Career and Professional Development advisor wins national recognition

Kelly Shannon

3 Oct 2023

Carol Robinson holds the certificate she earned as national advisor of the year for the Health Professional Student Association. — "This group of students is very resilient and takes the initiative to solve the problems they see around them in their communities,” Carol Robinson, the 2023 Undergraduate Advisor of the Year for the Health Professional Student Association, said of the health professions students she advises in Career and Professional Development. “They always share the kinds of solutions they find to help others be more successful.” Photo by Kelly Shannon for Virginia Tech.

Carol Robinson, director of health professions advising in Career and Professional Development, is the recipient of the 2023 Undergraduate Advisor of the Year award from the student advisory council of the Health Professional Student Association, a national organization that supports underserved students seeking to enter health care professions.

Why it matters

Nationwide, the number of nurses and primary care physicians is shrinking, particularly in minority and high-poverty communities. For students from those communities, an information gap can keep them from pursuing higher-level health professional programs. They're just not sure how.

That’s where advisors like Robinson can make a huge difference.

Whether students have dreamed of being a doctor their whole life or want to change paths, Robinson and her health professions advising team work with students and alumni exploring health care careers or preparing to apply to professional schools in medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, chiropractic, occupational therapy, nursing, physician assistant, veterinary medicine, and other health professions.

Advisors use their in-depth knowledge of the application processes to help students become competitive and successful applicants. "I help them understand that who they are is most important,” said Robinson. “Their activities and courses contribute to who they become, and then the focus during their application process is to demonstrate they are compassionate, capable individuals who would be excellent health care professionals.”

What students said

The Undergraduate Advisor of the Year award is based on nominations by students, who offered these kinds of comments about Robinson:

“Ms. Robinson is the textbook definition of going above and beyond for her pre-med students. She assisted me over the course of the current application cycle by answering my endless questions and helping me fine-tune my personal statement.”
“She would go out of her way to work with my full-time work schedule, often meeting with me late at night, on Saturday afternoons, or even once while she was on vacation with her family.”

A phenomenal leader

Robinson is a graduate of Sweet Briar College and completed her M.Ed. in counseling at Wake Forest University. She is a national certified counselor and has worked as director of health professions advising for 10 years.

“Not only is Carol a phenomenal leader, but her care and commitment to the postgraduate success of Virginia Tech students is evident,” said Matthew P. Cowley, executive director of Career and Professional Development. “Navigating health care career pathways can be complex, requiring strategy and deep reflection on one’s values, niche interests, as well as their qualifications. Carol’s mastery and understanding of this make her a highly effective career advisor and leader for our health professions advising team.”

Virginia Tech voice

“I am so excited for every student to be able to pursue their dream, which makes the world better for everyone,” said Robinson. “I see where they are positively impacting others, and I let them know that impact is actually significant and needed.”