From Teen Mom to Nurse Practitioner: Amarri Robinson overcomes setbacks to graduate

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Amarri Robinson is a product of struggle and resilience. Teen pregnancy, the loss of loved ones and multiple setbacks are all part of what the mother of two has endured. Still, those challenges never defined her. Next month, she is set to graduate from Alcorn State University with a Master of Science in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program.

The road to success has been anything but easy for Robinson. For her, success is not defined solely by achievements, but by the struggles that fueled her pursuit of a better life.

Her passion for nursing began at a young age while visiting her uncle in a nursing home. Seeing him in poor condition left a lasting impression, and her grandmother offered advice that still guides her today.

“No matter what you do, you do the best you can to take care of people,” her grandmother told her.

From that moment on, Robinson knew she wanted to become a nurse.

At 16, while still in high school, Robinson became a teen mother. As a junior navigating pregnancy, she faced challenges that set her apart, but she remained focused and graduated in 2011.

“I felt good about graduating because some people who had a baby didn’t graduate,” Robinson said. “I didn’t allow people to get in my head, so I knew I had to beat the odds.”

With the help of her mother and grandmother, a plan was put in place to help care for her child during the week while Robinson attended Alcorn State University, returning home on weekends.

Robinson began her college journey at Alcorn in 2011. By 2013, she had been accepted into the university’s nationally recognized nursing program. However, transitioning from the Lorman campus to the Natchez campus proved difficult, and she failed her first semester.

“I take full responsibility for that because I still wanted to party and I didn’t take it seriously,” she said. “I was devastated when I failed. It was a wake-up call, and I had to realize that I was going to be taking care of human beings.”

Forced to start over, Robinson pushed forward but faced another setback, missing the mark by just .03 in her third semester. Around that same time, she was pregnant with her second child.

After returning home, Robinson worked various jobs until her mother encouraged her to return to school, this time pursuing an LPN program. She enrolled at Hinds Community College in Vicksburg, where her determination carried her through the yearlong program. In 2017, she graduated at the top of her class.

“It scared me that I was a nurse now,” she said. “I just remember being excited and happy, and I passed boards my first time.”

Robinson began working at a nursing home in Clinton, but as an LPN, she felt limited and wanted to do more. That desire led her to Meridian Community College to pursue her registered nursing degree.

Her time at Meridian was challenging, as she placed heavy pressure on herself. During her final semester, she faced significant personal loss, including losing her home in a fire and the deaths of her cousin and aunt in a short span.

Despite the hardships, Robinson graduated, but she failed her boards exam on her first attempt — and again on her second.

Determined, she refocused. Robinson stepped away from social media, avoided distractions and committed to studying three hours a day. On her third attempt, she passed and became a registered nurse.

“I’ll never forget going to work the next day,” she said. “I had on all white, and I was so happy.”

Robinson went on to work at a local hospital, where her dedication to patient care quickly stood out.

“I’m going to see what I can do to get that person out of the hospital,” she said.

She continues to inspire others, often without realizing how many people are watching her journey. Many reach out to her for encouragement. Robinson later returned to Alcorn to earn her bachelor’s degree and eventually entered the nurse practitioner program.

“If I could go back and tell the younger me who failed, I would just tell her to hold on because it wasn’t my time,” she said.

While Robinson experienced significant loss along the way, she also gained strength through her support system — something she does not take for granted.

Even off the clock, Robinson remains committed to helping others. Last year, she was seen providing life-saving aid to a shooting victim — just one example of her dedication to the profession.

Now, she uses her skills at the Raymond Detention Center.

“I love it,” she said. “Even though it’s a jail, they are still people, and some of them are the main ones who will take care of you if something happens.”

On May 9, Robinson will reach another milestone as she graduates once again from Alcorn State University.

Her journey is a testament that hard times don’t last forever, and dreams may be delayed, but they are not denied.

Soon, Robinson will walk across the stage, with her two children and her godson there to witness it all.