TOLEDO EXCEL: Success Stories
George Robinson, II, BA
George
Robinson, II, is the law clerk bailiff for Judge C. Allen McConnell of the
Toledo Municipal Court. George was graduated from St. Francis de Sales
High School and The University of Toledo’s College of Chemical and
Environmental Engineering. While at UT, he was vice president of the
College’s Engineering Council, which represents all engineering campus
organizations. Mr. Robinson also became a member of Abraham Great Lodge #4
A.F. & A.M. George decided that upon graduation he would pursue a career
in patent law, and in the fall of 2002, he began his law school education
at The University of Toledo. In his first year, he was active in the
campus Black Law Students’ Association. George, who is a member of TOLEDO
EXCEL Group V, is also completing course requirements for the M.B.A.
degree and is anticipating graduation from The University of Toledo.
Reba Peoples, MD
Reba
Peoples, M.D., a member of Group III, is the first TOLEDO EXCEL student to
earn a medical degree. A 2003 graduate of the Medical College of Ohio, Dr.
Peoples took a brief hiatus from medicine to join the GEAR UP staff at The
University of Toledo. In her previous position as Interim Associate
Director, Dr. Peoples was actively involved in the coordination of
educational activities designed to boost student achievement and encourage
student success in groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in
higher education. She was excited about the opportunity to work with GEAR
UP because it allowed her a chance to make a positive contribution to her
community. She dedicated two years of service to the GEAR UP program
before pursuing her medical residency training in Family Medicine.
Following residency, Dr. Peoples plans to focus her work in the areas of
public health and preventive medicine.
Airron Richardson, MD, MBA
Airron
Richardson, MD, MBA was inducted into TOLEDO EXCEL Group I as he was about
to move from Robinson Junior High to Start High School, where he was a 4.0
scholar and a member of the high school All-American wrestling squad. He
has continued on the road to success, both academically and athletically,
having been a member of the U.S. Olympic Team in 2000. Knowing early that
he wanted to be a doctor, a medical mentor allowed him the opportunity to
observe an actual surgery when he was just in high school. He began
post-secondary studies at Morehouse College, in Atlanta, then transferred
and became a graduate of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Airron
completed medical school at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, where he
also studied business, earning both the M.D. and M.B.A. in May 2005.
Having finished his medical internship, he has covered a lot of ground
since he left Toledo. Graduating with Group I, he spoke as EXCEL’s first
Salutatorian. Six years later, in 1999, he was Keynote Speaker for the
commencement of Group VII. EXCEL welcomed back Doctor Airron Richardson
another six years later, as the Keynote Speaker for the commencement of
TOLEDO EXCEL Group XIII.
His interest in Emergency Medicine developed from the combination of the urgency, the challenges, and the variety of medical situations faced in the specialty, along with the satisfaction of being able to offer immediate intervention to people in medical need. He also appreciates recognizing and applying, in trauma care, something he learned in his study of business -- the importance of the dynamics of teamwork and organization. He is someone to watch in the days ahead.
Jamilah N. Jones, M.Ed
Ms.
Jamilah N. Jones, of TOLEDO EXCEL Group V, was graduated from Toledo’s St.
Ursula Academy in 1997. Continuing her academic EXCELlence, she was
graduated Cum Laude from The University of Toledo in 2001. Even now, she
is not resting on her laurels. In addition to being Academic Program
Coordinator for the Department of Civil Engineering here at the
University, Ms. Jones has been taking courses and will complete her
Master’s Degree in Higher Education in August 2004. Jamilah says it was
her positive experiences in EXCEL Summer Institutes which inspired her to
pursue a professional career in the field of Higher Education. Prior to
her present position, she worked for UT’s Office of Undergraduate
Admissions.
As an undergraduate student here at the University, Jamilah served as
President of the Black Student Union, and ran for Vice President of
Student Government. She was a charter member of the NAACP – Youth and
College Chapter. She now is an advisor to the Black Student Union, a
mentor for MINIYA, the University’s mentorship program, and is involved in
the University Math Engineering and Computer Science Scholarship Program.
She is a volunteer Tax Preparer for VITA, and a member of Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority. Jamilah, who says she is proud to be a sister, friend,
Godparent, and Child of God, is a fifth generation member of All Saints
Episcopal Church.
An advocate of life-long learning, she plans to continue her own education, and encourages others “to take failure as a chance for a fresh start, not a measure of one’s worth.” For her Master’s Thesis, she did a comparative analysis of the digital competencies of first year African American students and White students, and its effects on student involvement at The University of Toledo.
