Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 11-11-22

Popular Tampa Man Selected For High School 2022 Athletic Hall Of Fame
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Most mothers want their children to succeed in life. As small children the nurturing begins. One Tampa mom planted the seed of success in her young son. And through the years, she groomed him to become the person she wanted him to become.
Living in a segregated soci- ety, she raised him as a Catholic and the late Dr. Thelma A. Robinson led by example earning her B.S., M.S., and Ed. S., as an educa- tor. She enrolled her son, Joe Robinson, at St. Peter Claver Catholic School to begin his formal education.
When the interstate took their Central Park home in 1962, they moved to West Tampa and he attended and graduated from St. Joseph’s Catholic School. Robinson then attended Tampa Catholic High School, where he distin- guished himself as an athlete and graduated in 1972. Robinson also played Junior Varsity and Varsity Football for the school.
Recently, Robinson was selected for induction into the 2022 Athletic Hall of Fame at Tampa Catholic for his prowess in track and field. The ceremony will take place on December 2, 2022 at the Car- rollwood Country Club, begin- ning at 6 p.m. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by November 25, 2022.
Some other high school ac- complishments include: Co- Record Holder in the 100-yard dash at 9.8 secs. (1972) also Captain of Track Team; re- ceived Most Valuable Track member trophy in 1972; in 1971 JV Team went 10-0; long jumped over 22 feet each time he long jumped for Tampa Catholic; in 1972, he ran the 100-yard dash, 220-yard dash, anchored 440-yard relay and sometimes the mile relay; re- ceived The University of IOWA’s James Van Allen Physics scholarship for 4 years.
After graduation, and on the heels of integration, the young man was accepted at the University of Iowa and se- lected the field of Mechanical Engineering as his major. The selected field was one not overpopulated by Blacks,
which helped to ensure that he would find gainful employ- ment after graduation.
Even so, Robinson said it has not been easy, having to challenge those in charge many times in order to main- tain employment. Yet, he per- severed and has been a Licensed Professional Engi- neer for more than 40 years and has his own Consulting Engineering firm for the past 32 years. He is also proud of the fact that his only child, Ms. Aeriell B. J. Robinson, BSIE., MSEM, followed him and became an Engineer as well.
Robinson graduated in 1977 and returned home to begin his adult life. He imme- diately became involved in several organizations, and has been hailed as a trailblazer in many. Some include: Commu- nity Activist at Hillsborough County and Hillsborough County School Board, Tampa City Council meetings, public hearings and community meetings.
He has also served as: Chair, West Tampa Commu- nity Redevelopment Area (CRA); Community Advisory Committee (CAC) (2015 to 2020); Vice-Chair, West Tampa Community Redevel- opment Area (CRA); Commu- nity Advisory Committee (CAC) (2020 to present); Board Member, Vice Chairper- son and Founding Member, The West Tampa Community Development Corporation, Inc. (Non-Profit CDC); 2nd Vice-President, NAACP Hills- borough County Branch (2015 to present); Economic Devel- opment Committee Chair, NAACP Hillsborough County Branch; Treasurer, Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Council No. 12110, Tampa, Florida, Sacred Heart Catholic Church (2010 to present); Member, The University of Iowa’s Letterman’s Club (4- Year Track and Field Letter- man, Iowa City, Iowa - 1972-1976); Member, Pi Tau Sigma, Honorary Mechanical Engineering Fraternity, The University of Iowa; Member, Theta Tau Professional Engi- neering Fraternity, The Uni- versity of Iowa, Omicron Chapter; Past Alumni Mem- ber, The University of Iowa’s Alumni Seeking Iowa Students (ASIST) Program (Office of
JOSEPH W. J. ROBINSON
Admissions Recruitment Rep- resentative); among others.
He is a founding Charter Member of NSBE and has also served as Past President of The National Society of Black En-
gineers (NSBE), Tampa Bay Professional Chapter, Tampa, Florida; Past Member, Tampa Bay Community Advocacy Committee (TBCAC) (2015 to 2020); Past 1st Vice-President and Freedom Fund Dinner Chair, NAACP Hillsborough County Branch (2013-2014); Past Member, Hillsborough County 2010 Charter Review Board; and Past Gubernatorial Appointment, Vice Chair, Southwest Florida Water Management District -North- west Hillsborough Basin Board, March 2001-January 2009; Hillsborough River Basin; Past Member - South- west Florida Water Manage- ment District Land Acquisition Committee; past Board Member, City of
Tampa’s Enterprise Commu- nity Based Partnership (Enter- prise Zone); Past Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Council No. 12110, Tampa, Florida, Sacred Heart Catholic Church; Past Board Member, The USS For- restal Sea, Air and Space Mu- seum, Inc., Tampa, Florida; Past President, Tampa Bay Boys and Girls Club Alumni Association, Tampa, Florida; Past Chairperson of the Board and Founding Member, The West Tampa Revitalization Corporation, Inc.; Past Mem- ber, National Management As- sociation, Tampa Electric Company Chapter; and Past Mayoral Appointment, The West Tampa Development Ad- visory Committee.
Feature
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