When her father pulled up to Clark University for the first time, Robin Cohen ’06, M.P.A. ’07, refused to get out of the car. The high school junior found the campus too small, the neighborhood too gritty, and instantly determined there was no way the university she’d read about in “Colleges That Change Lives” could ever change hers.

She was wrong. And she’s happy to admit it.

“I was not a great student in high school,” Robin recalls, “but Clark saw in me a great learner.”

She forged abiding friendships and mentorships with dorm-mates and classmates, deans and professors, presidents and cafeteria workers. Her bond with Clark has remained strong over the years, with Robin eager to volunteer her time and expertise to make this a stronger institution. At Reunion 2016, she was presented with the Young Alumni Award, which recognized her professional and civic accomplishments, and her continued advocacy for Clark University.

As the associate director of annual giving for Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Robin is particularly attuned to two things: A gift of any size can change lives, and you are never too young to make an enduring contribution.

“Clark introduced me to new ideas and to new people who are still my best friends. It transformed my life, and I want other students to have what I’ve had.”

To that end, Robin has made Clark University a beneficiary of her 403B retirement savings account. While retirement is on the distant horizon for her, Robin is forward-thinking — she’s aligned her long-term giving plans with the University’s educational vision. The woman once so unimpressed that she wouldn’t leave the car, is now committed to keeping the Clark mission at full throttle.

“My gift is a way of telling Clark, ‘I believe in you.’ ”