Marie Robinson
Major : Nursing
High School : Archbishop Prendergast
High School
Hometown : Drexel Hill, PA
Marie Robinson came to Neumann College for the second time to “face her past.” The first time, she was fresh out of high school and unprepared for the demands and freedom of college life. With a less than stellar academic performance, she says, and parents who were not willing to squander their money on “her socializing and an education she didn’t take seriously,” she dropped out. Now, Marie is back, earning her bachelor of science degree in nursing. “I know I can do better than I did last time. I’m set on proving to myself that I can make it. This time I have the drive and desire to achieve.”
Marie says she could have gone to other local colleges, but came back to Neumann because of the College’s reputation for an excellent nursing program as well as its location, cost, and class size. “I live in Drexel Hill and wanted to be close to home. Neumann is an excellent value. You get everything you need for a great education right here in Delaware County,” she says. “When I looked at cost of attending other schools, I found them to be much higher and was not convinced the education they offered would be superior to Neumann.” She also felt she preferred the personalized attention that Neumann’s small class size could afford her.
“There’s a lot about Neumann to like,” Marie says.“I really like that teachers are willing to extend themselves. They really want you to succeed. They give us their home and cell phones, e-mail addresses and are even willing to stay after class if need be. If I’m unable to succeed in this kind of environment, I have to ask how badly I wanted it in the first place.” Marie also feels fortunate to have made some great friends who serve as support for her. “I’ve learned you need to rely on others when you’re in a program as challenging and demanding as this one.”
“I think I made a wise decision in returning to Neumann. So far, it’s been a positive experience,” she says. Despite the challenges she has faced returning to school as an adult with more responsibilities and the time constraints posed by already having a full-time job—She has been a legal secretary for 20 plus years—she is enjoying her student status once again. This time, she takes school “very seriously,” she says. “I recognize the expense, and I’m here because I want to be.”
Now excelling in every course, Marie says, “I’m proving to myself that I can make it. I now hold myself to a different standard. Learning is exciting for me because I know what I’m learning will take me to a new goal—a nursing career.” She believes nursing is her calling. “There’s something about restoring people to wellness that appeals to me in a special way,” she says.
Ever since she donated a kidney to her brother more than 20 years ago, she has wanted to be an organ transplant coordinator. “Organ transplantation and donation is my passion,” she says. “I’ve witnessed how important the role of transplant coordinator can be. It’s an extremely stressful as well as rewarding job. Asking loved ones to donate organs of their dying relatives has to be stressful. Yet, because of that donation, another patient who has been waiting on a transplant list, sometimes for years, can be given hope for continued life. I want to make that kind of impact in people’s lives.”
