November 12, 2026

by Lauren Ferguson

As a first-generation college student, Jillian Abbood ’26 ’27 said her parents could not tell her what college would be like.

“They kind of trusted that I would find my way,” said Abbood, who graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with her Bachelor of Science in Accounting in May.

With the support of Ramapo’s tight-knit community and partners who believe in the College’s focus on providing opportunities to first-generation students, Abbood has indeed found her way and is thriving.

The ambitious student from West Milford in Passaic County, NJ is now pursuing her Master of Science in Accounting at Ramapo’s Anisfield School of Business, through the College’s 4+1 B.S. to M.S. in Accounting program, which allows Roadrunners to obtain both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years. She is also studying for her CPA exam and working as a graduate residence director in Ramapo’s Office of Residence Life.

“I think that something Ramapo does a really good job at is creating opportunities for their students to take a hold of,” said Abbood, a member of the College Honors Program. She was able to move from a resident assistant to a supervisory role, serve as an upper-class mentor to first-year students through the Peer Facilitation program, and also become an officer in the Accounting Club. “I had all these opportunities presented to me to develop my social and professional skills.”

At Ramapo, Abbood was also presented with opportunities to receive financial support for her education.

She was awarded the Forvis Mazars Scholarship for First Generation Students, a scholarship developed through a partnership between the Ramapo College Foundation and Forvis Mazars, which is among the largest public accounting firms in the United States.

“Being a first-generation student, receiving a scholarship or any kind of financial support is basically like a vote of confidence,” Abbood said. “Someone saw my story. They saw my goals. And they said, ‘I want to support her. I want to cheer her on. And I want her to keep going.’”

In a letter of appreciation to the firm, Abbood wrote: “As an accounting major and a first-generation college student, receiving a scholarship from a highly respected accounting firm like Forvis Mazars is especially meaningful to me. This support significantly eases my financial burden and allows me to focus more fully on my academic and professional goals as I prepare for a career in accounting.”

She wrote that the scholarship has impacted not just her, but her entire family, as her sister starts her own college journey at Ramapo. “Your generosity helps relieve some of the financial stress our family faces and provides encouragement for both of us as we pursue higher education,” Abbood wrote.

In October, Abbood was able to meet the person at Forvis Mazars who played a large part in bringing the scholarship to fruition. Abbood and John Kaplan, campus recruiter for Forvis Mazars, participated in a panel discussion together during the Bridge to Ready: Partnership with a Purpose program at Ramapo College.

The event brought together corporate leaders and members of the Ramapo community to discuss how corporate and community partners are creating opportunities for Roadrunners by expanding access to education, experiential learning opportunities and pathways for successful careers in high-demand fields.

During the program, Kaplan said reading Abbood’s letter, and hearing her words in person “shows that we are making an impact. It just means the world to our firm.”

Forvis Mazars has a history of recruiting aspiring accountants from Ramapo College.

“The main reason why I like working with Ramapo students is how prepared they are,” Kaplan explained. “Their preparation when I go to an event, when I go to a career fair or an accounting club or organization event, they know what Forvis Mazars is. They know their graduation plans. They’re clear about their major and they know other people who have worked for us. The pipeline really seems to work.”

For more information on scholarships available through the Ramapo College Foundation, visit the Ramapo College Foundation website.