Staff Focus

Demetrius Robinson
Coordinator, Student Life
B.A., Governors State University, M.A., Lewis University

“My job is to make people want to stay after class and get involved in student activities,” says Demetrius. “We want to make our campus feel like a four-year school.” He organizes fun events such as Summer Fest, plans leadership workshops, oversees student clubs and organizations, and creates social and recreational opportunities where students can make new friends. Demetrius seeks ideas for interesting activities from many different sources. He attends an annual student activities association conference, conducts surveys, and talks to faculty and staff members. But students provide his main source of inspiration. “I get so much from one-on-one conversations with students,” he says. “They’ll say, ‘This is what keeps me around.’”

Demetrius believes that getting involved in extracurricular activities is valuable for students in many ways. In addition to helping them feel more a part of the college community, they also gain skills that will benefit them when they go on to a four-year institution or career. “They learn to become effective leaders, get practice with conflict resolution, and become better communicators,” he says. “Plus, participation in campus clubs and organizations looks good on a resume or college application. It shows you did more than just attend class while you were here.”