As the Class of 2026 approaches commencement, Ramapo College of New Jersey is spotlighting the journeys and accomplishments of graduating Roadrunners.

May 8, 2026

by Lauren Ferguson

Kyree Robinson-Banks ’26 walked onto the campus of Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2023 with 64 college credits and a dream of becoming a lawyer.

The driven first-generation college student came from Bard High School Early College in Newark, NJ, where he earned his associate’s degree alongside his high school diploma. At Ramapo, he was welcomed into the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program, which creates access to higher education for state residents from backgrounds of economic and educational disadvantage, and provides financial support, alumni connections and services such as one-on-one advising and tutoring.

Now, just three years later, Robinson-Banks is set to graduate with his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a scholarship to Seton Hall Law School, and a solid plan to make a difference in urban communities like his own. He is one of 70 EOF scholars set to earn their degrees this spring.

“It is definitely a place to grow,” Robinson-Banks said of Ramapo. “If you have a choice between two schools, and it’s like ‘Where can I get the most value?’ It is definitely Ramapo. If you put a lot of hard work into it and connect with people and really follow up with those connections, and cultivate different experiences, you can get a lot out of it.”

Connecting to Mentors

One of the biggest things Robinson-Banks said he got out of Ramapo were his mentors, “the people who helped me define what my path was and gave me building blocks to get there.”

He calls Ramapo Vice President of Government Relations Patrick O’Connor ’80, Assistant Director of Civic Engagement Dylan Heffernan ’18 and ’19, and EOF Student Development Specialist Keivon Hemmings ’18 and ’24 “my trifecta.”

Kyree Robinson-Banks ’26 smiles as he speaks with his mentors Dylan Heffernan, Keivon Hemmings and Patrick O’Connor on campus.

“Whenever I have something new to say, or a new development, those are the three voices I want to hear from,” he said.

Hemmings, who is also from Newark, met Robinson-Banks through the EOF program. “Mentoring Kyree has been a privilege. It’s amazing to see a student who is from the same hometown, accomplish as much as he did, and in only three years … I couldn’t be more proud and inspired by his success,” Hemmings said.

Robinson-Banks’ “trifecta” has mentored him through his transformational experience of serving as student trustee on the Ramapo College Board of Trustees, where he used his voice to advocate for students on campus. They also supported him as he helped to grow and cultivate a found-family in the Black Student Union, participated in Brothers Making a Difference, the Civic and Community Engagement Center and Model U.N., and as he interned in local, state and federal government roles.

Kyree Robinson-Banks ’26 helped to grow the Black Student Union during his time at Ramapo College.

“It has been an absolute pleasure working with Kyree and watching him grow and succeed,” said Heffernan. He is always willing to put himself out there and try new things.  He is confident and competent.”

O’Connor shared similar sentiments on his mentee. “Kyree is impressive,” O’Connor said. “When I first got to know him in his role as student trustee, I thought he had enough confidence and curiosity to pursue a legislative internship. I could sense that his inquisitive nature and his interest in government and policy would take him far.”

Student Trustees Sarah Glisson ’26 and Kyree Robinson-Banks ’26 converse during a Ramapo College Board of Trustees meeting.

Learning through Internships

For his first internship, O’Connor connected Robinson-Banks with New Jersey State Senator Gordon Johnson (D-37), a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee whose district covers a portion of Bergen County.

“I was working hands-on on budget topics, and when people came in advocating for appropriations, I was in those meetings, I was hearing from different non-profits … it was really beautiful because I would hear so many different stories of so many different issues,” he said.

He then interned at Newark City Hall with Newark Councilman Patrick Council ’94. “We dealt a lot with housing, so I was able to understand how Newark’s housing works on a legislative level and how the city council plays into that like with tax abatements, and how these things affect the housing market,” Robinson-Banks explained.

Next, he went to Washington D.C. to intern for Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver of New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District which includes portions of Essex, Union and Hudson counties. That experience made Robinson-Banks “more open to work across different lines and with different people,” he said.

Kyree Robinson-Banks ’26 spent a semester interning in Washington D.C.

He was in Washington D.C. during a government shutdown. Motivated to become an expert in affordable housing, he had time to research and learn how affordable housing has worked in D.C. and compare that to his hometown of Newark.

Forging His Future

Bolstered by the guidance of his encouraging mentors and the hands-on, dynamic experiences he garnered as a Roadrunner, Robinson-Banks has decided to focus on land use and zoning law.

This summer, he will enter the Legal Education Opportunity (LEO) program at Seton Hall Law. The program provides “a pathway and transition to law school for students, including those from historically underrepresented communities, who have overcome hardships and show great promise as future lawyers,” according to its website. As a LEO Fellow, he will have access to mentoring opportunities, academic enrichment, and a support network of students, faculty, administrators and alumni.

Kyree Robinson-Banks ’26 is headed to Seton Hall Law.

“I want to do work with affordable housing and urban development, because I’m from an urban community and from a big city. A lot of my interest is in how these cities develop … and how we can pretty much avoid the death of these cities, because there are such vibrant places of culture, and happiness and joy,” he said. “How do we make sure that they develop without replacing the people there?”

Ultimately, he is aiming to work on “things I would have wanted for myself” as a young person in Newark, he said, such as “making more third spaces for high schoolers so they have somewhere to go after school or doing park developments or building new schools … things I know can tangibly affect youth.”

From his public service experience as a Roadrunner, Robinson-Banks said he realized, “I feel fulfilled when my job involves uplifting another person’s life in some way, shape, or form. And if I could do that, while also looking at maps and doing the color coding for zoning, that sounds pretty fun.”