GREENSBORO, N.C. — First generation college student Yahira Robinson graduated in honors just a week ago from UNC-Greensboro.
The 21-year-old double majored in Elementary Education and Dance Studies and even held down a full-time job as a teacher in her last semester, teaching sixth grade at Northern Guilford Middle School.
“I’ve been full time teaching since January. The students love it, I love it. It’s been a great-great journey,” Robinson said. “I was substituting with them, we made such a great connection, they created a petition to hire me over winter break, and I got hired.”
She said she first step foot at UNCG at the age of 12 through an initiative called Dancer’s connect.
“This was my first exposure as it comes to dance,” Robinson said. “It really became therapy. I met some really great and awesome faculty.”
She credits her mother as being one of biggest advocates.
PHOTOS: First generation UNC-Greensboro graduate balances college courses while teaching full-time
“My mother she is a wonderful woman, she is a single mother of six children, and she does it so effortlessly,” Robinson said. “She is someone who will always make something happen. I became the first person in my family to graduate college, but they’ve all inspired me and continue to.”
She even dreams of climbing the career ladder in education but is open to endless possibilities.
“I don’t necessarily have one career I want to exude for the rest of my life. I have so many avenues of choice,” Robinson said.
She just accepted a full ride to pursue her master’s in education from UNCG next year.
"I don’t have one career I want to do for the rest of my life, but I do know I want to help other people for the rest of my life,” Robinson said. “I am going to become Dr. Robinson, I don’t know what I am going to get my doctorate in yet, more than likely a Doctor of Education.”
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