November 5, 2026

By Lisa Ambrose

For more than two decades, whenever Ramapo College has asked Peter Seminara ’00 to lend his time, expertise or support, his answer has been remarkably consistent: yes.

That “yes” has taken many forms. Seminara has helped Ramapo students secure internships and jobs. He has shared his professional expertise in classrooms and on panels. He has served in leadership roles with the Alumni Association, Anisfield School of Business and Ramapo College Foundation. And with his wife, Lauren, he established a scholarship endowment that has supported 14 Ramapo business students pursuing their own ambitions.

Seminara’s longstanding commitment to his alma mater was recognized on September 24, 2026 when he received the Havemeyer Presidential Leadership Award at the 39th Annual Ramapo College Foundation Golf Outing at The Tuxedo Club in New York.

“Peter’s dedication, leadership and willingness to give back to his alma mater set the gold standard for alumni involvement,” said Christopher Romano, EdD, executive director of the Ramapo College Foundation, who presented the award. “He leads by example, gives generously of his time and insight, and elevates every group he’s a part of.”

From Ramapo Student to Ramapo Leader

Seminara graduated from Ramapo in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Today, he is a managing director at Morgan Stanley and head of The Seminara Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management.

But his relationship with Ramapo did not end at graduation.

Over the years, Seminara’s connection to the College has evolved from alumnus to volunteer, mentor, philanthropist, Foundation leader and trusted adviser.

For the past 12 years, he has served on the Ramapo College Foundation Board of Governors. He is a member of its investment and golf committees and chairs the Distinguished Citizens Gala committee, helping lead the Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser. His impact was particularly evident at this year’s golf outing, where he brought in nine new sponsors, helping drive a 65% increase in sponsorships over the previous year. 

He previously served as vice president of the Ramapo College Alumni Association and on the Anisfield School of Business Alumni Advisory Board. He has also returned to campus as a guest speaker and panelist, including for the College’s Presidential Speaker Series.

Those roles only tell part of the story.

Seminara has also used his experience and connections in the financial sector to help Ramapo students secure internships, co-op opportunities and permanent employment — extending his involvement with the College directly into students’ professional lives.

That willingness to step up has made Seminara someone College leaders know they can call.

“Peter’s the guy you can count on,” Romano said while presenting the award.

Romano also recalled being asked by President Cindy Jebb several years ago to help bring alumni and Foundation Board members to campus to meet with her. Seminara was the first person who came to mind, and his response to the invitation was simple: 

“Here’s my calendar. Tell me where I can help.”

Since then, Seminara has provided his financial expertise in conversations about the Foundation’s growing endowment, offered advice on approaching donors and made connections when others needed his help.

An Investment in the Next Generation

Perhaps the clearest measure of Peter and Lauren Seminara’s commitment to Ramapo can be found in the experiences of 14 students.

The couple established the Seminara Family Scholarship Endowment in 2013 to support students pursuing careers in finance, economics and other business-related fields. Since then, 14 students in Ramapo’s Anisfield School of Business have received support from the endowment.

Junior finance major Keira Gramlich ‘28 is one of them.

A first-generation college student from a single-parent household, Gramlich is interested in a career focused on financial regulatory rules, market transparency and compliance.

Like the alumnus whose family scholarship is helping support her education, Gramlich has immersed herself in the Ramapo experience.

She serves as a leader in the First-Generation Legacies program, is a member of the College Honors and provides pro bono business consulting through Ramapo’s student management consulting group. She also works approximately 20 hours a week on campus in dining services and as a tutor in elementary probability and statistics.

During the golf outing award presentation, attendees heard directly from Gramlich in a video about what the Seminara family’s support has meant to her.

Her story offered a tangible example of the lasting impact of the Seminaras’ philanthropy: an alumnus who studied economics at Ramapo, built a successful career in financial services and is now helping another generation of Ramapo students prepare for careers of their own.

The Seminaras have supported the student experience in other ways as well, including a gift to the Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons, where a group study room bears the family’s name.

Bringing Professional Experience Back to Ramapo

Seminara brings 25 years of financial-services experience to his work on behalf of the College and its students.

As managing director and head of The Seminara Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, he leads a team serving a national clientele of executives, entrepreneurs, professionals and athletes, as well as their families, businesses and foundations.

For Ramapo, that professional experience has become another way Seminara gives back — whether offering financial insight as a Foundation Board member, sharing career advice with students or helping open doors to professional opportunities.

The Havemeyer Presidential Leadership Award adds to previous recognition Seminara has received from his alma mater. In 2018, he received Ramapo’s Distinguished Citizen Award for his service and commitment to the College.

Yet the impact of his relationship with Ramapo is perhaps better measured by the students who have received a scholarship, landed an internship, made a professional connection or benefited from the time and expertise of an alumnus who continues to say yes when his College calls.

“Peter, thank you for always stepping up, for wearing your Ramapo pride on your sleeve, and for everything you do to make this institution stronger every single day,” Romano said.

Peter and Lauren Seminara live in Basking Ridge with their three sons, Brian, Jonathan and Matthew.