Engage Actively: Mentoring and Experiential Learning

Transcript

Hands-on learning and mentoring are a hallmark of education here at Ramapo, and a 15 to one student to faculty ratio is a big reason why. Just ask Maya, a sophomore Mathematics major who will share why at Ramapo you’re a name, not a number.

– Thanks, Alex. One of the main reasons why I came to Ramapo was so I can get involved and make new friends while gaining some important business skills that I can use towards my future career. Luckily, Ramapo College is the perfect place to do just that. One of my first groups of friends I made coming into Ramapo was through the Honors program. The program is a close-knit family of students and faculty members who work together towards the betterment of the school and ourselves. And as we take classes made specifically for honor students and prepare for our senior research project, we also attend fun events in order to build up our network on campus and make new friends. You know who else is close-knit? The students and faculty relationship on campus. It’s due to the fact that Ramapo has a small class size with only a 15 to one students to faculty ratio. Plus, we aren’t taught by any teaching or graduate assistant, which means that we’re only taught by part-time or full-time faculty members. This opens the door to personalized attention. For instance, my teachers actually know my name and I’m not just some number on a class roster. Moreover, it’s very easy to get involved on campus. As a sophomore, I became president of Enactus, Entrepreneurial Action for Us. It is an international nonprofit organization that focuses on sustainable business. And at RCNJ, we focus on creating products and events based on one or more of the 17 UK sustainable development goals. I’ve worked closely with my club advisor who guides me every step of the way towards managing a team, running events, creating new project ideas, and presenting business pitches. Just because I’ve taken on a leadership role at Ramapo College I have been given the opportunity to reach my fullest potential through experiential learning. Because of Ramapo, I have gained entrepreneurial, leadership, career readiness, and project management skills all while making new friends and having a blast. That was my pitch. Back to you, Alex.

– Maya, there are big things ahead for you. Supportive faculty and staff clearly help Maya learn how to think critically and lead boldly. With an average class size of 21 and no teaching assistants, Ramapo faculty are in the classroom working directly with students on research and projects. This means as a student, you’re always rolling up your sleeves, awakening your curiosity, and encouraging to share your perspective. And that is awesome.