“Everything in my life is a story.” Robin Surber was eager to answer questions about her life as a Northwest Indiana resident and after a few anecdotes it was easy to see why: Robin’s story is one of hard work and inspiration. Every achievement, as well as every struggle, has a lesson to learn from it.
Robin has been a citizen of Michigan City for over 40 years. She was born in a Salvation Army in Cook County Illinois, at a time when women could board while they were pregnant. Nurses would deliver the babies and take them to be adopted.
The couple that adopted Robin was living in Illinois but originated from La Porte County. They also adopted a boy, a brother. The family moved back home to Michigan City when Robin was 8.
“There’s a lot of changes happening in Michigan City that is for the better,” Robin said. “Franklin Square is the best it’s ever been. They’ve put in a lot of work there and it overflows into the community. It’s just going to get better and better.”
Robin’s parents were very old fashioned. Her brother and her were given gender-based chores and while he was expected to go to college, Robin was not. “I grew up thinking that college wasn’t something I could do. But then I realized....”
She realized she could.
Robin was a single mother of three who wanted more for her children than her jobs as a waitress and a bartender could offer. It was difficult to balance school, work, and the attention needs of her family, but she did what needed to be done.
“I think that’s the key,” she said, “getting that starting point. Once you are doing it, it isn’t as hard as you thought it would be.”
The Paralegal program at Ivy Technical Institute was the beginning of Robin’s career in government. After graduation, she got an entry-level job with a lawyer that serviced clients in Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. The experience of learning laws for all three states helped her secure her next position as Deputy Clerk at the LaPorte County Courthouse.
Robin had been sending in her resume for months, hoping to get a job at the courthouse. It was with the help of a friend that she finally got one. After two and a half years she got her second: she became a Court Administrator on the recommendation of the Superior 4 Judge.
Robin went back to school to get a higher degree. She took online classes through Trine University in Angola. Four more classes and she will have a Master’s in Criminal Justice.
“I liked that it was all ages,” Robin said of her college experience, “I didn’t like high school but in college it’s a different atmosphere. There’s no one there pushing you, you are there because you want to be. You motivate yourself. It gave me the chance to have control of my own destiny.”
Now she is the Confidential Executive Secretary to the La Porte County Commissioner, a position that is appointed by the officials of the Commissioner’s office. Robin loves working in the legal system. She has always been interested in law and now has an insider view of the processes. It also allows her to help people.
“I like interacting with the public. It seems like I learn something new every day. Every place I’ve worked is a new experience.”
Robin hopes that her next new experience will be as the La Porte County Circuit Clerk. The office is elected by the people of the county.
“I have the skills to do it,” Robin said, “And there are a lot of things I could do to make the office more user-friendly. My overall vision is that the Clerk’s office is an efficient source of information and assistance to everyone who utilizes it.”
Her plan has several facets. Robin’s ideas include resource centers in both the Michigan City and La Porte courthouses so that citizens have one central location to get the information they need. They can get information about lawyers from the Bar Association, services from the United Way, counseling centers, and even taxpaying intel. She will upgrade the technology to cut back on lost files and clutter, and to grant public access to more files. Robin will also make sure that the courthouse Clerk offices in both cities offer the same services so that no one has to leave their hometown to get help.
Robin’s classes and life experience have taught her how to better help those in needs. Her opinions about the legal system and criminal rehabilitation have driven her to take action. Not only does she work behind the scenes, but she teaches those around her.
“I love to help people. I have learned so much by doing in my life, it feels good to pass that knowledge on.”