During her college search, Lily Robinson firmly believed she wanted to leave her home state of North Carolina. Yet, it was at Wake Forest that Robinson would truly come to thrive. As a health and exercise science major, a member of the Cheer team and a Wake Forest community member, Robinson has made the most of her time at Wake Forest.
Going into college, Robinson was confident that she “didn’t want to be just another number.” Prioritizing a desire for intimate classroom experiences and research opportunities with professors, Robinson found home at Wake Forest, entranced by the close student-professor relationships.
Beginning her time at Wake Forest, she knew her passion lay in the sciences. When taking chemistry and biology courses, however, Robinson felt something was missing.
“I knew I didn’t just want to sit in a lab. I wanted to talk to people and engage with the community,” she said.
It was during this time that friends and teammates on the Cheer Team, through their high remarks and reviews, introduced her to the health and exercise sciences department. It was a seamless match.
“I always loved exercise,” Robinson said. “It has always been a constant in my life. Whenever I am stressed, I have always loved to go on runs or workout. I have always been curious about what the best thing to do for exercise or nutrition is. It has always been an interest. But it wasn’t until the classes with the health and exercise sciences that I realized how passionate I was about it.”
Through the faculty of the health and exercise sciences department, and more specifically the guidance and mentorship of Dr. Shannon Milhalko, Robinson’s passion for health science only grew.
Learning about exercise and nutrition, however, was not the only thing Robinson learned. Her major gave her more insight and wisdom into what she truly valued as a person — which she recognized to be personal relationships and one-on-one conversations.
For Robinson, the health and exercise sciences research opportunities, through “meeting people, building relationships with them, tracking them through their journey and the feeling that [she] had the opportunity to bring a little bit of happiness into someone’s day,” reaffirmed her passion for medicine.
She reflects on one patient she met during the Physical Activity in Lymphoma Study (PALS), who is going through chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
“But there is this one woman, who no matter what, was the happiest person I have ever seen,” Robinson said. “I was always so excited to see her and hear about her crazy stories of world travel and her own college experience. Just seeing her journey through the recovery process, even though I am not directly involved, and being on that journey with her was so meaningful.”
As Robinson prepares to embark on her journey to medical school, aspiring to be a dermatologist, her time at Wake Forest University exemplifies the transformative power of seizing opportunities and embracing the university’s motto of pro humanitate.
From forging personal relationships with professors to finding camaraderie within the Cheer Team, Robinson’s collegiate experience has been defined by her dedication to making a difference in the lives of others. Her commitment to personal connections, academic excellence and service to the community underscores Wake Forest’s mission of fostering compassion and improving the human condition.
Leaving Wake Forest with a lasting imprint on the university community and the wider Winston-Salem community, there is little doubt that Lily Robinson will continue to make a positive impact wherever she may go.
