AU graduate returns to Ohio from Florida as president of Mount Notre Dame High School

Ohio feels like home to Michelle Robinson almost as much as Florida, where she grew up and worked the past 20 years.

That’s why she’s looking forward to returning to the Buckeye State to begin a new job in Cincinnati as president of Mount Notre Dame High School on July 1.

Robinson first called Ohio home in the late 1990s when she attended Ashland University.

“I am immensely thankful for the enduring friendships I formed at Ashland,” said Robinson, a married mother with one son whose last name was Gorecki back then. “Maintaining connections with everyone brings me great joy, and I eagerly anticipate seeing my friends more often now that I’ll be returning to Ohio. I am hopeful we can all attend the next AU homecoming together.”

The 2000 AU graduate has many fond memories from her four years at Ashland, including getting used to winter weather after coming from Tampa, Florida.

“The ones that vividly pop in mind are meeting up with friends in Convo, studying in the quad, driving in my first snow storm, Banana Splittin’ event, the ADPi (Alpha Delta Pi) sorority suite and countless swim team bus trips,” said Robinson, who returned to the Tampa area two decades ago to work in a variety of administration jobs in the private school sector, most recently as director of advancement for Carrollwood Day School, an International Baccalaureate school for college-bound students of all ages.

As an aspiring collegiate swimmer, Robinson first found out about Ashland University after being recruited to its reputable swimming program. The University’s strong balance of athletics and academics also interested her.

“Upon visiting during my senior year, I was captivated by the campus’s sense of community, genuine connections and shared values among students,” said Robinson, who graduated Cum Laude and was a two-time NCAA Academic All-American swimmer. “The personal touch, with professors knowing their students by name, resonated deeply with me and affirmed my decision.”

Before returning to Florida after her years at AU, Robinson moved to Cincinnati to attend Xavier University in Cincinnati for her master’s degree in education and then to begin her professional career.

Once she returned to Tampa, she started working in 2005 at her alma mater as the director of admissions at Academy of the Holy Names, an independent private Catholic school for boys and girls in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and a college preparatory high school for young women.

Eventually, Robinson worked her way to Carrollwood Day School and now Mount Notre Dame (MND), an all-girls Catholic high school established 164 years ago by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

“I am excited to engage with alumnae, students, families and community partners to ensure the continued success and growth of Mount Notre Dame,” Robinson said. “I am committed to making a positive and lasting impact for all members of the Mount Notre Dame community.”

According to a letter announcing the new hire to MND alumnae, students, families and community partners from Cristina Seda-Hoelle, chair of the school’s board of trustees, members of the president search committee were overwhelmed with the considerable pool of qualified candidates who expressed interest.

In narrowing down all the strong candidates, Seda-Hoelle added in the letter that the search committee enthusiastically recommended Robinson.

AU has played a significant role in shaping the trajectory of her career, which has been primarily in institutional advancement, spanning development, enrollment management, alumni relations and marketing, Robinson said.

“The education and experiences I gained during my time at Ashland have provided me with a strong foundation of knowledge, skills and networks that have been invaluable in my professional journey,” she said. “My leadership skills also developed through opportunities to serve in executive positions in various student club organizations, sorority and as captain of the swim team.

“Balancing my academic pursuits with athletics consumed much of my time,” she added about AU, “yet I embraced the challenge with enthusiasm.”

Robinson said she plans to embrace her newest challenge as the MND president with the same level of enthusiasm – even enthusiastically embracing the Ohio winters again, too.

“I am excited to bring my leadership skills and passion for Catholic education to Mount Notre Dame, and to continue making a positive impact on the lives of students and the broader school community,” she said.