PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Jaleah N. Robinson
Clinical Assistant Professor of Special Education, Duquesne University

In Jaleah Robinson’s LinkedIn profile, she describes herself as “Teaching’s Biggest Fan,” and that thread has run through most of her life.

Her mother, an immigrant from Bermuda, made many sacrifices to send Robinson to private school from K-8. She still keeps in touch with many of those teachers.

“They held me to account in the most loving way possible,” she says. “They saw my potential. They inspired me to be my best, and I just wanted to be that loving person for kids as well.”

Before joining Duquesne, Robinson, who has a Ph.D. in special education, was a teacher, assistant principal and then principal at the Environmental Charter School in the East End, where she collaborated in the creation of “Block Zero,” a school-day period dedicated to joy and exploration.

“I wanted to inject joy in the school day,” she says. She’s also been involved in such programs as the Wilkinsburg Boys & Girls Club and Strong Women, Strong Girls.