From First Step to Full Circle: The Opportunity that Empowered Two Generations

Written by Lindsay Bartholomew

When Helen Williams Robinson ’78 was considering college, Converse wasn’t part of the plan. But thanks to donor support and the sense of belonging she found in the Converse Art Department, the trajectory of Helen’s life changed forever.

It even inspired her daughter, Anna Robinson French ’16, to call Converse home. 

Today, Helen returns to campus as an alumna reflecting on the place that empowered her independence and ambition. Anna walks those same pathways not only as a graduate, but as Director of Advancement Services, helping steward the generosity that creates opportunities for today’s students, just like the one her mom received. 

Helen’s Story: The First Door Opens

A first-generation student from a middle-class home in Spartanburg, Helen was navigating decisions about college without a clear roadmap. Even though her parents had attended only two years of college, they deeply valued education and wanted Helen and her brother to pursue a four-year degree. With a passion for art, Helen had already been accepted at the University of Georgia and expected that’s where she would go. 

Then, the unexpected happened. 

Helen’s mother, who worked in the office at Spartan Mills, quietly submitted an application on her behalf for the Spartan Mills Scholarship at Converse – a full-tuition award available to children of mill employees. 

When Helen learned that she had been awarded, it changed everything. 

“I had so much respect for my parents and didn’t want to be a financial burden,” Helen recalls. “I told myself just to consider it. This was money I’d be saving my parents.” At the time, Helen had assumed a private college like Converse would be out of reach financially. “I didn’t even know about scholarships. I thought Converse was too expensive.” 

“I ended up falling in love with Converse.”

Helen Williams Robinson ’78

Helen arrived on campus in 1974, not knowing what to expect, but quickly found a sense of community in the Art Department (now the Department of Art, Design & Letters), where she spent countless hours embracing her passion. Two professors – Mac Boggs and Judy Jones – became influential, offering mentorship and encouragement that helped shape her academic journey. “They were the staples in my experience here,” she shared. 

Originally planning to transfer after two years, Helen stayed on to complete her degree when Converse introduced its BFA program during her junior year. Fueled by her connection to her professors and the work experience she’d been afforded, the decision deepened her connection to Converse. Along the way, her perspective changed. “I ended up falling in love with Converse.”

The place she once believed wouldn’t open doors for her became the place that nurtured her independence, creativity, and ambition. 

Little did she know at the time that her experience would lay the foundation for another college story that would one day continue through her daughter.

Anna’s Story: Following a Path, Then Building Her Own

Long before Anna ever considered where she might go to college, stories about Converse were part of her childhood. Helen often talked about the professors who knew her personally, and the independence she discovered as a young adult. For Anna, those stories quietly shaped what she imagined college life could be. 

“I heard about Mom growing in her independence and handling things on her own,” Anna said. “So, I had the same expectation going into my experience – that college would be a place where I could figure out my passions and find my own path.”

“I always wanted her to go to college,” Helen said. “But I also encouraged her to see what else was out there.” But the connection Anna felt to Converse was hard to ignore. “I grew up hearing how much my mom loved her professors,” Anna said. “In classes, you were never just a number. I wanted to feel that same kind of connection.”

When Anna began her own journey at Converse, she carried those expectations with her. In many ways, that’s exactly what she found. “I also developed wonderful relationships with so many of my professors,” Anna said. “They’re truly the heart of this community.”

“I developed wonderful relationships with so many of my professors. They’re truly the heart of this community.”

Anna Robinson French ’16

Anna commuted to campus throughout her four years, balancing coursework with discovering where her passion for data might lead. The turning point came through an on-campus internship with Admissions, where for the first time, she saw how data and strategy shaped the work happening behind the scenes. This experience solidified her path forward – much like her mom’s hands-on work in screenprinting decades earlier. 

By the time Anna graduated in 2016, she had not only discovered her strengths but also developed a deep sense of connection to the community that helped her grow. 

“Converse is a home away from home and always will be,” Anna said. “The Converse community is unlike any other. My professors and classmates made me feel so supported and wanted to see me succeed. Many people here saw potential in me that I couldn’t immediately see for myself.”

So when the opportunity arose to begin her career at Converse, the decision felt natural. Anna joined the Institutional Advancement staff as Gift Management Coordinator, a role that combined the analytical work she loved with the mission-driven impact that had shaped her education. In 2022, she was named Director of Advancement Services.

Full Circle: Investing in the Next Generation

Decades earlier, a scholarship made it possible for Helen to attend Converse. Now, Anna finds herself helping steward similar opportunities for a new generation of students. Through her work, she watches funds grow from the ground up into scholarships that will one day support other students. 

“Scholarships are life-changing,” Anna says. “Seeing that we have so many alumni and friends of Converse who pour that level of support back into the university is unbelievable.”

Anna also finds herself mentoring two young Converse alumni on her team, early in their own careers, just as she once was. “I love getting to share the passions Converse instilled in me with them,” she says. 

Coming Home to Converse

What began as a leap of faith for Helen became something far greater than she could have imagined. The scholarship that opened the door not only shaped her own future but also charted a path for Anna and a career devoted to helping other students find their opportunity at Converse. 

“I’m not the same person I was ten years ago, and I owe so much of that to this place and to the people who stretched me, encouraged me, and molded me.”

Anna Robinson French ’16

For Helen, watching her daughter build a life and career connected to Converse is a source of immense pride. “I’m extremely proud of her,” Helen says. “She’s found a place she really loves.”

Now, Anna prepares to celebrate her 10th Reunion. “It’s such an honor. I’m not the same person I was ten years ago, and I owe so much of that to this place and to the people who stretched me, encouraged me, and molded me.”

As alumni prepare to return to campus for Reunion, stories like Helen and Anna’s serve as a powerful reminder of what makes Converse so special: a community where opportunity opens doors, mentorship shapes futures, and generosity ensures that the next generation of students can experience the power of a Converse education.