For most people, tracing back five generations of family history would require some deep digging — scouring Ancestry.com or hunting through relatives’ dusty photo albums for a scrap of the past. But for University of Dayton senior Melanie Robertson that sort of history lives right under her feet. She needs only to walk across campus, where four generations of her family have walked before her, to feel a connection to her roots.
As a fifth-generation student, the Flyer identity is baked into Robertson’s DNA. Her college experience is the current chapter in a family history that has called UD home for more than a century — a deep-rooted legacy that has grown alongside the University itself.
“I lived in the same dorm as my grandfather, Founders Hall, during my freshman year, which was crazy for me to think about,” Robertson said. “It made me feel even more connected to my family’s history and the legacy we share at UD.”
While many students don’t find their college “home” until their senior year of high school, Robertson’s bond with UD began much earlier. “My sister was a senior and I was just a freshman in high school, but for some reason, I went on the campus tour with her,” Melanie said. “When I saw the campus, it just felt like home.”
For Senior Sendoff – an annual celebration where students commemorate their time on campus — many seniors order custom street signs. Robertson requested hers simply say, “Fifth Generation Alum,” and to celebrate her family even further, the Alumni Association surprised her mom, Kathy Robertson ’93 (a fourth-generation Flyer), with a sign of her own.
The Early Generations
Melanie Robertson’s family connections to UD stretch back to the turn of the 20th century, spanning 126 years. The lineage began with her great-great-grandfather, Jerry Joseph Connors, who graduated in 1900, just 50 years after the University was founded. He worked for the Dayton Daily News as an editor and sportswriter, and ran a journalism school in Dayton. It was one of the first of its type in this part of the country.
The tradition continued with Herbert Wagner, class of 1925, who studied mechanical engineering. Herbert was known for welcoming his classmates to play pool at his mother’s home in the Dayton View neighborhood. He even gifted his mother a plaque to honor her, and that plaque remains a family heirloom. It currently hangs in the den of his daughter, Sue ’59, and son-in-law, Jim ’59 Payne. They are Melanie Robertson’s grandparents and the family’s third generation of Flyers.
“It’s very unique that we all have a story to carry through UD,” Melanie Robertson said. “UD brings me a deep sense of comfort because I know my family and I have all shared a positive experience.”
Third- and Fourth-Generation Flyers
Jim and Sue’s time at UD was busy — the couple married during their junior year in addition to focusing on their studies.
To support their new life, Jim spent his nights driving a delivery truck for Dayton Newspapers before heading to class the next morning. The couple shared that the University gave them not only an education, but a blueprint on how to live their values.
“The [Marianist] Brothers and faculty taught by example the importance of goodness, kindness, family and civic responsibility,” the couple shared.
Years later, a stroke of luck allowed them to give back when Jim placed second in the Sprint Classic Golf Tournament at La Quinta Country Club in Palm Springs during the '90s, winning $8,000. He donated his prize money to his alma mater, establishing the Jim and Sue Payne Scholarship Fund, which has since grown into an endowed scholarship.
Melanie Robertson’s multi-generational Flyer status runs through her mother’s side of the family. Kathy Robertson, initially resisted the idea of following in her own parents’ footsteps, despite growing up nearby in Centerville. She was determined to carve out her own path at a larger state school.
Unlike her daughter, she wasn’t sold on UD early on. However, one visit changed everything.
“At the last minute, [my parents] said, ‘Please, let’s go take a look at it.’ We did, and I fell in love with it immediately,” Kathy Robertson said. “It was a really good fit. To me, it’s just a sense of home.”
That sense of home eventually set the stage for her own family’s beginning. After meeting her husband, Tom Robertson ’94, through mutual friends on campus, the couple eventually returned to the heart of the University to marry in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
Giving Back and Staying Connected
Kathy and Tom Robertson are following Jim and Sue’s philanthropic leadership as they established an endowed scholarship of their own. Tom also invests his time in the University’s future by serving on the School of Business Administration Advisory Council, providing professional expertise to his alma mater.
Melanie Robertson is carving out her own path of service. She will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in education and a minor in disability studies, with plans to dedicate her career to special education or disability organizations.
Melanie Robertson developed her heart for advocacy during her first two years at UD as a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, where she served as the junior chair to the vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, and organized events focused on mental health.
Though she plans to gain work experience before heading to graduate school, Melanie Robertson is currently soaking up her final days at UD with her on-campus family.
“My favorite part of UD has been the friendships I’ve built and the time I’ve spent with the people here,” she said. “There’s something special about always seeing a friendly face on campus, creating a sense of belonging that you can’t find everywhere.”
The Future
Melanie Robertson grew up attending basketball games with her father, and while her family never pressured her, they were thrilled when she decided to become a Flyer. Even as she prepares to leave, she still finds herself returning to the spots that have defined her four years here.
“My favorite place on campus would either be the chapel or Stuart Field,” Melanie Robertson said. “Sunsets are always pretty there; I like to walk on the track.”
Melanie Robertson’s decision to attend UD allowed her to join a more than century-long narrative that is still being written — one track walk and sunset at a time.
“Being a multi-generation Flyer means being part of a legacy rooted in love, connection and shared values that have been passed down through my family,” Melanie Robertson said. “I appreciate how special it is to carry that tradition forward while creating my own path and leading with love in everything I do.”
