#HomeSweetPo
Ed Chapel ’77
Hasn’t Missed a Year – or a Game
By Diane Couzens | Spring 2026
Ed Chapel ’77 holds a special place in the Ramapo College community. For 28 straight years, and 37 years in total, he consistently has donated to his alma mater through the Ramapo College Foundation. This makes him one of the most dedicated alumni supporters in college history.
“If not for Ramapo, I would not be who I am today,” Chapel says with a warm smile. He admits he was “a terrible student in high school. All I wanted to do was work and play ice hockey.” He wanted to be baker and worked many late hours at the Purity Bakery in Westwood, preparing the shop for the morning bakers. His parents were firm about his education, however, and Chapel landed at Ramapo.
Despite what he called his “less-than-stellar” academic history, Chapel was highly motivated once he arrived at Ramapo. He excelled both in the classroom and on the ice. He recalls, “It was such a varied curriculum and that is the strength of the Ramapo education. And playing hockey made my college experience even more rewarding.” A sociology major, Chapel fondly remembers taking a wide range of courses that he noted gave him the ability to think from multiple perspectives. By his senior year, he had received the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Scholar-Athlete award for his academic achievements and ascended to be captain of the hockey team.
“It was such a varied curriculum and that is the strength of the Ramapo education. And playing hockey made my college experience even more rewarding.”
Ed Chapel ’77
Ed Chapel, fourth from right.
Chapel continued his success after Ramapo, going on to earn his doctorate in sociology. As he completed that degree, he made his first donation: $30 to the Fund for Ramapo College. He kept giving, and since 1998, he has made a gift every year. He directs his support among a few causes that matter most to him, especially the Ice Hockey Club Team.
“I give to ice hockey because … it was a big part of what made Ramapo so special and what made me so motivated to do well academically.”
Now retired, Chapel had a career that included working in survey research, statistics and sampling, eventually rising to serve as a vice president for technology at multiple institutions of higher education and being one of the founders of a technology network consortium. He continues to go to Ramapo’s hockey games and is in touch with many of his teammates. He kept skating after college, playing ice hockey until he was 59. “Falling on hard ice at that age with a back injury was tougher!” he says.
About his incredible dedication, Chapel said, “Ramapo is my first and most genuine commitment. I hope my story resonates with and motivates other alumni to give. It’s just that simple.”
Ed Chapel ’77, courtesy of NJEdge.net