Jerry H. Robbins was born February 28th, 1939 in De Queen Arkansas. The family of five (Robbins was the oldest of three boys) relocated to Conway, Arkansas in 1949 where Jerry attended high school. He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics, as well as state certifications to teach Mathematics, Choral and Instrumental Music, from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas in 1960 while working and living at home. He taught mathematics at the 7th grade level in Clinton, Arkansas and served as Principal of Adrian High School in Adrian Missouri all while obtaining his doctorate (1965) and master's degree (1962) in educational administration from the University of Arkansas.

Robbins first worked at the University of Mississippi, serving as professor (1965-1970) and chairman of the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations of Education from 1970-1974. From there he went on to serve as dean of the College of Education and professor of educational administration at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock from 1974 to 1979. Robbins served Georgia State University as a professor of educational administration from 1979-1991 and as interim dean of the College of Education from 1983-1984 and dean from 1983-1990. He was appointed as Dean to the College of Education at Eastern Michigan University in 1991 a post for the University for 13 years before retiring in 2004 and returning to the faculty in the college's Department of Leadership and Counseling.

Among his other honors, Robbins was selected as an American Council on Education Fellow in 1977-78, served as international president of Kappa Delta Pi from 1982-84, was named president of the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities and was president of the Michigan Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Robbins received an Outstanding Alumni Award in Education from the University of Arkansas in May of 2014.

In addition to his work with the College of Education, Robbins was an active member of the Ypsilanti community, serving as Director of the Ypsilanti Community Band (also known as the Barnhill Band). As of 2014, Robbins was still residing in the area of Ann Arbor, Michigan.