Jean Roberts, 30+ Years of Student Empowerment
As a young girl, Jean Roberts dreamed of having a big family—and she said she’s found that family in her students.
“God sure does know how to handle prayers, because I have a lot of sons and daughters now,” said Roberts, the executive director of the Learning Assistance Program. “All I can say is that there are some wonderful parents out there that raise some wonderful children. I’m just so happy they share them with me.”
After 32 years at Appalachian, Roberts plans to retire this spring. Having first started her career here in 1984 as the full-time manager of Legends, she has extended her reach to student programming, leadership development, and student development. Roberts initially wanted to have six children—five girls and one boy—but doctors said her body couldn’t handle more than two. Roberts acknowledged she’s now had over one thousand children as her students.
Cindy Wallace, Vice Chancellor for Student Development and close friend, described Roberts as “a fierce defender and a force to be reckoned with.” The two have known each other since Roberts arrived in Boone in 1985 for grad school, when Wallace brought Roberts to her first interview at Appalachian. They have been friends ever since—raising their children alongside one another, cooking countless dinners together, doing thousands of school activities and projects and supporting each other through what Wallace recalled as “some very good times and some really tough ones.”
The tough times Wallace referred to included Roberts’ battle last year with a rare form of cancer. With only 5,000 cases diagnosed per year in the United States, it required six weeks of radiation five days per week and two rounds of chemotherapy lasting 92 hours straight each round. Diagnosed the day after Labor Day in 2014, Roberts’ treatment started last October and lasted until shortly before Thanksgiving. Due to radiation side effects, she was out of work until early January.
An avid runner before the cancer struck, Roberts said that was a main source of motivation and strength through the battle.
“Running changed my life,” said Roberts. “I saw the treatment as a different kind of marathon and I used all of my prior training to get me through the ‘hard’ miles of treatment. It gave me a goal to work towards once the marathon was finished.”
Jumping right back into activity as soon as the doctor gave the “OK,” Roberts ran her first half marathon in Savannah, GA only a few weeks after being cancer-free.
Humbled by the experience, Roberts said that with retirement some of her priorities would now lie elsewhere. In addition to a renewed commitment to take care of her body, the battle made her realize the importance of the little things in life—taking the time to write a loved one a note, cooking dinner for a friend and spending more time with her husband—things she always intended to do but sometimes didn’t follow through with due to an inevitably busy work schedule.
“I like to think that before [the cancer] I was a pretty good wife, a pretty good mother, a pretty good sister, a pretty good friend. Now, I want to be the best wife, the best mother, the best sister and the best friend that I can possibly be. I just need a little bit more time to be able to do that. My battle with cancer was one of those things that have helped me decide, “Okay Jean, maybe it’s time to retire.”
Roberts is the academic advisor for baseball and men’s tennis. She is there to lie out all the possibilities and realities of each student’s academic timeline, but never dissuades them from pursuing any career path they choose.
“My student-athletes are a constant source of motivation and joy—I learn so much from them,” said Roberts. “Who they are, what they bring to the table on a daily basis not only as students, but also with a full-time commitment as athletes is just incredible. Of course I celebrate every good grade and academic achievement, but I am also able to see them perform and excel on a stage where they feel most natural—their sport.”
Roberts said that her students empower her to be the voice they are too often unable to have. When she is given a seat at the “adult table,” she takes the opportunity to be their voice. She said that she makes sure everyone at that table understands that you can’t brush the entire student population in one broad stroke.
“I remember the first time I got wait listed for med school,” said Alain Humblet, former Appalachian State Men’s Tennis player. “I was so discouraged but Mrs. Jean knew I was going to succeed—it was a done deal to her. Seeing her unwavering confidence in my abilities was unreal.”
Humblet came to Appalachian in 2008 from Montreal, Canada in pursuit of a degree in medicine and a collegiate tennis career. He described Roberts as his mom away from home and has continued his relationship with Roberts since he graduated two years ago.
“To have someone I trusted throughout my whole academic career show that kind of belief in me was so motivating,” said Humblet. “After years of grinding and hard work, I’m finally a few months away from getting into a med school and you can bet one of the first people I call is Mrs. Jean.”
Roberts said she hopes her students understand that college is the biggest gross-inducing experience in a short amount of time that they can go through. She said she wants them to realize that they should have no regrets about the life they choose—how they choose to live it and how they choose to make it. In addition, that they understand the impact they have made, and continue to make, on her life.
“Jean has an incredible centeredness,” said Cindy Wallace, “a positive view of the world. She is a giver—she just has that energy that draws people close to her never wanting to let go.”
“Perhaps I will miss the knowledge that there is someone who you completely trust doing really important work that defines what is best about Appalachian on a daily basis,” said Wallace. “Jean's devotion to others, her big warm laugh and amazing beautiful smile. I’ll definitely miss that.”
