Embracing the Bobcat Spirit: OUAA names Dell Robinson, BSPE ’88, Alumnus of the Year

In a very short time, university campuses become more than a home for students; they are stepping stones to success. Many alumni, after making their mark on the world, look for ways to give back to the place that gave them their start and leave a legacy for students to come.

The Ohio University Alumni Association(opens in a new window)’s annual Alumni Awards(opens in a new window) recognize those alumni who are making significant contributions on and off campus. An awards ceremony during Homecoming(opens in a new window) weekend invites fellow alumni to celebrate the newest cohort; this year’s ceremony takes place Sept. 27 at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium(opens in a new window).

“It’s really important to remind all of us in this community that what we do matters, and that the education our alumni—our Bobcat family—graduate with really changes how they interact with the world,” says Jennifer Shutt Bowie, BSJ ’94, MS ’99, executive director of the OUAA and associate vice president of alumni relations for University Advancement. “Our awardees are a tremendous example for our students. It’s our honor as the Alumni Association to celebrate that and to lift that up for all of our students to see.”

Read on to learn more about this year’s awardees(opens in a new window), who are setting key examples of resilience and determination.

Alumnus of the Year

“I think [Alumnus of the Year] is one of my biggest accomplishments ever,” says Dell Robinson(opens in a new window), BSPE ’88, a sports administration professional who has worked for several collegiate athletic conferences and, most recently, executive search firm Spelman Johnson(opens in a new window). "Coming from a lower-middle-class, blue-collar family in the city of Cleveland and for me to excel, it provides pride for me for the work that I put in.”

Robinson describes himself as having an “uncanny love” for OHIO and recalls his time on campus, especially as a student athlete, fondly. He believes his experience on the football team shaped his work ethic and motivation.

“The day-to-day grind of the workouts, the film, the conditioning—I tried to carry that into my everyday work after I got out of Ohio University,” Robinson says. “To keep some of those elements, to say you want to be a part of the unit—that’s important.”

Robinson has remained heavily involved with OHIO, serving on the College of Business Executive Advisory Board(opens in a new window) and providing mentorship to current students. Since being named Alumnus of the Year, Robinson has accepted a role as director of the AECOM Center for Sports Administration(opens in a new window) in the College of Business(opens in a new window).

“My legacy and impact say that for any common person, for any common student, you can get to the top through education, hard work and passion,” Robinson says. “For anybody who’s been a friend, a mentee of mine, I tried to help uplift them … [and] get a little bit closer to what their dream is, because that’s what Ohio University did for me.”

He was nominated by Caryn Bailey(opens in a new window), senior director of development for major giving in University Advancement, because he represents an excellent legacy.“There is such a sense of belonging and Bobcat pride,” Bailey says. “To see the sense of pride that Dell has as an alumnus, to see all the excellent things that he does—he exudes excellence.”