June 5, 2025

by Lauren Ferguson

Ramapo College of New Jersey declared June to be Pride Month during a ceremony on its safe, welcoming Mahwah campus – as the pride flag flew high at the College’s entrance.

“We celebrate pride and culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual people, as well as all people who identify within the spectrum of marginalized sexualities and genders. We also honor those who work tirelessly to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for the LGBQIA+ community,” said Vice President Nicole Morgan Agard, before reading the institution’s official Pride Month proclamation.

The ceremony, held on a sunny summer afternoon in front of the College’s iconic Havemeyer Arch, was an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to reassert Ramapo’s commitment to being a welcoming, affirming safe haven for all.

“To the lesbian gay, bi, trans, queer and questioning students, faculty and staff who are here today, we see you, we hear you, we are with you. And the same is true for the students who just left our campus last month, who will join us in a few weeks at orientation and all those who will once again fill our campus with life in August,” said Eddie Seavers, an ally and Associate Director of the Center for Student Involvement (CSI).

“As we begin Pride Month, let us learn, let us celebrate, let us fight, and let us support,” Seavers told the crowd.

CSI houses Ramapo’s Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Services, where staff work to build a welcoming feminist community that centers women and LGBTQ+ students by promoting education, advocacy, wellness and connection. Within the Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Services is also Queer Peer Services, formed to advocate for LGBTQIA+ students, faculty and staff, and create a safe, diverse, nonjudgmental environment where individuals can feel comfortable being themselves.

The reading of the Pride Month proclamation was held in front of the Havemeyer Arch.

But the responsibility to truly ensure Ramapo is a welcoming environment does not just fall to CSI, Seavers said. It also falls to others, like staff who identify alternative spring break sites where all students will feel safe, those who work with Greek leaders to ensure fraternities and sororities are inclusive, and those who build trainings to prepare staff to support students. “It is every other office on this campus that not only in words, but in actions, shows current and prospective students that Ramapo is a community for everyone,” Severs said.

Ramapo is also home to clubs focused on providing safe environments for LGBTQIA+ community members and their allies. Ramapo Pride was built around providing activist and educational programming, as well as a social network for LGBTQIA+ students, while Faculty/Staff Pride promotes the interests of LGBTQIA+ and allied faculty and staff.

Megan Williams, the College’s new Coordinator of the Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Services, told the crowd that in the few weeks she has been on campus, she has already felt affirmed.

“My identity as a bissexual queer woman has already felt affirmed being here at Ramapo, and professionally … I’m already loving working with my colleagues … I can’t wait to get to know students through the fall,” Williams said.

“As I step into my new position during this meaningful month, I’m looking forward to getting to know you, and you, the members of the Ramapo LGBTQIA+ community and working together to strengthen our presence and impact on campus,” Williams said.

The proclamation declaring June as Pride Month at Ramapo, states, in part: “Whereas Pride Month is an opportunity to appreciate and celebrate the many significant contributions and accomplishments that LGBTQIA+ individuals have made throughout history, culturally, civically, economically, and more, and, whereas in recognizing LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, we also acknowledge that despite the advocacy of so many, the LGBTQIA+ community continues to experience discrimination, prejudice, and inequities that must be addressed and eradicated.”