PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (September 11, 2020) – When Nelson Robinson arrived on “The Hill” in the fall of 2018 from Austin, Texas, he was on a mission to change his life and his family’s future.
“I’ve seen my mom struggle just to make ends meet for my brother, sister, and [me]. I’ve seen my mom having to borrow money and constantly go to pawn shops just to make it to the next month,” said Nelson, who grew up in the capital city. “I wanted to major in finance to better educate my community, which is predominantly African-American, on the difference between assets and liabilities, how to better use money, where to save, how to save, and what to invest in.”
So after attending a “Day on ‘The Hill’” event at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), Robinson knew he found the right Historically Black College/University (HBCU) to attend that was not too far away from home. After choosing finance as a major in the College of Business (COB), he decided to minor in financial planning. That decision opened doors.
“Nelson is a great student and a developing leader,” shared Danny Harvey, director of the Certified Financial Planning (CFP) Program and finance faculty member. “As a freshman, he started in the COB’s Summer Bridge Program and excelled. He also got involved in Panthers in the Black.”
Robinson said, “I am also involved in the Prairie View Finance Association, B.L.A.C.K., and the Student Government Association; This past semester, I was elected to be College of Business Senator II. I chose to run because I wanted to show people back home in my community that you can actually go to a university and thrive in whatever you want to do. I also wanted to run because there [are] things I believe I can accomplish for the College of Business as well.”
When the TD Ameritrade RIA NextGen Scholarships and Grants program opened up, Robinson said it was another door of opportunity presented by Professor Harvey and his connections through the College of Business. But the application was a thorough process.
“My studies at PVAMU have prepared me to be confident in situations like this with the help of the professors here,” said Robinson, who is also a community assistant this year in Residential Life. “A lot of people run away from scholarship opportunities when they involve essays. But, while being at PVAMU, I’ve learned to embrace it and go for it.”
With the spring deadline nearing, Robinson said he was able to successfully submit his application. He returned to Austin for the summer, where he worked remotely from home because of the pandemic. In July 2020, his life changed with one email from TD Ameritrade: he was one of the students chosen for the national scholarship competition.
“I was extremely ecstatic,” Robinson said, but “there was a quiet period where they didn’t want us to tell anybody until they released the news.”
Alexis Newlin of TD Ameritrade contacted PVAMU with the news via email and nationally with a news release.
She wrote, “I am pleased to tell you that a Prairie View A&M University student, Nelson Robinson, is one of 12 students chosen to receive a $5,000 scholarship as part of the 8th annual TD Ameritrade RIA NextGen Scholarships and Grants program. Nelson Robinson was awarded one of four diversity scholarships reserved for under-represented demographic groups.”
Every year, TD Ameritrade Institutional awards $5,000 scholarships to students pursuing financial planning careers. According to TD Ameritrade Institutional, it is a leading custodian for independent registered investment advisors (RIAs). This initiative is a part of a broader “ten-year, $5 million commitment that aims to raise awareness of the RIA profession on campuses across the U.S. and expand the pipeline of new talent that can join and sustain the industry for decades to come.”
Robinson’s selection is not just an honor for him, but it is also significant for the College of Business and its CFP minor.
“Nelson is the first student from my financial planning program to win the scholarship. Students have been eligible since 2018,” said Harvey. He further explained that to be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant has to be a student in a CFP Board-approved financial planning program at a university.
“This honor speaks to the excellent students in the financial planning program at PVAMU,” said Harvey. “While the program is young and still new, I am recruiting some of the best and brightest students at PVAMU. The minor is open to all students. You don’t have to major in business to be a part of the program and go after these scholarships and jobs!”
Robinson has been involved in the program since arriving on “The Hill.” And despite his financial hardship and adjusting to student life during the pandemic, he remained focused and achieved a goal as another example of how #PanthersPushForward.
“This scholarship allows me to stay in school and ultimately graduate, which is my goal,” Robinson shared with pride. “This scholarship is a huge benefit to me because it eliminates money that I have to spend out of my mom’s pocket. It has allowed me to network with other financial advisors, get acclimated with the finance world, and connect with the other scholarship recipients from other schools to network.”
By Michael Douglas