Lucy Robins earned her bachelor's degree in biology from Vassar College. She is the co-director of the Vassar College Urban Education Initiative, where she coordinates the Vassar After School Tutoring (VAST) program at Poughkeepsie Middle School, the College Awareness Partnership Scholars (CAPS) online mentoring program with the Collegiate Institute of Math and Science high school in the Bronx, and the English as a Second Language tutoring program at Poughkeepsie High School.