Roadrunner Alumni

Tapping Into

Ramapo’s Powerful Alumni Network for Career Success

Ramapo Career advisor with student

LaQuan Norman, director of the Cahill Career Development Center, meets with a student about their career goals.

By Mark Gregorio  |  Fall 2024

An impressive number of Ramapo College graduates are experiencing an immediate return on their educational investment, with nearly 90 percent securing full-time jobs or continuing their higher education within six months of receiving their diplomas. Still, for many Ramapo students, thoughts about their career future and journey can be daunting.

To help with this, students can tap into the significant resources available through Ramapo’s Cahill Career Development Center and the college’s alumni network. The network is full of alumni professionals working in a wide range of fields, and many of them are happy to share insights and help students get their foot in the door. LaQuan Norman, director of the Cahill Career Development Center, explained that alumni networking events such as “Roadrunner Table Talks” are where students can meet with alumni on campus and learn how to further their career aspirations. She noted that alumni networking events like these are a chance for students to understand better the direction their careers could take from those who stood in their shoes at Ramapo.

“For Roadrunner Table Talks, we’ll invite up to 20 alumni to discuss different careers and industries,” Norman said. She shared that it allows students to meet with alumni and discuss real-world issues related to a specific business or industry. “At the end of the event, students network with alumni and learn about the field they are interested in,” she said.

Industry leaders from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education take this further, pointing out that a critical value proposition of higher education is when career centers work with their alumni networks to provide innovative programming. One example is the Cahill Center’s annual career and internship fair where, this year, nearly 500 students had an opportunity to meet alumni, build relationships and find internships and jobs.

Future employers talking to students at Ramapo College's Career Fair event.

The Career Fair gives employers the opportunity to recruit Ramapo students.

According to Norman, Ramapo’s career fairs are consistently filled. “Over 700 students and nearly 160 employers attended our job recruitment events this year. What’s nice to see is alumni returning as representatives of their companies. It’s fantastic to meet with them and make those connections again,” she said. “Our alumni consistently say they are impressed by how much effort our students put into researching companies and developing their elevator pitches.”

Ramapo Career Fair Alumni

Tim Greene ’91, a special agent representing the Internal Revenue Service, said it’s always great to return to Ramapo to see students, speak with them and give them career advice. “When I was here, I got an education at Ramapo that I couldn’t get anywhere else. I am happy to give back to my school and help students with their career goals,” he said.

“Ultimately, I want to bring Ramapo students to my company because I am an alum,” said Meryl Dorais, ’17, an accounting professional at WISS. “I want students to come back, see them succeed and have the same awesome opportunities I had as a student.”

Alex Gutierrez ’09, human resources director for PIM Brands, Inc., believes his well-rounded experience at Ramapo has helped him achieve his professional goals. “It’s great to participate in the career fair and help other future alumni,” he said. “I like being a part of an alumni network that helps students further their career goals.”

Ramapo’s career development programs and alumni help students open doors, learn the ropes and ultimately land jobs. Norman said networking with alumni is essential for students who want to navigate their career exploration phase. “When you’re in your first or second year of college, you may not even know what you want to major in, let alone what field you want to work in,” she says. “Talking with alumni from a range of industries can help you.”

 

Students work with Senior Assistant Director Cynthia Michalewski

Students work with Senior Assistant Director Cynthia Michalewski.

Additionally, many corporate recruiters participating in events coordinated by the Cahill Career Development Center are Ramapo alumni. They also serve as ad hoc Ramapo ambassadors to their companies. “Alums come back to our events because they know the value of a Ramapo education, and they know students are well prepared to enter the workforce,” Norman said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 to 80 percent of all jobs are found through networking. While no statistics reveal the exact percentage of college graduates who find employment specifically through alumni connections, it’s safe to assume that the number is sizable. “Connecting with and leveraging a network of more than 40,000 Ramapo alumni is a solid investment of time and energy that can build meaningful relationships and pay dividends upon graduation,” Norman said.

Ramapo alumni can help with student recruitment, networking and career opportunities and more. Explore how you can get involved and give back at ramapo.edu/alumni/volunteer.