Biographical Sketch

Jerry W. Robinson, Jr., Ph.D.
Biographical Sketch

Most Recent Positions: Currently serving as Distinguished Professor of Rural Sociology, Emeritus at Delta State University (DSU) and Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Robinson retired from the University of Illinois in 1994 to accept an endowed Chair in Economic and Community Development at DSU and retired from full-time work at DSU in 2005. His wide-ranging, interdisciplinary approach to program development led to concurrent appointments in three Colleges at the University of Illinois---Agriculture, Arts and Sciences, and Medicine. In 1983, he established Robinson and Associates International and WellWay Publishers and is the sole proprietor of both companies. A number of carefully selected "Professional Associates" work with him on a wide range of programs and projects.

At Delta State, he was Founding Director and led the Center for Community and Economic Development from August of 1994 until January of 2000. Under his leadership the Center grew to eight major programs and from a staff of four to more than 30 on-campus employees and 330 AmeriCorps Members in the Mississippi Delta Region. The Center's budget increased from $156,500 in 1994 to more than $4,000,000 per year by 2000.

Areas of Specialization: Jerry Robinson, Jr. is known around the world for his creativity in developing and leading practical and multi-disciplinary programs in human relations, organizational development, leadership and community development, and traffic safety. In 1967, he became the first professor in the nation to advocate the use of "learning modules." To date, he has written more than 120 learning modules. Many of his action learning modules became national publications and are used around the world.

Primary Publications: Robinson's programs on Situational Diplomacy and Conflict Management were used internationally by the U.S. Department of State and other agencies. Two textbooks which he co-edited, Community Development in America (1980) and Community Development in Perspective (1989), were published by Iowa State University Press. Both became the leading texts in the field. He served as Editor of The Journal of Community Development from 1976-1979, and in 2002. He has written a dozen books on organizational development, human relations, stress and wellness, leadership and community development, and traffic safety. His works have been published by The ABA Journal, the American Sociological Review, Cornell University, Delta State University, Delta Service Corps, The Economic Development Review, Iowa State University Press, The Journal of Extension, The Community Development Journal, Meredith Corporation, Mississippi State University, North Central Regional Publications Committee, The Northeastern Regional Center for Rural Development, Pennsylvania State University, Phylon, Rural Sociology, Social Forces, Studio 61, The University of Illinois, The United States Department of Agriculture, The US Forest Service The US Department of State, WellWay Publishers, and others.

Major Programs and Grants: Outside funding which he helped Delta State obtain has exceeded $40,000,000. At Illinois, he organized and served as Director of the Laboratory for Community and Economic Development. Professor Robinson has led efforts to develop a number of highly acclaimed programs of particular relevance, such as:

2005, and 2007: Snappy®, The Safety Turtles: A Multi-Media Educational Program for Children and Their Families. With his personal resources and mini-grant from businesses in Cleveland, Mississippi, the City of Cleveland, the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety, and others he develop and pilot test an educational program for more than 8,000 children in grades K-5 in Mississippi during 2005 and 2006. In 2007, the Snappy® program was revised to target children in grades K-3 and expanded beyond traffic safety to include fire and gun safety, and the hazards of tobacco, alcohol, lack of exercise and obesity. Click on "Snappy, The Safety Turtles on this web site to learn more. Lesson plans for teachers in grades K-3 are free on line.
1994- 2003: The Delta Partners Initiative, with funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and regional partners in excess of $3,000,000.
1995 to date: Four AmeriCorps programs with funding in excess of $20,000,000-- The Delta Service Corps, The Delta Reads Partnership, America Reads Mississippi, and Mississippi Delta Service Corps Vista. These programs have placed more than 2,000 full-time AmeriCorps volunteers at hundreds of sites in Mississippi and they remain in full force today.
2003 - 2005: The Business Development and Assistance Program with $255,000 in funding from the Delta Regional Authority.
1995 to date: Helped Delta State University launch a Master of Science in Community Development graduate program; attracted more than $1,300,000 to provide fellowships and assistantships for MSCD students at DSU. More than 65 professionals have earned the MSCD.
1998 - 1994: Helping Rural Communities Prepare for Economic Development, which has funded for more than $5,000,000 by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and fourteen members of RURAL PARTNERS: The Illinois Coalition for Community and Economic Development. This program began in 1988 and still prospers in Illinois. RURAL PARTNERS has expanded to several states in the mid-west.
1994: Co-authored a successful $40,000,000 proposal for The Mid-Delta Empowerment Zone Alliance. It was one of only three national projects funded for ten years by the USDA and HUD.
1993: Conducted a series of Organizational and Leadership Development Workshops in four Caribbean Island Nations (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent) with sponsorship by the University of the West Indies, Barbados. Hosted by Dr. Dunstan Campbell.
1988 - 1990: Organizational Development Intervention for National Soil and Water Conservation Program in Australia. Lead consultant, conducted needs assessment and led educational workshops in every province to help establish land care clubs throughout the nation.
1989-1990: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives, Sri Lanka and USAID Mission, served as lead consultant for a major organizational development intervention.
1984 -1985: Stress and Wellness, created an educational program that was adopted by more than 70 universities, medical schools, federal and state agencies, clinics, and businesses and presented to more than 30,000 people. (Click on "Stress and Wellness" on this web site to learn more about this program.)
1972-1976: Revised in 1988 and 2003, Process Skills in Community Organizations, served as lead author for this program which is used around the world. More than 190,000 learning modules have been taught to thousands of community and organizational leaders.
(Click on "Process Skills in Community Organizations" on this web site to learn more about this program.)
1968: The Mental Health of Teachers in Desegregated Schools, launched a career of long term interest in psychological stress and social conflict with major funding for a four-year research project from the National Institute of Mental Health.

In summary, throughout his career Professor Robinson has developed 56 proposals that have attracted more than $96,000,000 from foundations, government agencies, universities, and individuals. He has served as consultant for more than 200 organizations. A complete project and client list is available upon request.

Honors and Awards from Universities, Professional Organizations, and State and Federal Agencies: Among his numerous awards are:

2005 - Named Person of the Year for 2005 in Cleveland and Bolivar County, Mississippi by the Cleveland NEWSLEADER in recognition of contributions made to education, leadership, safety education and community development in Cleveland and the Mississippi Delta.
2002 - The Duane L. Gibson Distinguished Service Award in Community Development from The International Community Development Society in recognition for significant contributions to the field and profession.
2000 - Award for Outstanding Service to Delta Service Corps in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi from the Tri-State Board of Directors.
1999 - Distinguished Rural Sociologist Award from the Rural Sociological Society in 1999 to acknowledge outstanding contributions made to rural life in America throughout a career in research, teaching, public service, and public policy.
1994 - Senior Faculty Award for Sustained Excellence in Extension and Public Service from the University of Illinois.
1993 - North Central Regional Award for Distinguished Service from Epsilon Sigma Phi, the National Honorary Extension Fraternity.
1992 - Award for Outstanding Achievements in Rural Community Development in Illinois from the Illinois Rural Affairs Council and The Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs.
1992 - Outstanding Innovative Program Award for Creating Rural Partners from the Community Development Society.
1991 - Award for Sustained Excellence in Extension Programs, University of Illinois.
1987 - Award for Excellence in Extension and Public Service, The Rural Sociological Society
1987 - Governor's Award for Distinguished Service to the People of South Carolina.
1984 - National Superior Service Award from the United States Department of Agriculture.
1984 - Paul A. Funk Recognition Award for Academic Excellence in Public Service and Research, University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences; a $3,000 cash prize.
1981 - Award for Outstanding Achievement in Forest Fire Prevention, The United States Forest Service.

Other Professional Positions, Consulting and Professional Memberships:

Visiting Professor of Rural Sociology at North Carolina State University, Summer 1975 and Cornell University, Ithaca, New York during the 1976-77 academic year.
Adjunct Professor, Texas Southern University (1968-71), University of Houston (1967-71), and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (1982-83).
Affiliate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Illinois, (1983-1994).
Clients include more than 200 organizations, such as universities, government agencies, civic groups, private businesses, medical clinics, and not-for-profit organizations.
Member of the Rural Sociological Society, the Community Development Society, The Honorary Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Epsilon Sigma Phi, Gamma Sigma Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, The University of Illinois President's Council, the Mississippi Economic Council, the Quadrangle Oak Society at Delta State, and a Life-Time Member (Honorary) of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, and the Delta State University Alumni Association.

Education: A native of Southwest Mississippi, Robinson earned degrees from: Mississippi College, B.A. in Sociology; Louisiana State University, B.S. in Agriculture; The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, B.D. and M.R.E.; and Mississippi State University, M.A. and Ph.D. with major in sociology and minor in psychology.

Personal: Professor Robinson married Barbara Jean Byrd of Brookhaven, Mississippi in 1961. They are parents of five children: Wyatt, 1962; Tom, 1964; Gina, 1966; Lee, 1969, and Aimee, 1970; and grandparents of 14 children. His hobbies include: landscaping and gardening; photography, reading; swimming; and travel.