"Dare to dream, then decide to do."
And that is exactly what Jackson State Vice President/Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson did from a young boy growing up in Jackson to his current role at the university. During his adolescent years, Robinson noticed people getting keys to the city and wondered what it would take to get one - a story he told standing in front of the Jackson City Council on Tuesday morning.
Fast forward to 2026, Robinson found out exactly what it took to get a key to the city as he received his from Mayor John Horhn on Tuesday morning and later that night received a key to the town of Bolton to cap off a week full of accolades for Robinson.
The week off accolades started for Robinson at the Hinds County Board of Supervisors where he received a resolution for the work he has done, and continues to do in athletics. The Jackson-native was honored for his commitment to mentorship, academic achievements, and leadership development; while also being honored for his leadership taking Jackson State to national prominence.
And it didn't stop there, but neither did the dreams for Robinson.
Growing up in the city, Robinson went on to star at Murrah High School in basketball before a stellar collegiate career at Mississippi Valley State where he played 113 games over four years. During that span, Robinson started all but two games and averaged 5.3 assists per game. He finished his career averaging 32.7 minutes per game and shooting 36.5 percent from the floor and 33.9 percent from beyond the arc; averaging 10.0 points per game. His best season came in 2000-01 when he averaged 7.4 assists in 27 games and averaged 9.8 points, following that up in 2001-02 averaging 13.5 points and 6.0 assists per game.
His final collegiate season, Robinson averaged 11.3 points and 5.7 assists, while also averaging 2.3 steals per game to end his career in the 1,000-point club at Mississippi Valley State. He finished his career as the single-season leader and career leader in assists, while also being named the MVSU Athlete of the Year and being named a President's Scholar Award winner in 2002.
His time at Mississippi Valley State earned him an induction into the MVSU Hall of Fame in 2011, followed by an induction into the SWAC Hall of Fame in December 2025.
But back to the dream as a young man. Walt Disney once said - "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them."
And that is exactly what Robinson did after his playing days. He had stops at Prairie View A&M, Delaware State, the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and Mississippi Valley State along his journey with a pair of those stops - Prairie View A&M and Mississippi Valley State - as the athletic director for those institutions. But the journey didn't stop there as the phone call came eight years to come home and run the athletic department at his hometown university.
Robinson has led Jackson State to national prominence during his time in the current role, but it isn't lost on him how he got to where his and how he continues to lead the department to success.
"I want to thank our President, Dr. Gregory," Robinson said on Monday morning. "Thank you for your support that you give athletics every day. I also want to thank my administrators and coaches for their support, if it wasn't for them there would be no Ashley Robinson. This is not about me. This is about our coaches, this is about the university, this is about Jackson State University athletics. This is about the tradition of athletics. My motto is Building on Tradition and Blazing New Trails, and I could not do it without them."
The dream turned into a motto that turned into awards for Robinson leading up to the week. He is seven-time National Athletics Director of the Year – (2024) HBCU Sports AD of the Year; (2024) Inside the HBCU Lab VP/AD of the Year; (2024) HBCU Legends AD of the Year; (2024) Light On College Sports HBCU AD of the Year; (2023) Black Student-Athlete Summit AD of The Year; 2024 Cushman & Wakefield AD of the Year awarded by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA); 2022 Cushman & Wakefield AD of the Year awarded by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Robinson's leadership helped JSU Athletics win the C.D. Henry Award for the best all-around men's sports program in the SWAC in 2022-23 and then again in 2024-25. In May 2024, he was a recipient of the Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award by the SWAC Alumni Association. He also was named the 2024 YG&E Leader of the Year at Young, Gifted, and Empowered Awards show in April. Robinson was named a 50 under 50 recipient Mississippi's Top Urban Elite Professionals in January 2025.
Not to mention numerous conference championships and a pair of national championships - 2025 HBCU Football and 2025 HBCU Women's Tennis.
Those trails and the foundation that Robinson had growing up led him, to not only receiving an honor from the county, but also receiving a proclamation and a key to the city of Jackson - a list that includes former Vice President Kamala Harris, American Idol winner Jamal Roberts, actor Morgan Freeman, and gospel artist Twinkie Clark. Later that night, he received a key to the city of Bolton. But it didn't stop there, Robinson had April 7 stamped as "Ashley Robinson Day" from 2026 moving forward in Bolton.
Think big, dream big, believe big, and the result will be big.
Just ask Ashley Robinson who has had his dreams come true over time at his hometown university.
