George Eastman Circle Member Spotlight: Bill Robinson

University of Rochester alumnus and George Eastman Circle member and volunteer, Bill Robinson ’72, finds immense happiness in volunteering regularly for meaningful Rochester events and activities. Both his daughter and son-in-law attended the University, and of his family’s deep connection with “Meliora,” Robinson says, “Our striving for continuing growth is based on a happy confidence we gained from Rochester.”

Q: Why did you decide to join the George Eastman Circle?

A: I am a Charter Member of the George Eastman Circle and joined in 2007. I began volunteering for the University consistently in 1999, for the 150^th anniversary of the opening of the University. I then worked on various alumni activities with the late Alan Carmasin, a terrific fellow alumnus who worked diligently for Advancement. He advanced George Eastman Circle charter membership in a truly sincere and non sales like manner and struck a responsive internal chord. When I joined, I was deeply happy with a variety of alumni volunteer activities; both kids were already in great collegiate or post grad trajectories; I was in my mid-fifties and ready for a next step in my non-professional life. I was excited by the innumerable opportunities the George Eastman Circle affords to participate in meaningful University activities and to help the current student generation have a similar extremely happy college life as I had. It also encourages pinpointing financial contributions explicitly to favorite personal areas, with which I have contributed to the Department of History, the Psi Upsilon chapter, Admissions, the Warner School in recognition of my daughter and son-in-law.

Q: What was it like to have your daughter attend the University?

A: My wife and I live in Lexington, Massachusetts and are blessed with two adult children (time goes by very quickly!). Our daughter earned her MS in Early Childhood Education from Warner School of Education and has been a New York State licensed elementary school teacher specializing in pre-K through second grade in metro Rochester since 2010. She is married to her University of Rochester sweetheart, so there are three Yellowjackets in my immediate family; a fact that delights me! Our son is both an ordained Priest in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and a Captain as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force. Without being overbearing, I am a very proud Dad.

Q: What did you and your family take with you from your time at the University of Rochester?

A: I remain an active attorney of 44+ years, a member of the state bars of Massachusetts and New York, although retired from my last position as a Director & Senior Counsel in the General Counsel office of a pharmaceutical corporation. As a proud and grateful History major, I have said for that department’s record that “The disciple of the history program, the individual excellence of the professors, and the richness of the course content prepared me superbly for law school and a continuous 40+ year practice.” My daughter and son-in-law found both each other and fulfilling careers because of the University, and have many bright years ahead for them. “Meliora” is engrained in our family in that our striving for continuing growth is based on a happy confidence we gained from Rochester.

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer like Bill? Contact Erin Bory, Senior Director, Volunteers and Engagement, George Eastman Circle, at erin.bory@rochester.edu.

Learn more about the George Eastman Circle.