Jameilla Robinson (B.A. ’23) knows the importance of community and shared success. As a program/project coordinator at KCSourceLink, Robinson works to connect Kansas City entrepreneurs to resources they need to be successful.

Robinson had always dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but shortly before graduating high school, she learned she was pregnant. She changed course and started working, managing a call center by 18 and leading the job training program for the state of Mississippi at 19. Over the years, she started college a couple of times before life intervened. Still, she found success, becoming a full-time entrepreneur, owning and managing an esthetician, makeup artist and events business.

When COVID hit, she couldn’t operate her business. Her husband asked why she’d never finished her degree, and through that conversation, she decided to go back to college and fulfill her ultimate dream of being a lawyer.

Robinson finished her associate degree and then enrolled at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she received the Osher Re-Entry Scholarship.

Established in 2010, the endowed scholarship was designed to help students who have had at least a five-year gap in their education complete their first baccalaureate degree.

“It has truly been a game-changer for me, both academically and professionally,” Robinson said.

With the help of this scholarship, Robinson earned her bachelor of arts in philosophy and a minor in entrepreneurship studies. She’s currently in the MBA program and plans to attend law school when she’s finished. Her husband also went back to school to complete his Ph.D., and Robinson said the scholarship has helped her balance her work helping local entrepreneurs.

“It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of supporting emerging leaders and giving back to the community, and it inspires me to help others achieve their dreams,” Robinson said.