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“Reach Back and Help Someone Else as I Have Helped You”A Biographical Sketch of Jolene Robin-McCaskill“I did what I did because I believe in you and your only repayment is a thank you and to reach back and help someone else as I have helped you.”When I first started, I was not prepared or ready for college. My GPA reflected my reluctance. Basically, I crashed and burned. After having my financial aid revoked, being placed on academic probation and (although I am a native of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz) flunking music 1003 American Jazz, I left the University of New Orleans (UNO) with a 1.7 GPA. I went to work for several different places. I decided that nothing excited me or was very difficult at least not with the jobs that I could get. I started to get bored and decided to attempt school again, especially since I was not making enough money to support myself effectively. I returned to school after a five year absence and managed to graduate with my last 80 hours earning all A’s and one B. During that time, I commuted back and forth to Baton Rouge everyday, worked full-time, got married, and was accepted into Stanford University’s Ph.D. program in Geophysics. Also, in my defense, I earned that B my last semester when I was 6 months pregnant, carrying 17 hours and a serious case of senioritis. This story is an unusual one because most people do not get a second chance. However, I did. However, I did not manage this academic metamorphosis alone. I participated in the LAMP high tech expo in New Orleans where I won first place in the poster presentation. I was not aware, at that time, how important and life changing this event would be to both my family and me. Al Ashley and Al Baker both stepped into my life at that expo and proved to me that the impossible was not only possible but also achievable. After seeing my presentation at the expo, these men asked me to apply to be an ERULF – Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Fellow at SLAC – Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. At this point in my academic career, I was just realizing that I actually had some academic talent and was starting to believe in myself as a student. I applied to SLAC and was accepted. The summer was a great experience. I returned to school but both Al Ashley and Al Baker kept a close eye on my progress towards graduation. I viewed both gentlemen as my mentors. Whenever I had a question about different possibilities and opportunities after graduation, they would tell me who to contact and the appropriate method to handle different situations. Al Ashley and I were talking one day and he suggested that I apply to Stanford University graduate school. I was flabbergasted because I never thought Stanford University was a possibility for a student like me. I had been doing very well lately but had done so horribly in the beginning. Mr. Baker and Mr. Ashley assured me that Stanford University was a possibility and explained to me how to handle my initial poor academic performance in my personal statement. They mentored and assisted in completing an application packet that not only explained my initial performance but also focused on the stellar performance that I had had upon my return to school after my hiatus. I was invited to Stanford University to visit the campus and meet with the professors in the department. Once again, Mr. Ashley and Mr. Baker were active in preparing me for the interview and informing of the events that would follow the interview. I felt very prepared and relaxed during the interview process. My acceptance letter came as a great surprised to me but not my mentors. They both felt that I had a great chance when I applied. May of 2003, I graduated from UNO, earning a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. I decided to defer my entrance to Stanford University for one year. This year allowed me to enroll in several geophysics classes and learn some of the techniques used in research. My daughter, Jessica, was born on the day that I was supposed to take my finals in the summer of 2003. My professors worked with me and allowed me to makeup the work that I missed due to the pregnancy. I worked really hard for the next year and completed all of the course requirements for a Masters of Science. My family and I left for Stanford, California in August 2004. I returned to New Orleans in March 2005 in order to do a technical presentation for my masters committee. I earned my Masters of Science in Applied Physics. Mr. Ashley and Mr. Baker have both truly cared about and assisted in my success without asking for anything in return. They have forever changed and enhanced my life. Whenever I asked them why have they done everything that they have done for me and how could I ever repay them, their response is always the same: “I did what I did because I believe in you and your only repayment is a thank you and to reach back and help someone else as I have helped you.” I have tried to live up to their belief in me and I have tutored students for free in difficult classes as a way of giving back but I still feel like the things that I have done are not enough. However, I tell everyone that I help that they have to reach back and help someone else as I have helped them. If everyone follows that philosophy, I believe that everyone would benefit.
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