Arielle Robinson; Director of Enrichment Services, Career Development for Columbia University, joins A Chat in the Garden

Born and raised in North Babylon, New York, my early life was defined by a strong sense of community, hard work, and purpose. These values not only influenced her path in athletics and fitness but also became the foundation for a dynamic and evolving career in higher education, particularly within the realm of collegiate athletics. After high school I enrolled at Temple University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science in 2009. While at Temple, I viewed kinesiology not just as a field of study but as a toolkit for helping athletes fine-tune their performance and better understand their bodies. After obtaining my degree, I spent four years (2010–2014) working as a health fitness professional with the Health Fitness Corporation, where I helped a broad demographic from working professionals to recreational athletes set and achieve health-related goals. For seven years, I worked with Mo’ Motion, Inc., a youth basketball organization in New York City dedicated to developing young athletes through skill-building, fitness, and leadership. As a basketball coach I managed training sessions for boys and girls aged five through sixteen. I combined technical drills with strength and conditioning practices, offering athletes a well-rounded foundation in physical development. In 2016, I took on a pivotal role that marked the beginning of my journey in collegiate athletics: I was appointed Assistant Director of Facility Operations in Columbia University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. It was a transition from the private fitness world into university recreation and athletics an environment that allowed me to merge administrative management with my passion for sports. In this role, I was responsible for a complex array of duties, including supervising the recreation facility, managing inventory and upkeep of fitness equipment, training staff, tracking payroll, and ensuring the operational readiness of athletic venues for events. This position offered me a broad, behind-the-scenes look at university athletics, exposing me to the unique challenges faced by student-athletes and athletic staff alike. In 2020, I was named Assistant Director of Enrichment Services at Columbia. In this role, my focus shifted from operational logistics to student support a shift that aligned perfectly with my long-standing commitment to mentorship and development. Working within Columbia’s Success Through Well-Being initiative, I played a vital role in supporting student-athletes holistically, addressing their needs not just in competition, but in their academic, emotional, and career journeys. I became a trusted advisor to many within the athletics community, offering personalized career guidance and helping athletes navigate life beyond sport. In July 2022, just two years after my initial appointment, I was promoted to Director of Enrichment Services & Career Development. The expanded title signified not just a change in name, but a deepening of responsibility. Now leading career development initiatives, I collaborated closely with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, organizes professional development programming, and serves as a key facilitator in helping athletes build pathways into careers, internships, and graduate education.Further exemplifying my commitment to fostering inclusive athletic communities, I joined Columbia’s We Roar Together initiative, a university-wide effort committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice in athletics. As co-chair of the Hiring, Retention, and Engagement Subcommittee, I helped shape hiring practices and cultivated environments in which staff and student-athletes from all backgrounds could thrive. I continued to pursue academic growth by enrolling in graduate school at Teachers College, Columbia University, one of the nation’s top institutions for education and social science.In May 2025, I earned a Master’s degree in Sociology and Organizational Psychology, a program that deepened my understanding of human dynamics, leadership, and systems of organizational change. My graduate work further supports my professional mission: creating environments and programs that empower student-athletes not just to compete, but to lead, heal, grow, and pursue excellence in every domain of their lives.Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.