As Ramapo College of New Jersey’s Class of 2025 accepts their hard-earned degrees this spring, they will be led by a spirited student speaker and Honor Guard who have poured their hearts into their academic and extracurricular endeavors as leaders of the tight-knit college community.

Student speaker and Social Work major Nikita Hanover ’25  will share her story and wisdom in front of a packed house of graduating Roadrunners, proud family members, professors, college staff and stakeholders – all eager to celebrate the accomplished graduating class at the Prudential Center. 

Hanover will be joined at Commencement by Ramapo’s Honor Guard: Kayla Brand, Victor Oluwagbemi, Leah Payne, Olivia Romano, and Stefanie Viera. This group of forward-thinking graduating seniors was chosen by the deans of their respective schools based on their outstanding scholarship and contributions to the college. The Honor Guard will each lead their schools during the processional at commencement, as well as carry their school gonfalons the day before during Arching, the most storied tradition on campus, during which students process under the iconic Havemeyer Arch in their caps and gowns marking the end of their college experiences. The College gonfalon will be carried by Oliver Mejia.

Student Speaker Nikita Hanover

Hanover of Hillside, NJ moved from Guyana to the United States when she was 15. Then Covid hit, and everything shut down. So, she said, her freshman year at Ramapo was “a huge adjustment for me to just be on campus, around people, and the American culture.” She struggled to acclimate. Then when she started joining clubs and organizations, she said, “My sense of community started to build, and that’s when I felt like a whole individual.”

Hanover, a first-generation student and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) scholar, adjusted, and went on to earn a slew of leadership awards, be inducted in several honor societies, and consistently make Dean’s List. She serves as President of the Students of Caribbean Ancestry organization, a resident assistant, peer facilitator, and as an EOF mentor. 

Hanover – who will be attending graduate school at New York University for her Master of Social Work – has demonstrated a deep commitment to advocacy, mentorship, and community engagement, and has made a huge effort to help other students feel at home on campus too.

At commencement she said, she wants to reflect on her journey and show others facing hardships that they too can make it. “I want to show many first generation students and students who are also immigrants and just have different identities that you can make it. You can, despite all the struggles that you may experience, and even though it might be twice as hard, it is possible for it to be done.” 

Kayla Brand, School of Contemporary Arts

Visual Communication Design major Kayla Brand ‘25 of Wall Township, NJ, will represent the School of Contemporary Arts.

“One of my proudest accomplishments at Ramapo was consistently making the Dean’s List throughout my time here while also staying deeply involved in campus life,” said Brand, who will pursue a career in the marketing or entertainment industry. 

On campus, Brand has been a peer facilitator, resident assistant, Wellness is Now peer educator and club secretary – roles she said, “allowed me to support others and promote wellness on campus.”

“I am astonished by Kayla’s numerous contributions to the college and community, all while maintaining a nearly perfect GPA,” said Professor of Graphic Design and Interactive Media Bonnie Blake. “Kayla is a tremendously skilled writer, leader, and human-centered designer who will graduate with an exceptional portfolio and a multidisciplinary skillset.”

“I do not doubt that Kayla will continue to thrive in her post-Ramapo journey. I look forward to Kayla’s return to Ramapo someday so she can inspire students to follow in her successful footsteps,” Blake said.

Victor Oluwagbemi, School of Social Science and Human Services

“To be chosen is such a great honor, and I really appreciate the opportunity to represent our entire school,” said Law and Society major Victor Oluwagbemi ’25, who will represent the School of Social Science and Human Services.

Oluwagbemi, of Browns Mills, NJ, is president of the Student Government Association (SGA) and a programmer for the College Programming Board. He said one of his proudest accomplishments at Ramapo was hosting a student-led civic engagement event entitled “The Civics You Were Never Taught” to help educate people on campus on current events and foundations of law and rights.

“Victor is bright, curious about learning more, and exudes leadership,” said Dr. Aaron Lorenz, Dean of the School of Social Science and Human Services. “Having a conversation with Victor, one is quickly reminded that he understands the academic material in ways that only graduate students often do. He takes in the information but wants to contextualize it and connect it to other classes and themes.” 

Lorenz also said Oluwagbemi – who plans to attend law school after graduation – thrives as SGA President. “Students want to be led by him and they know that he’s always going to put student interests’ first,” he said. 

Leah Payne, School of Theoretical and Applied Science

Bioinformatics major Leah Payne ‘25 of Newfoundland, NJ, was chosen to represent the School of Theoretical and Applied Science.

“I’m proud to be able to show off my academic achievement at Ramapo, and be recognized for the projects I’ve done, and for the relationships I’ve built with my professors,” said Payne who plans to pursue a career in medical research to “make the world a better place.”

With a perfect 4.0 GPA, Payne, a Presidential Scholarship recipient, has made the Dean’s List every semester. She has conducted research on creating an organic chemistry website and random problem generator, and has been a tutor for Computer Science and Bioinformatics.

“I like to do the tutoring because I know how it felt to be in their position at that time in class, and I want to be able to give them a helping hand in any way I can,” Payne said.

Dr. Edward Saiff, Dean of the School of Theoretical and Applied Science and Professor of Biology, said Payne “really shined these last four years at Ramapo. She is the perfect student.”

Saiff said Payne “personifies who our graduates are in terms of her intellect, her personality, and her willingness to do pretty near anything.” For example, he said, Payne’s advisor was so confident in her abilities that Payne was asked to give a presentation on the current advancements in gene editing to the Ramapo Retiree Association, made up of retired professors and staff. “The retirees thought it was just incredible,” Saiff said.

Olivia Romano, Anisfield School of Business

Marketing major Olivia Romano ‘25 is proud to represent the Anisfield School of Business. Romano transferred to Ramapo from Bergen Community College and commutes from her home in Franklin Lakes, NJ.

“It feels so rewarding, because I really do love Ramapo and I really tried as much as I could to study really hard and be a part of whatever I could to make meaningful connections with my professors,” she said. “It means so much that the work I did in the time I was at Ramapo was recognized.”

Romano’s professors see great potential in her. “Olivia is a diligent, creative and conscientious student with a strong work ethic and excellent leadership skills,” said Marketing Professor Dr. Desislava Budeva. “Despite maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA, she remains humble and consistently respectful.”

Marketing Professor Dr. Kathryn Zeno called Romano “an exceptional student, scholar and person. She is intellectually curious, goal oriented and driven.”

Romano, who plans to pursue a career in marketing or public relations, is already applying skills she has learned in class to several outside endeavors, such as her internship at Coyne PR, and her role at Christie’s International Real Estate where she  manages social media accounts for brokers and agents. She also runs her own small business, which specializes in handmade women’s apparel which she promotes and sells through Instagram.

Stefanie Viera, School of Humanities and Global Studies

Stefanie Viera ’25 of New Milford, NJ, called it “an honor” to represent the School of Humanities and Global Studies. “I have so much love for the faculty and the curriculum that the school provides,” said Viera, a double major in Humanity and Global Studies and History.

One class she took in particular, her freshman honors global awareness class, was “life changing,” she said.

“It was that class that made me realize the career path I wanted to pursue – advocating for migrant communities through policy,” said Viera, who will be graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA in just three years. 

Her first step after graduation is as a New York City Urban Fellow, a highly competitive nine-month fellowship where she will attend seminars and meet leaders in the policy field. Viera is the first student at Ramapo College to be awarded this fellowship. 

Viera has earned a number of impressive accolades during her college career, including a slew of scholarships, fellowships and inductions into numerous honor societies. She is a finalist for the extremely competitive Truman scholarship and a semi-finalist for a Fullbright scholarship. She has earned hands-on internships at organizations such as the Sadie Nash Leadership Project, Patrick’s Kids Foundation, Immigration and American Citizenship Organization, International Rescue Committee, and American Red Cross, and even started a mentorship program for disadvantaged youth to expose them to college.

“She has this combination of a solid footing in the humanities and experience in doing all of these applied initiatives and internships really aimed at changing the world through community engagement,” said Dr. Susan Hangen, Dean of the School of Humanities and Global Studies at Ramapo, who called Viera “a really special person.” 

Oliver Mejia, Student Government Association

Economics major Oliver Mejia ’25 of Bergenfield, NJ, was selected by the SGA to carry the Ramapo College gonfalon during the Arching ceremony on campus.

Mejia, SGA’s vice president, is also the founder and president of the Ramapo Management Consulting Group, where he leads teams to provide pro-bono consulting for local businesses. He has held outside internships, such as a consulting internship at KPMG, where he plans to work as a strategy consultant after graduation.

“Throughout my academic journey at the college, the aspect that has stuck with me the most is the professors. They have not only supported me in the classroom but have also helped me with internship applications, advising clubs, and offering general life advice,” he said. “The connections I made as soon as I stepped foot on campus have shaped me into the student I am today.”