grant development by a Hofstra University employee
Dr. Anthony Robinson By Nadya Nataly
He’s collaborated with over 60 community and university organizations and served over 700 high school and college students, as well as 1,200 schoolteachers in the past 12 years. It’s a role Dr. Anthony Robinson, associate dean/executive director of Hofstra University’s Center for Educational Access and Success (CEAS) in the School of Education, says has become his life’s work. During his tenure at Hofstra, he’s received close to $10 million in federal and state grants used to support programs at CEAS. The grants, according to Robinson, run on a five-year cycle and breathe life into programs that support not only Hofstra University, but the community at large. Upon completing a doctorate at Illinois State University, Robinson worked in an array of programs focused on student development, retention, and graduation. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a Greek organization that has been at the forefront of academic and community services since 1911. Before coming to Hofstra University in 2006, Robinson worked as director of the Office of Graduate Preparation Programs at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, he grew up in a single-parent home as the middle child of five. He was the first member of his family to attend college. He’s a humble man with a fervent passion for providing opportunities for students in need, and he loves making a difference. “When it comes to a student – precollegiate or collegiate – there is a connection when you look in the eyes of a child who’s reaching out,” Robinson
Anthony Robinson
said. “That touches me every time. I read so much into that, and I guess it’s because I’m looking in the mirror. I know what it’s like to need and want support.”
Robinson says the grants are a source of income that allows him and CEAS to do their work. His priority, each grant cycle, is to ensure that CEAS and Hofstra have enough money to continue to help students reach success in their education. His hard work – over 34,000 hours of work to be exact – has brought life to the center and earned statewide and national recognition. “Grants are really interesting because they require a lot of time to prepare and they sometimes get overwhelming,” Robinson said. “In reality, what I do is use grant funding to provide academic support to students and teachers through strategic or innovative practices.” CEAS houses programs such as the Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP), which provides students in sixth through 12th grades with services designed to increase their level of motivation and ability to complete high school, while advocating for higher education and meaningful employment. The program supports Nassau County students in districts such as Freeport and Uniondale. Other programs include the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), which allows minority students in seventh to 12th grades the opportunity to explore the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and
pre-licensure professions through support and mentorship from the University. Programs at CEAS also support Hofstra undergraduate and graduate students through the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). The program provides first-year and transfer students with resources in academic and career development, as well as graduate school preparation. Annually, CSTEP students participate in a three-week summer academy that focuses on STEM workshops. “We’re involved with our community through our programs,” Robinson said. “We’re providing support to students in our local schools, which is important for Hofstra to be connected to our community.” Furthermore, Robinson takes pride in the opportunities CEAS programs offer to prekindergarten through fifth-grade teachers in the greater Nassau County community. The Teacher/Leader Quality Partnership (TLQP) program promotes professional development while implementing STEM, technology, mentoring, and learning problem-based approaches that address New York State Common Core Learning Standards. All of the programs are solely supported by grant funding, which Robinson works diligently to maintain. Without the grants, he says, it would be difficult to provide the resources the programs afford to students and teachers. “I don’t focus on the dollars; I just need to make sure it balances out,” Robinson said. “I need to make sure that we can do what we said we could do – our goals, strategy, collaboration, teamwork, and student support. We have to work as a team. The only time we will talk about the dollars is when we talk budgets [but the programs we offer are our top priority].”
Hofstra thanks you!
Your scholarly achievements enhance Hofstra’s reputation as a leading educational institution. If you are interested in pursuing a grant opportunity or have any questions, please contact ORSP at 516-463-6810.