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All of that progress wouldn’t have been possible without support from UNH donors, whose contributions allowed Robinson to focus on the work and be present in the experiences without financial worry.

“The funding I received made all of this possible. The Aronson Family Experiential Learning Fund allowed me to study abroad without having to worry about money,” Robinson says. “At that time, I was enrolled in courses full time, working 20 hours a week, and interning 10-16 hours a week. This fund allowed me to fully embrace the trip and not stress about anything.”

It all started for Robinson, a homeland security major from Bow, New Hampshire, when he became the first research intern for the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. It was there that he dove into learning about the United States’ view on Arctic research and created a poster on the topic that he presented to Arctic policymakers and staff.

And it was that position that opened the door to the Arctic Summer Internship Program, Robinson says, providing him the chance to gain valuable hands-on experience and a game-changing learning opportunity in a breathtaking environment.

All that after entering UNH without a concrete idea of what kind of career he wanted to pursue. Only one of Robinson’s parents has college experience, and he – by his own admission – “performed poorly academically” in high school. Halfway through his first year at UNH, “I had no idea what I wanted to do career-wise,” he says.

But Robinson is quick to credit his professors at UNH for guiding him from the start and opening the necessary doors.

“My UNH experience has been shaped by incredible professors who truly love what they do,” Robinson says. “They have so much experience and knowledge in what they teach, so lessons never feel ‘boring.’”

He’s also grateful to the entire College of Liberal Arts (COLA) community for making him the person he is today.

“COLA does an amazing job preparing students for our careers through the resources they provide. I was able to access internship guidance and preparation, funding opportunities, and career advising,” Robinson says. “Without those resources, I never would have known about these opportunities.”

Among the other opportunities Robinson took advantage of at UNH were an internship with the United States Postal Service Officer of Inspector General (USPS OIG), participation in the UNH UK/US Comparative Security Program, and time volunteering with Homeland Security Investigations. Donors again played a role in Robinson’s journey as he was able to access support from the Dean’s Internship Opportunity Fund to help during his unpaid USPS OIG internship.

Looking back on it all, Robinson can fully appreciate how much ground he covered from uncertain freshman to focused UNH graduate. And he has some advice for any other incoming Wildcats in a similar starting place.

“Don’t be afraid to try new things and even to fail. I always reassure myself that it’s everyone else’s first time “living,” so never be embarrassed of failing,” he says. “By doing that, you only become a better version of yourself.”

You can help Wildcats like Cole seek internships and experiential learning opportunities .