A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. Robinson

Friendship, Grit, And HBCU Pride

• Monique Robinson, Ed.D

Share episode

Send us a text

What if the people you meet on a fifth-grade playground become the anchor that carries you through college, career, and real life? We sit down with two Detroit best friends whose paths led to Wilberforce University, where “WU-Fam” isn’t a slogan—it’s a safety net. From FAFSA missteps to a turbulent roommate semester, they share how learning to set boundaries, ask for help, and stand on their own turned a friendship into a lifelong support system.

Their stories pull you straight into HBCU culture: rigorous classes, professors who push you to win, and alumni who show up when it matters. An accounting professor’s simple rule for business events becomes career gold. A biology advisor’s empathy after a health scare turns panic into a plan. The message is clear: mentorship plus high standards builds graduates who are steady under pressure. We also get candid about college finances—aid gaps, textbooks, laundry, and off-campus housing—and how comparing scholarship stats, distance from home, and family resources can lead to smarter decisions that you can sustain.

You’ll hear how one balanced jobs, grief, and classes while the other found voice and leadership through campus life and sisterhood in Zeta Phi Beta. Both now thrive in healthcare and medical devices, crediting Wilberforce for the grit, judgment, and community that shaped their careers. If you’re choosing a college—or guiding someone who is—this conversation offers practical tools: focus on fit, build a support system, and commit to finishing. Life will life, but resilience, faith, and the right village can carry you the distance.

If this resonated, share it with a student or parent who needs real talk on HBCUs, college fit, and finishing strong. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what lesson got you through school?

Monique Robinson:

Welcome to a Better Chance for Youth television show with your host, Monique Robinson, where we highlight, celebrate, and recognize students from all over the country who are doing great things in the classroom, community, and athletics. Every student deserves an opportunity. An opportunity for hope in the future. So let's celebrate our students, the next generation of teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and future leaders. Join us on another incredible segment of a Better Chance for Youth show with your host, Monique Robinson. Welcome, welcome, and welcome. Now, today we are still doing our series on look at what Wilberforce did. But I don't have on the Wilberforce shirt today. But shout out to one of our lovely uh 42 42 graphics. Um is the HBCU for me, and it has all of the HBCUs listed. So, you know, every Friday is HBCU gear day for me. But today I have a couple of announcements, but we have an exciting show for you today. But before I have to let you know what we have going on, now if you are in the area, in the area, please, please, please check out this now. Hopefully, I pushed the right button because I'm still looking for an intern. Imagine that I did. Now, we do have our HBCU family night that will be at the Wonder Chamber. So if you're not doing anything on this Sunday, please make sure you stop by. And even if you missed it, just in case the show airs after that, we still will take your donation because we're trying to help one of our local daycares. They have a daughter at Morgan State, and they also support us heavily. And so we want to make sure those scholars have a wonderful Christmas. Now, people have asked this question. So I am definitely going to let you know. I do come out for fee and do workshops. And look at that. You can get me to come to a workshop on HBCUs, get me to do a workshop on how to motivate your scholar to want to go to an HBCU, or just come out and motivate your scholars to want to be successful. So you ask, and so we deliver. Now, one last announcement before we get our guests on here, because I know I will get wrapped up in talking to them because they are truly amazing. But I gotta give a shout out to one of our famu scholars. Now, Miss Anaya, um, she was in this year's Takisha A. Davis Scholarship, well, I guess you would say last year, scholarship contest, and she has been doing some amazing things. So, congratulations to you, Miss Anaya at Famu. And if you want to know about some more of our scholars, check out our newsletter because in our newsletter, we celebrate ours. Now, we are still taking donations, but let me back it up a little bit. Thank you to everyone who donated on Giving Tuesday. Please know that any donation that you give to a better chance for you futures incorporated, it is totally tax deductible because we are a 501c3 public charity. So anything you donate to us, it actually goes back to you. So I said all our church announcements. Kind of sound like a church announcement. You know, people get up there and they talk and just saying, but anywho, I am about to bring on our guests after this commercial. Now, I will tell you, last time we had a show, uh probably the show before the last, and I had my best friend on here, and they are actually the two ladies that inspire me to actually call Jamie and have her on here because people hear me talk about Jamie all the time, but they motivated me to call my friend. And sometimes I'm not the greatest at keeping in touch with my friends. But if you are one of my friends and I haven't talked to you, this is my hello for you today. But I hope you're inspired by our guest today, who will be joining me right after this.

Speaker 2:

Are you interested in attending a historically black college or university? Hello, my name is Robert, I'm president and founder of the College Black College. Our application allows students to apply to over 50 historically black colleges at the same time for over $20. HBC graduates have been some of the most renowned individuals in their respective fields, disability. In addition to that, our faculty and staff are fully committed to your success, and they have the best benefits at saying that. That coupled with the academic rigor and the fact that you've accepted lifelong exercises are just some of the many benefits of your attendance at historically black college. So if you're interested in completing the Common Black College app, visit our website, commonblackcollege app.com to apply that. Thank you and get educated.

Monique Robinson:

Welcome back. Welcome back. So welcome, ladies, to the show. I bragged about you a little bit, but um before we get started, tell us who you are. Okay.

Speaker 7:

And I am a class of 1997 graduate of Wobbleforce University.

Speaker 6:

And I'm Natasha Lee, a 1998 graduate of Wilbur Force University. I currently reside just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, but I'm also originally from Detroit, Michigan.

unknown:

Whoop, whoop.

Monique Robinson:

I like the, you know, she she almost made me go back to when I was there. I was like, Yeah, all the kids didn't say what up, though.

Speaker 7:

What up, though? I had to give you a little bit of Detroit, you know.

Monique Robinson:

No, no problem there. I kind of miss Coney Island. I had it for breakfast every day when I did it. Yeah, that was I'm sorry.

Speaker 7:

I but that I'm a foodie, so we won't go there because I can go down the list of restaurants that I miss. Yeah, sure.

Monique Robinson:

Sorry, I didn't mean to trigger that, but you know what I'm saying. Like, you know, Coney Island was either free entertainment or breakfast on the way to work. Or both times, both at the same time. Happy's pizza too. But anywho, okay, let me focus. So you both are from Detroit, Michigan. And did y'all both end up at Wilberforce like a collaboration thing?

Speaker 5:

So that's a really funny story.

Speaker 7:

So Tasha and I have been best friends since elementary school, and I will let her tell the story of how we became friends because she tells it so eloquently and a tad bit biasedly. Um, and I'll I'll even say a little biased, boo. Um, and um I'll let her tell that story. But uh, as far as Woba Force, interestingly enough, no, we did not um actually know that one another were applying to Woba Force because we did not go to the same high school. Oh I am a graduate of Renaissance High School in Detroit, the second best high school in Detroit. Oh my god, okay, I'm a graduate of Castech. So um, although we were, you know, obviously always like together and stuff, hung out and everything, but weirdly enough, we didn't talk about uh what schools we were applying to until we did our FAFSA, and there's a funny story behind that too. But uh I'll let Tasha share the story of how we met.

Speaker 6:

Um so we met in, like she said, in elementary school, it was the beginning of our fifth grade year. Um, and her elementary school was closing, like they were consolidating schools in one particular neighborhood. So her school was closing, so all of the students or most of the students were coming to my school, McDowell. Shout out to McDowell Elementary School. Um, and I had been there since um we had just moved into the neighborhood, so I had only been there a year prior, wasn't having the best experience, had been bullied, and so I'm on the playground one day, just kind of bored by myself because I didn't have any friends, and I think somebody had just finished picking on her, and she was kind of like off in the corner by herself, you know, kind of playing with dirt or something. And here I come, save the day. I was like, I'll be your friend, and like literally, we have been friends ever since. That's so sweet, though. That's really sweet.

Speaker 7:

So she's not a friend, she's family, yeah.

Monique Robinson:

Kind of like sisters that long, you know.

Speaker 7:

That's oh yeah, she's she's family sisters, that's a strong family bond, but it's and um I'll share how we when we realized that we were applying applying, um, to we both had applied to Wobbleforce. We were filling out our FAFSA. Well, we filled out our FAFSA, and it was one of those days after one of those days, Tasha came over and she's like, Oh, yeah, she's like bragging almost, I believe. No, I finished my FAFSA, and I don't know if you recall this, Monique, but you were supposed to fill it out in pen, yeah. Either a certain color, blue or black, right? Whatever it was, it's a it's well, yeah, you because you had to do the bone, whatever it was, follow direct opposite. I didn't read the directions, and she did not read the directions, and it was hilarious because she's showing it to me. We're like, kind of, you know, now we are starting to compare notes and everything, and I was like, Sissy, this isn't like the way you're supposed to fit. And she did this, like, we joke about all the time because she did this, like, oh my god. Well, but that was the story of our lives, like always doing stuff backwards and laughing about it, like yeah, like our lives.

Monique Robinson:

I mean, I laugh at a lot of stuff. Some sometimes people like, what is wrong with her? But sometimes I have stuff in my head, and you know, yeah, because you all you two have a sister relationship, so I'm quite sure y'all can look at each other and just bust out laugh, and y'all know what y'all talking about.

Speaker 5:

Oh, yeah, oh yeah, y'all get it.

Monique Robinson:

That's why I said y'all motivated me to call my bestie. I even apologized. I was like, girl, I ain't talked to you in a long time. I'm so sorry. Y'all I felt convicted after talking to y'all. So, I mean, you two went to Will Before. Were y'all ever roommates? Uh oh, every time I ask a question, y'all just start giving it.

Speaker 6:

I don't know, Monique. Our first semester freshman year, we were not. We let the system pick our roommates. Oh lord, and then second semester, we were like, We need to be roommates, I'm always in your room. This needs to happen. Because at that time, second semester, you were allowed to switch. And so I remember calling my mother from the payphone in the hallway, and I was like, I'm gonna, we're gonna be roommates, and she's like, Ooh, she was like, and God bless my mother. She wasn't the type to tell you it's a bad idea, but she was like, Oh no, like that will, and she wasn't wrong, but it will challenge your relationship because you're in such close proximity all the time, and you have different habits that you probably haven't noticed or aren't aware of.

Speaker 7:

And sure enough, absolutely right, it only lasted that semester.

Speaker 6:

Oh my god, and it barely and it barely lasted that semester, it barely lasted that semester, as close as y'all, yeah. I mean, but think about it, you're like 18 and you're just figuring out yourself, and I'm about to put you on blast. She had a boyfriend, I didn't. I gotta share my room with her and a boyfriend.

Speaker 7:

Yeah, it was a lot, and I was to her point, I was young and maybe not the most considerate at that time or thoughtful, you know.

Speaker 6:

So we weren't considerate at all. But let's I mean that's old stuff, it's old stuff, and and to be fair, the other thing, you're a neat freak, I'm not so much. You're very type A, I'm not so those kind of things you don't think about when you're roommate, you just don't know any better. I don't regret it, um because it was fun, but at that time it was challenging. Yes, I couldn't get in my room like I just ate breakfast. I need to lay down. I can't get in the room.

Speaker 7:

I mean, it was all politically, she's being so kind with the way she's saying it.

Monique Robinson:

Yeah, you should have just ate breakfast, get in my room. That's a lot. I mean you was doing a whole lot. Okay, well, no, me just in the room.

Speaker 6:

Yeah, she said filled with the Holy Ghost. It don't matter what that was, but I mean, remember, breakfast is like noon in college, yeah. So yeah, that's what that's taking hours has started. It was all the things, but I need a nap because I just ate.

Monique Robinson:

That's true. I remember because they can that's how we got them freshman 15s. Yeah, and yeah, you're right. Uh that was yeah, but it's would you would you recommend because I I deal with a lot of friends, like I deal with a lot of young people, and I talk to a lot of young people about you know, most of them either they're dating somebody when they or we go into the same school, we're gonna still love each other. I'm like, yeah, right. Or um they're best friends like you two, and they're like, We're gonna be roommates, we're gonna do everything together. Would you suggest they do it?

Speaker 7:

That's a great question. And I say no, yes, to it was truly a blessing going to school together. That was a blessing. Um, because no matter what, like there were a lot of personal challenges that we both faced, you know, while we were in school, and knowing that she was there was everything. And I would hope to say vice versa. Um my bestie, we lost Mama Roz, her mom, while she was in school, and um, you know, we in spite of you know going through our ebbs and flows, we're still there for each other, you know, during those difficult times. So going to school together, yes, but I would say um the rooming together and all of that, no, but not probably for the reasons we think we are joking about the you know the challenges. But I always say, like, my sissy blossomed at World Force. Tasha was not um Tasha was not like a real like go out person or um very social. That that's the best way to put she wasn't super social um in school. We had our click of friends, but she just wasn't, you know, like super outgoing, and she did it all at Wobble Force, and she she just she just truly blossomed. And so I don't know that she would have done that had we been attached to the hood hip and like we had been, yeah, yeah, still navigating life together the way we were. It gave us both the opportunity to figure out who we are, you know. Oh yeah, so sweet.

Speaker 6:

I don't think that's why I said no. I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't make that your goal that you gotta go together because you do have to figure out I have to know me outside of Rashaki because at some point in the beginning, people used to say our name together, like they went together, like peanut butter and so then people don't get to know each of us individually and they group us together, and we're totally different people. Um, and because, like you said, I'm I'm more of an introvert, especially at that time. Like, I wouldn't have I wouldn't have been able to like figure those things out because I'm like, no, I gotta be with her, I gotta do what she's doing, and that's usually what I have fallen into that pattern idea. Whatever you did, I was like, I just follow what she's doing, kind of thing.

Speaker 7:

But that was not the case at Wilberforce. Okay, no, she did all the things, and I worked and went to class. Yeah, you did what you're supposed to do. Oh, okay. I have some regrets. I have some regrets. I do. I I I wish I was more social in college. You you weren't social in school at all. Uh no, I wouldn't say at all, but it was literally like I was a first generation, okay, and so um, you know, I had to work. Um, I I have a relationship with my father now, but at the time I did not, and it was all on my mom. So um, you know, I worked, I went to class um because I had to get out in four years. Um, and I typically was booed up. Uh so that was all my time, really, you know.

Monique Robinson:

Got it. She's like, because I was I was okay. Sorry. I mean, I I was mostly across the street. Some people thought it's because, you know, but honestly, most of my cousins and people I went to high school with was at Central State, so I was over there. But you know, my parentsway. I'm sorry, hanging out in the breezeway. Oh, yeah, every day. Every day, like that was like my schedule.

Speaker 7:

I'm surprised Tasha hasn't teased me and mentioned that it was coming.

Speaker 6:

Oh, okay. You was in the breezeway, or you just didn't go. No, she didn't go. She you hadn't visited the camp. My son is a proud central state. Well, I won't say a proud graduate, I'm proud he graduated, but uh went to central state. But that was her first time visiting the campus when he was a student there. And I was serious, yes, never went over there. That was like four years ago.

Speaker 7:

You know, oh never went over there while the entire four years I was in school.

Monique Robinson:

Oh my goodness. No judgment, but hey, alleged allegedly, because I don't want I don't want it to come back and bite me one day. Allegedly, I I you know that's good. I ain't do all that.

Speaker 7:

But you all have fun, you had fun.

Speaker 6:

I'm not saying I didn't, but we all had our I think you had just a different experience of fun. I think you off the off yard and yeah. You know, so you you was doing that.

Monique Robinson:

Okay. So I just have to ask, did you all stay in so y'all stayed in the like Askw Jackson, Tempken and other places, or y'all just stayed in the two and then moved off campus?

Speaker 6:

Uh I stayed in Ask you, Jackson, Tempkin, and then I moved when my mother passed, I moved off campus, but then I really was on campus because I was sleeping on the floor in my uh Sans room in Tempken for like a whole year.

Speaker 7:

And I was it was Ask You, right? That was the all-girl one. Yeah. I was in Ask You the first year, and then I was off campus. I was a little bougie.

Monique Robinson:

A little good and bougie. She was like, I was off.

Speaker 7:

Yeah.

Monique Robinson:

Not even coming back.

Speaker 6:

And you know, just not to veer us off too much, but that was another learning. So I did have a space space off campus, but nobody talks about how you got to go back and forth. And if you need a nap, there's no nap time because now you don't have a room on campus. So you in a in the library or you hanging out in somebody's room. There are some inconveniences you experience in at Wilberforce, anyway, because off yard wasn't next door, you had to drive kind of thing.

Monique Robinson:

So that's I did that my last year because it just I was like, all my friends left, like literally. I mean, my best friend transferred to Fam View because not taking a shot at Wilberforce, but back then they didn't really have things for the type of music major she wanted to be. And so I was so mad at her when she left because I was like, I don't have nobody to talk to, my secret keeper here, you know. It was it was hard, and so and then my other friend, she left, she you know, went back home and started living her life and never came back to school. And I was like, Golly, so I hate when they say that speech because it'd be so real the first day of school, look to your right, look to your left. Yeah, and I was like, it really happened to me. So that's why I'm amazed that y'all two are there for each other the way that you were. So what did you all like major in while you were there? Did y'all have the same major?

Speaker 7:

No, and we're we're both finally back in. I mean, I guess we've always we've both always kind of had been um uh major adjacent been in major adjacent roles, but um uh we're both now finally kind of like you know aligned with where we started. So my major was biology. Oh wow, and mine was accounting.

Monique Robinson:

Oh, so yeah, Mr. Deering. Yes, oh Lord, I'm sorry, I didn't have them, but I almost didn't graduate. Oh, I'm sorry, you heard the stories. I didn't have them, but people like upper classmen that did, I always knew when they it's like 40 years worth of people that knew Mr.

Speaker 6:

Daring. Wow, like I met a lady when I had graduated at the bank, and she was like, Oh, you went to a book first, and I was like, Yeah, I'm a business major. She's like, Did you have Mr. Deering?

Speaker 7:

Yes, I had Mr.

Speaker 6:

Everybody had Mr. Daring. If you that's a legacy, though, right? Yeah, I mean, one thing for certain, two things for sure, he put us through, like, he didn't we didn't buy a textbook for his class, he created the textbook. Oh wow, like he didn't play, so it was rigor, he challenged us, all good things, but as a 19, 20 year old, you're like, bro, I just want to graduate, yeah, you know, and he was like Bueller, that's how he talked, like the that guy from Ferris Bueller's Day Office, yeah, Mary Monotone.

Speaker 7:

Oh my god. That I can say that about every uh faculty member that I can remember, you know, at Wibbleforce. That that was the that was the special sauce uh for sure of Webble Force University. Um that um the instructors all want, they wanted all of us to win. Um, and you know, we you know this uh Monique, we say woo-fam because it really is a family feeling on that campus. It is, and it still resonates, yeah, it still resonates it definitely does.

Monique Robinson:

And I'm glad you said woo-fam because I could be anywhere, anywhere, literally, because when I travel and I go speak at places and I always wear HBCU something because it might help you get your seat upgraded sometimes, but I'm just saying, and I will never forget I was in the airport and I just heard somebody, you should have been a bulldog. I was like, Oh, you went there for real, you know. We forgot we was in the whole airport, we sat there doing a whole cheer, you know, you know.

Speaker 6:

So the chair you sing Nama Moder, one of the two, you gone.

Speaker 7:

Yep, yep, yep, yeah, and and and that that part I will say uh is uh maybe not unique to Wilburforce, but it's definitely unique to HBCUs, you know, when you think about um what uh uh our um uh former VP, you know, and a H you you know, you know, they all HBCUs have, you know, so yeah, um call or model or yeah.

Monique Robinson:

So I I truly I have to ask this, and um we'll probably take a short commercial break. Um, but before we go to commercial, if it's that one professor that you could be like he or she prepare me for everything that's going on. Uh-oh.

Speaker 6:

I know, I know for sure. Um uh Julie Moore, she was my accounting, she was my principal accounting professor, and um not even related to accounting, but some like uh advice she gave us was that you're gonna be invited to a lot of you know business functions. Some of them will take place in restaurants and bars. And she would always say, Don't drink. You don't have don't you have your glass and you just sip off that one glass, but don't get drunk in front of those people. And she's never lied, because when in some of those business settings where you know they take us to a restaurant or you have this Christmas, oh my god, I've seen so many things at holiday parties, but you see things happen, and I always remember what she said like don't don't do what they do. Yeah, that's a good thing. And the funny part is most of our professors were not African American, and she was not, but but she still knew the challenges we would face, and you know, set us up to like you just don't do what they do.

Speaker 7:

Again, setting you up to win, when all just wanted you to win.

Speaker 6:

Yep, that's good.

Speaker 7:

Mines would be Dr. Agbula. Um, he was uh my advisor. Um, and I just remember um again going through some hardships. I had a uh a breast cancer, surprisingly, even in school, I had a breast cancer scare, and um I was out for a while and wasn't wise enough at that time to know to say, you know, beforehand, like, hey, I'm gonna be out, you know. But when I came back, I remember having a conversation, like, well, the reason I was out is because of this, and and him just being like, Oh, well, you're you know, your grades are fine. This is what you need to do to make up for what you you know did when you when you weren't um here, as well as the um emotional support, like wow, I would never even know you were going through that. You know, it was he was someone I could actually talk to, not just about schoolwork, but about just being young and on a college campus and away from home.

Monique Robinson:

Yeah, thank you for sharing that. And that's you, a survivor, you dealing with that while you were in school. I dealt with a lot too. Um, just being really transparent. My freshman year. Um, you probably heard me talk about this. I don't know if you all have watched previous shows, but my that's when I found out my sister had AIDS. Yeah, we were on tour in New York, and I think it was uh Manasseh, Michelle Allen, like the upperclassmen, kind of was just like, What you gonna do? You know, but yeah, it's you you learn who your real friends are when you go through things while you're in school. I'm glad you two had each other. Um, I thought I didn't have people, but now I look back at it. I'm like, dang, I had a whole choir. I had a try. So uh thank y'all for sharing that. Now we're gonna take a short commercial break and then we come back. Um I gotta ask some questions because y'all kind of like ran over stuff, and y'all know I do research because I'm always nosy like that. She said, uh oh, what's she gonna ask? So yeah, y'all ran over a couple things in y'all's explanations, but I'm gonna get it out of you when we come back. It's not bad though, but I just need to know.

Speaker 6:

I didn't do it if it was my twenty right after this.

Monique Robinson:

Um two of the coolest people that I have had on here because they actually, you know, shared their whole story, how they met. You know, Wilbur Forest Bonds are the best. I don't care what anybody says.

Speaker 4:

You know, hang on.

Monique Robinson:

That's that's fact. Like my my bestie and I, you know, we we almost fell out. True story. We almost fell out.

Speaker 6:

We did, right? We actually did that boyfriend I told you about, yeah, we fell out.

Speaker 5:

Oh okay.

Monique Robinson:

I told you we're family. Hey, every friendship has its test. Like we almost fell out because I was walking back. We was walking back from Central State. We escaped the snowball fight, and she didn't be the friend to tell me, dude, stop talking. We need to go high. And they, you know, my glasses got covered in snow, and I fell, it was bad. And I didn't talk to her for like two weeks. She had to go to the calf by herself.

Speaker 6:

Oh, that's tragic. I didn't calf crew was important. It was, it was. We were not friends for uh I was that's fighting words.

Speaker 7:

You went to the calf already, but those no, those snowballs were fighting words too, because that snow gets hard.

Monique Robinson:

Listen, and that already had nobody's name on it, like they didn't care. You could have been the teacher, they're gonna hit you.

Speaker 6:

We don't care, they got to take you out, and they're gonna say don't chase me. I don't like that.

Speaker 7:

No, you do not. No, you do not.

Monique Robinson:

I wasn't ready, so yeah. But we friends now, but yeah, we I was mad at her. Like, I was don't talk to me. She came to the door. You want this? No, I don't even want you to talk to me. Matter of fact, you can't even come to my room this week. Like, I was mad. But you said y'all fell out. Rishuggy, why you laughing? My glasses was in the snow.

Speaker 7:

They was like, I'm I apologize, but I do have a visual, and it is quite hilarious.

Monique Robinson:

I mean, it's funny now, but like they was like this, girl. They was like sitting in the snow looking at me for and I know glasses.

Speaker 7:

I know glasses are not cheap. No, never had a bit.

Monique Robinson:

I'm like, dude, you could have told me, could have warned me something. But yeah, it's okay. We we friends, we made up. You worked through it, you work through it. Yeah, it was hot, it was hot, but I'm sad because you said y'all two fell out. No, that's that's impossible.

Speaker 7:

But you know what? You said it though, like I believe that, and I'm not like wishing challenges on relationships, but any relationship at work, um, you know, your romantic relationships, like conflict resolution, like she was my first teacher. And we weren't that good at it back then, not that not back then, yeah. Yeah, that is very true.

Monique Robinson:

Well, um I'm glad that y'all were able to work through it and actually people watching this because I have a lot when I say I have a lot of young people, young men and young ladies. Oh, that's gonna be my homie. We go into school, we're gonna do everything together. That's gonna be my roommate, and I'm like, okay.

Speaker 7:

Yeah, we have some we have some homies that fell off that we went to high middle school, middle school and high school, uh, with or adjacent because Tasha didn't go to the same high school as most of the rest of us, but uh yeah, we don't we don't communicate uh with them anymore, but a few of them have you know are still around. But Tasha and and our our friendship, our sisterhood has stood the test of time, and and I have to I have to give a shout out to uh my off-campus roommate before I um you know live by myself off campus, but um Melissa, I think it was Green then. Okay, thank you, Tasha. She's been crumby now for a very long time, but okay, but yeah, she she she got married not long after we graduated, so um, so that's why it's kind of hard to remember what her maiden name was, but yeah, uh have to give a shout out to her because she's she's been a close friend ever since uh Wilburforce as well, and um, and you've had my now husband on the show as well. Um did not date him at Wilburforce, but but yeah, I definitely have some connections still. There's a lot of others, but you know, um Tasha, Keon, and Melissa are my kind of rider-diers. Um, but I've reconnected with a lot of folks that are in the area, alumni that are in the area now, uh, because I'm a part of the alumni association here. Um so through that, um, made you know, re-rekindled a lot of old good relationships. Uh Penda, Monica, Badget, and oh so many people, but I mean Pinda and Lysester stood the test of time.

Monique Robinson:

Yeah, and see, you said Pinda is like my big sister because her and my her and my sister, uh, my deceased sister went to high school together. Oh wow, yeah, yeah, yes, yeah. My mom was Pinda's mentor, so yeah.

Speaker 7:

Oh wow, wow, yeah. Penda, that's our boo.

Monique Robinson:

That's my sweetheart.

Speaker 7:

She's yeah, sweetheart. Who don't love Pinda?

Monique Robinson:

Yeah, you don't like Pinda. I'm looking at trouble.

Speaker 7:

What's wrong with you?

Monique Robinson:

Oh, that's well, that is so sweet. Now you danced over it when you answered a question, Natasha.

Speaker 6:

You like uh oh, you said you slept on your sands uh floor, yes, because I she had so my sands were roommates.

Monique Robinson:

Okay, what organization? I'm just asking.

Speaker 6:

Oh, I am a proud member of Zeta Five Beta Sorority Incorporated. I was um inducted into the Gamma Epsilon chapter at Wilbur Force University, spring 1996. Um but um because I mentioned, you know, I lived off campus, but they are on campus, so all the fun is where they are. So um this is how listen, I always tell people in this on a serious note of my experience at Wilberforce was very God ordained. Like nobody I knew had gone to Wilbur Force that I knew at the time. I found out I had a distant cousin that had gone there, but nobody had gone there. My whole family had gone to college in Alabama, and I that just wasn't me. And I it and Wilberforce found me, and I was the only school I applied to. Um, but um, so at one point it was because I was off yard and they were on yard, and so I'd go in their room and take a nap, kind of thing. Then I couldn't afford the apartment anymore, so then I didn't want the room that they gave me on campus, so I just slept on the floor for the whole school year. And people just knew it. Like I had a room in in uh what was the one? What was the boys' dorm? Uh oh, the co ed that was a fun year. What was it? Valentine, no, Valentine. I don't know where they put me. Sora Hughes put me somewhere, and I didn't want to stay there, so I had technically a room there, but I just left on their floor the whole semester.

Speaker 7:

I didn't even know that. That's this is my first time hearing that story.

Speaker 6:

My see, I think it was it was my senior year. Oh wow, wow, now that's survival. But you and you know what back then I didn't think anything of it. I had my little palette on the floor, I mean, like literally a palette on the floor, and when I left to get up for class, I would roll my palette up, stick it in the closet, and it all was well in the world. We three of us in that little little room. Wow, Temkin wasn't you said in wait a minute, you said in a co-ed or tempkin. Tempkin is where I was on the floor. My the room that they find me. I I think it was right hall. I don't remember. I right, yeah. Right. Oh, Valentine. I wasn't staying there wherever it was. I wasn't gonna stay. She said, I ain't yelling flesh, it's not today. Oh, y'all not gonna give me a room here. Well, I'm gonna make a room here. So that's what that happened.

Speaker 7:

Well, oh my god, I was today years old when I learned that.

Speaker 6:

School year, not semester, the whole school. Oh I get it though.

Monique Robinson:

I actually do that's a soul survivor right there, man.

Speaker 6:

It was good times.

Monique Robinson:

I bet because Temkin used to be lit. Uh uh, yeah.

Speaker 6:

Timkin was jumping. We would have listened some of them parties we threw, and Temkin was legendary. Yeah, I've heard they punch the garbage can.

Monique Robinson:

I'm gonna say allegedly because I got kids that think I didn't do anything every day.

Speaker 6:

Oh, I didn't. There was only juice. You heard me say punch.

Monique Robinson:

It was punch. Hey, no judgment. Allegedly, I did a you know, I may have been to one of those Tempin parties. A couple of them. Alpha Cabaret, too. Allegedly.

Speaker 6:

Me and Shocky went to Alpha Cabaret our freshman year, but we went the wrong direction for like an hour. Because I was trying to drive without my glasses on. That's when I was like, Oh, you gotta put your glasses on. Remember when I got there, Shocky? I ended up stepping in a bucket. Yep. Because I didn't have my glasses on.

Speaker 7:

Because she didn't have her glasses on. Trying to be cute.

Speaker 6:

Trying to be cute. Maybe we got listen. Listen. Best years of my life.

Monique Robinson:

Hands down. I definitely wouldn't trade it um for the world. Because I like you, Wilburforce was just one of them like saving graces for me because my mom was books or boots and dad, books or boots. And I, you know, I don't follow directions already. So me being in the military just went to work. And then I tried to do a little bit at Wilburforce, and I just had to follow the line.

Speaker 6:

We were blessed also that we were really, I mean, not to like toot our own horns, but we were really smart kids. So we were like in honors programs. We went to the best high schools in Detroit. Yeah.

Speaker 7:

Um you went to one that's hard to get into, so uh yeah, you actually have to test to get into the high school.

Speaker 6:

So um we knew, I think oddly enough, though, I think we wanted the same things out of school. We wanted the smaller environment. I went to a my high school graduating class had like 600 kids in the graduating class. I needed to be a big fish in a small pond.

Speaker 7:

Yeah, and I just uh I like the the history um you know of Wilberforce. Um, I actually had a an academic scholarship to uh Michigan State, but I was an only child and I was like, I am not going that close so my mom can pop up on me and uh but but at the same time I didn't want to go so far where I couldn't go home when I wanted to.

Speaker 6:

Yeah, and like I you know, oddly enough, I was a practical thinker even then because I knew we didn't have a lot of money. I couldn't afford to go to uh my mom had gone to Tuskegee. I couldn't afford to go to Tuskegee and then be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So I thought about all those things. So young people who are listening to this, think about all those things that you are pulling on the resources of your family when you go away to school. You don't just go away to school, and then the money is just sitting just aside for you. That's true, it's still coming out of that pot. So I thought about all those things. And Wilbur Force was just like a perfect fit. We could still drive there, we were far, but not close. It all worked out, and then you know, not to bring down the mood, but when the thing happened with my mom was very unexpected, you know, in the middle of the night, I will never forget this. Um, you know, it happened, you know, and the word spread around campus, and somebody was like, I'll drive you. I had a car, but obviously I couldn't drive, and he drove me home. Like people just packed in my car and drove me home.

Monique Robinson:

So I mean it's it's it's a serious. Like, I haven't been back uh since we had like a choir reunion a while back, and then I went back where uh my parents got their golden um diplomas this year. So I'm gonna tell you my mom is my mom, and I know she's watching, I'll deal with her later when I tell this story. But she went to the alumni conference, like you know, they had I think they had it in Dayton or Cincinnati one year. And my mom was like, We just gonna be in and out, we're gonna get whatever they're gonna give you, a certificate, and we're gonna leave. She went in there, she's met with some of them people that graduated the year she did. I'm looking at my mom, you said we in and out, dude. She so yeah, it's it's definitely one of those things, and then she was like, Yeah, this is Monique. And then one lady was like, Little Monique, I'm like, Lady, I'm like 48 years old. I'm grown, but it's it's just you know that that type of bond.

Speaker 7:

So but I think that was a word, Tasha, you shared for you know young the young generation preparing to go to college to consider those things.

Monique Robinson:

That that was that was that's why that's important because I have a lot of of young people right now that are in their second year at Howard, and you know, most people know Howard that housing is kind of unique, so you got a plan for that, also. Yeah, so yeah, yeah, that's important.

Speaker 6:

But when I was looking at just so I found Wilbur Force at a college fair, um then you know, you would get the pamphlets for the different schools, and Howard was on my list. I only apply, I only consider HPCUs, number one, but when I looked at the stats for all of the schools, I couldn't even relate to the kids that went to Howard. They were like only 20% were on financial aid, whereas 95% of the students at Wilberforce were on financial aid. Ding, because I knew what I was coming from. We didn't have a ton of money, honestly. And I'm telling you, not ordained, because I didn't think about who pays for who's gonna pay for this. You fill out that form. I'm like, magically money shows up, and you have money to go to college. None of those things had I considered that you need money when you go to school, you gotta buy books, and every semester books were like six hundred dollars, and then you need money to wash your clothes, and then you want all those things cost money.

Speaker 7:

I will say, I will add this though, um, with the caveat of you know, the um the scholarship that I had. I still I did I did not have a full ride at Wobbleforce, so I do have some debt, but I have no regrets attached to that debt.

Speaker 6:

Oh, not at all. Oh, shout out to UDF in Z Ohio, because that helped pay my I worked there for three days. I worked at UDF, I worked at a um a bingo hall in Dayton. I worked in the cafeteria, like I did what I had to do to make your map.

Speaker 7:

Yeah, it was the mall for me.

Speaker 6:

Yeah, Victoria's yeah, you was fancy.

Monique Robinson:

She already said, Oh, oh no, after the first year, I had uh no, she already named that for her. Uh I was up in there making milkshakes.

Speaker 6:

Who I was fun though.

Monique Robinson:

I hated some milkshakes. I worked there until them refund checks came out. That's when I snapped working.

Speaker 6:

No, I was I was grinding the whole school year and mixing a little Zeta activity, not a good combination.

Monique Robinson:

No, you was on fumes, you you my my my hero because ain't no way with right, but she did it, yeah. That's a busy schedule, very busy schedule. So, no, I I'm happy that you all took this time to sit with me. We got one more commercial break, and then when you come back, we're gonna do like a final thought thing of something that you feel um you want people to take away from this episode, kind of like a lesson. Y'all done taught me a lot.

Speaker:

Celebrate the excellence of HBCU with the HBCU trivia game. This board game provides an exciting and educational way to learn about notable alumni, historical events, sports news, and more. This trivia game is sure to be a fit and perfect for college-bound youth, alumni, and the entire family. Don't miss out on this opportunity to support, educate, and entertain HB2U Trivia Game today. Go to HB2U Trivia Game.net to order.

Monique Robinson:

Welcome back, welcome back. I have truly enjoyed today's show talking to um these wonderful young ladies here, um, talking about their friendship, life, you know, because on campus, life does life, regardless. Uh you can't plan for stuff, it just happens. Um, and I thank you for being really transparent and just going all in and letting us know. Um, but what would be your final thought, you know, for anybody watching today or listening on any of our platforms?

Speaker 7:

Um we've spoken a lot about some of the challenges, some of the uniqueness of the family um that you've built uh when you're in school. Um and if we're you know honest, what that character building, um, making it through those challenges and being successful graduating from college, um, that resiliency carries. Um and it is important when you enter the job market. Um, I mentioned earlier that, you know, um Tasha and I are both now uh working in our fields. Ironically enough, she's in medical devices. I'm in the healthcare industry as well. Um I am a project manager in at um a healthcare industry, um, a senior project manager in our oncology uh business unit. And I must say that obviously the knowledge that I gained at Whipple Forest for my degree, but also the experience of being on Whipple Forest's camp campus is what truly um you know formed who I am and how I show up in the professional world. So I would just say um, you know, we hear trust the process, don't just trust it, embrace it.

Speaker 6:

Um I guess um you have to go in with a mindset. One, do your research, um, do your research. And I think if you take anything away from this, that we organically ended up at Wilbur Force together because we ended up doing our own research and went there for very different or some similar reasons, but we didn't talk about it, we didn't, you know, share um what that was. But do your research, find what's a good fit for you, don't worry about where your friends are going, and then you have to build or have a mindset to not give up because things will come at you that you could never, there are things that I would have never planned um that would have challenged me to just give up and go back home. But I knew that the end goal was to graduate from Wilbur Force University, and so if that is your desire, don't give up, push through all of the obstacles that set you up for life because life will life. Well, isn't that what the young people say? Life be life and life is gonna life, so you have to build up the DNA to push through, um, have a support system, be prayed up. Um, that God will cover and protect you as long as you um seek him. Um, but yeah, you just gotta have it in your mind. Like, I just like quitting is just not an option. If I'm starting it, I'm gonna finish it.

unknown:

Wow.

Speaker 7:

And some most of young people say, period, Pooh.

Speaker 5:

Period, Pooh.

Monique Robinson:

I have truly, truly enjoyed you both. This I know we said 30 minutes, but you know, if it's if Mr. George, I'm sorry, we went a little bit over, but it's okay. I truly enjoyed you all. Thank you for your transparency and letting me in y'all circles. So, you know, y'all, y'all, my family now, y'all can't get rid of me.

Speaker 7:

That's right.

Monique Robinson:

So, yes, so we are continuing on with our campaign. So, if you know somebody that wants to tell their story about their days at Wilburforce, even if they just went there passing through and graduated from somewhere else. But this has been a wonderful day, a wonderful show, and don't forget our announcements. I hope to see you all Sunday at Wonder Chamber. It's a selfie museum, it's weird names, Wonder Chamber, but it's it's fun, it's it's not what it sounds like.

Speaker 7:

So thank you so much so much for having us.

Monique Robinson:

Yes, anytime, anytime. If y'all have like things that y'all have going on at your company and you want us to share it out, just let me know. Um, any anytime you need me, I am here. I told y'all stuck with me for life, can't you? So call you later. Uh-oh. She said, I'm gonna call you. Uh-oh. I hope I didn't, you know, open up stuff from y'all talking, but this has been extremely amazing. And thank you again uh for coming on and sharing your story.

Speaker 6:

Thank you.

Monique Robinson:

Thank you.

Speaker 1:

Good night, good night, good night for inspiration, motivation, and the good news of Jesus Christ. Look no further. The Daily Gospel Network has what you need. With more than 300 ministries from all over the country broadcasting every week, you're sure to get your dose of spirit-filled encouragement from the great programs on the Daily Gospel Network. Catch the Daily Gospel Network on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, all mobile devices, and the internet.

Monique Robinson:

Tune in to a better chance for your television show with home Robinson on the Daily Gospel Network. Welcome on. That's the Better Chance for Youth Television show. Thanks for watching a Better Chance for Youth Television show with your host Monique Robinson. The television show where we highlight incredible students in their quest to change the world. Join us each and every week as we uplift our youth and help them on their journey to the bright future they deserve. So until next time, God bless from your friends on a Better Chance for Youth Television show with your host, Monique Robinson.

Head Shot

Monique S. Robinson, Ed.D

Host