By Stan Cole
Associate A.D. for Media Services
Jeremiah Robinson spent much of his summer break preparing for a career in broadcast production after he graduates in December.
Apparently he also found the time to get ready to play football as a senior defensive end this fall.
Robinson produced the best statistical game of his collegiate career in Campbell's season opener at Old Dominion. The 6-foot-2, 242-pound product of Pender High School recorded a career-high 11 tackles, including a school Division I era record-tying two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and also forced a fumble.
For his efforts, Robinson was an honorable mention choice by the Collegiate Football Performance Awards for Defensive Lineman of the Week.
"Jeremiah had the best pre-season camp he's ever had and is playing at a high level now," said Campbell head coach Dale Steele. "He's just doing things the right way."
Obviously, Robinson's preparation has paid off on the football field.
He also anticipates the experience he gained during a summer internship at PBS affiliate WGBH in Boston to help launch his professional career in television.
Robinson worked 9-to-5 on Monday through Thursday from May 23-July 28, primarily on one of WGBH's most popular productions, "High School Quiz Show," which is similar in format to "Jeopardy."
Local high school students compete on the show, which also features guest appearances from celebrities like Alec Baldwin, Katie Couric and Steve Carell. The celebrities ask questions by video.
Among Robinson's primary duties was to arrange celebrity participation for the show's returning season.
"One of the best things was the fact that the producers allowed me to give an opinion on content," said Robinson, who moved from his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., to rural Atkinson, N.C., at age 13. "They valued our input and saw the interns as representative of pop culture for college students."
While Robinson is not especially interested in a career "booking talent," he gained insight into many aspects of behind-the-scenes work at one of the country's top Public Broadcasting System affiliates.
"Dr. (Dean) Farmer always tells us that a prospective employer wants someone who can read well, write well and is willing to learn," said Robinson. "It's interesting, but a lot of the things I learned this summer I had already heard about in class."
When Robinson wasn't working at WGBH, he was able to enjoy the sights at Boston destinations like Fenway Park and Faneuil Hall Marketplace. He also took a whale-watching cruise.
"I enjoy people-watching," said Robinson, "and it was a something to see down at Fenway on game days. But I couldn't figure out why people were looking at me funny until I realized that I was wearing my Yankees cap!"
Robinson never played football until he moved to Eastern North Carolina prior to his freshman year at Pender High. He obviously picked up the game quick enough to earn all-conference, all-area and all-county recognition before graduating in 2007.
One might think that moving from the nation's largest metropolitan area to rural North Carolina might deliver a huge culture shock to a young teenager. Instead Robinson embraced his new surroundings.
"I love the open spaces, and seeing the stars at night caught me," said Robinson. "In Brooklyn, you can't see the stars because of all the lights."
In addition to playing football, he participated in track & field at Pender, where he set school records in the weight room for bench press (445), squat (655) and power clean (300).
Robinson also felt comfortable with Campbell's campus setting and rural surroundings while being drawn by the lure of helping establish a new football program on the Division I level.
As a red-shirt freshman in 2008, Robinson played in all 11 games, made four starts and led the team with 2.5 sacks. However, his performance in the class room did not match his showing on the field, and Robinson was forced to sit out the 2009 campaign in order to improve his grades.
Instead of accepting his fate, Robinson worked to improve his grade point average and regained his eligibility for the 2010 season. He again played in all 11 contests for CU, making seven starts and hitting a career high with 34 tackles.
Now as one of 32 seniors on the 2011 squad, Robinson is able to serve as a leader both on and off the field.
"I try to share with the younger players through my personal experience that your biggest challenge as a college student is to manage your time," said Robinson. "Do your work first. And whenever I think of being lazy, I can hear my Dad yelling at me to take care of the books."
Robinson admitted that when he was "hurt" when he first saw a teammate wearing jersey number 59, which he donned in 2008, but used those feelings as partial motivation to return to action better than ever.
Evidently, Old Dominion's offense saw plenty of Robinson's new number, 92, during last week's opening game. And perhaps, soon Campbell fans will also see Robinson's name in the production credits or on-camera in the television field.
But right now, Robinson is focused on finishing his collegiate career strong, both in class and on the football practice and game fields.
"We had our best camp and our seniors cherish the game," he said. "We're older, more mature, and appreciate things more. We're just trying to get better every day."
