Dr. Ursula O. Robinson receives $10,000 South Carolina Arts Commission fellowship; performances added to state's digital art collection

Dr. Ursula O. Robinson

Dr. Ursula O. Robinson receives $10,000 South Carolina Arts Commission fellowship; performances added to state's digital art collection.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. - South Carolina State University's Dr. Ursula O. Robinson has earned one of South Carolina's highest artistic honors, receiving a 2027 South Carolina Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship in Media Arts: Performance.

Robinson, a professor of drama, is one of only eight artists statewide selected to receive the commission's prestigious $10,000 fellowship. She earned the honor after submitting performance clips from her work in Tyler Perry's "Beauty in Black" and "Divorce in the Black," which were selected through a competitive statewide review by an independent panel of nationally recognized arts professionals.

The recognition carries an additional distinction. Robinson's fellowship submission has been selected for inclusion in the South Carolina Arts Commission State Art Collection, ensuring her screen performances become part of South Carolina's permanent digital artistic archive and are preserved as part of the state's cultural history.

"This recognition is deeply meaningful because it honors the work itself," Robinson said. "Every actor pours countless hours into preparing for opportunities that may only appear on screen for a few moments. To know that performances from my Tyler Perry work were recognized for artistic excellence and will now become part of South Carolina's artistic legacy is truly humbling."

The fellowship recognizes Robinson's exceptional artistic excellence, professional achievement and commitment to the craft of performance while highlighting the intersection of her two lifelong passions, professional acting and higher education.

By day, she serves as professor of drama, program coordinator of dramatic arts and director of the Henderson-Davis Players at South Carolina State University. Beyond the classroom, she continues to build an active professional career in film and television, appearing in nationally distributed productions while remaining committed to mentoring the next generation of artists.

Professional success enriches student learning

Robinson's achievement extends beyond personal recognition. It reflects the caliber of faculty teaching in SC State's Dramatic Arts Program and demonstrates how active professional experience enhances the student learning experience.

Her ongoing work in film and television allows students to learn from a professor who is actively navigating today's entertainment industry. Classroom discussions are enriched by firsthand experience in auditioning, script analysis, on-camera acting, professional etiquette, networking and career development.

"This fellowship validates something I have always believed," Robinson said. "Students deserve professors who continue to grow professionally. Every set I work on, every audition I attend, every director I collaborate with and every role I earn becomes knowledge that I can bring directly back to my students. Their education is strengthened because I remain an active working artist."

Robinson's recognition also raises the profile of SC State's Dramatic Arts Program among prospective students, alumni, industry professionals and arts organizations. It reinforces the university's commitment to preparing graduates who can compete successfully in theater, film and television, as well as other creative industries, while showcasing the caliber of faculty leading those efforts.

Recognizing artistic excellence

The South Carolina Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship is among the state's most prestigious awards for professional artists. Applications are reviewed by independent experts from outside South Carolina who evaluate artistic merit, professional accomplishments and sustained commitment to an artist's discipline.

The FY 2027 fellowship class marks a historic milestone, with eight artists selected across the disciplines of Media Arts, Screenwriting, Prose and Spoken Word/Slam Poetry, the largest fellowship class in the program's history.

In addition to the fellowship award, FY 2027 marks the launch of the South Carolina Arts Commission's new State Art Collection initiative, through which fellows may preserve representative works in a permanent digital archive celebrating South Carolina's finest contemporary artists.

For Robinson, the fellowship represents not only a career milestone but also a lasting contribution to the artistic history of South Carolina.

About Dr. Ursula O. Robinson

Dr. Ursula O. Robinson is an award-winning actress, playwright, director, producer, professor and international Toastmaster. She serves as professor of drama and program coordinator at South Carolina State University, where she directs the Henderson-Davis Players. Her professional screen credits include Tyler Perry's "Beauty in Black" and "Divorce in the Black," Hulu's "Murdaugh Murders: Death in the Family," STARZ's "Hightown" and numerous additional film and television productions. Robinson is dedicated to developing the next generation of artists while maintaining an active career in the entertainment industry.