Dr. Robbie Lee Nayman attended Bishop College in Marshall, Texas, where she studied Business Administration and graduated in 1960.

She began her extensive career in academia at the State University of New York,Geneseo, and Buffalo, New York, where she worked as Assistant Dean. Advancing rapidly in her career, she went to work for the University of Wisconsin as a Doctorate Student in Psychology and Education and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

In 1967, Robbie's Ph.D. studies took her abroad, and she was selected as Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year. After being awarded her Ph.D. in Counseling and Behavioral Studies, she was chosen for post-doctorate studies in the Management Development Program at Harvard University. She relocated to Turkey to conduct Doctorate Research in Comparative Education and was subsequently recruited for a psychologist position at Colorado State University, where she served for thirteen years.

From there, she went on to achieve a series of groundbreaking firsts. Highly sought after, Dr. Nayman was recruited to Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, as the first African American Director of the university's counseling center.

Five years later, she was approached by the Vice-President of Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, New York, to be the first African American Dean of Student Affairs, where she served for two years.

Her stellar performance led to her being recruited by California State University, in Fullerton, as the first African American Dean of Student Affairs.

Having started her education at Bishop College, she wanted to share her expertise at a Black institution; therefore, she concluded her career by accepting a position as Vice President of Student Affairs at Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina.