(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)May 28, 2026

MAHWAH, N.J. — Ramapo College of New Jersey has received a $500,000 gift from the Russell Berrie Foundation to support first-generation student retention through scholarships and expanded support initiatives within the College’s First-Generation Student Center.

For first-generation students, getting to campus is only the beginning of the challenge. While first-generation students continue to enroll in college at increasing rates nationally, they often face disproportionate barriers to persistence and degree completion, including financial strain, limited support networks, and difficulty navigating college systems. Staying enrolled through graduation often requires sustained academic, financial, and personal support systems that help students navigate the realities of college life. 

The investment will strengthen programs and services designed to help first-generation students persist through to graduation, including academic support, mentorship, engagement opportunities, and scholarships for currently enrolled students.

“At Ramapo, we know that access to higher education is only the beginning. This tremendously generous gift from the Russ Berrie Foundation strengthens our ability to support first-generation students as they persist toward graduation and prepare for meaningful futures beyond Ramapo,” said Ramapo College President Dr. Cindy Jebb. “Our partnership has long been rooted in a shared commitment to developing and recognizing empathetic problem solvers, ethical change agents, and responsible leaders who make a positive impact and thrive in a changing world.”

That partnership includes support for the construction of the Angelica & Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts and the Russell Berrie Nursing Scholarship at Ramapo. 

The announcement comes as Ramapo College and the Russell Berrie Foundation mark more than three decades of collaboration, including the annual Russ Berrie Making A Difference Awards, which concluded this year after 30 years of recognizing changemakers making a meaningful impact in their communities. This year’s program focused on Gen Z leaders, reflecting the Foundation’s continued investment in students and in the support systems that will help future generations lead in their own communities and professions. 

Idana Goldberg, CEO of the Russ Berrie Foundation, said the gift reflects the Foundation’s continued commitment to educational opportunity and long-term student success. “The Russell Berrie Foundation is proud of our decades-long partnership with Ramapo College and pleased to support its growing commitment to first-generation students. Russ Berrie believed deeply in the ability of one person to make a difference, and this investment in student success reflects both that legacy and a core Jewish value: that education is a powerful way to honor and expand human potential.” 

Ramapo College’s First-Generation Student Center was established to help address those challenges through mentorship, academic support, community-building, and targeted student engagement initiatives. The College’s focus on student access and degree completion has also earned national recognition for social mobility from U.S. News & World Report. Since 2022 when the Center was established, enrollment by new students who identify as first-generation has increased 55%. To meet the needs of the growing population, the Center expanded during summer 2025 and held a ribbon-cutting in November during National First-Generation Student Celebration Month. 

To learn more about Ramapo College and the First-Generation Student Center, visit ramapo.edu. 

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.

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