December 30, 2025

by Emilia Koenigsmark ‘29 and Lauren Ferguson

Jackie Reed ‘26 has keen interests in both mental health and community engagement.

At Ramapo College of New Jersey, she combines those interests by majoring in psychology and minoring in both substance use disorders and civic and community leadership. She also works for the Civic and Community Engagement Center on campus, and leads Ramapo’s Psychology Affiliation club, which discusses topics such as stress management and student life.

In October, Reed shared her passions for both mental health and community engagement with college students from across New Jersey when she served as a presenter at the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education’s (OSHE) inaugural NJ Higher Education Student Mental Health Summit.

The event, held at Kean University, brought together college students from throughout the Garden State to listen to stories on finding community, building resilience and thriving in higher education, and to learn about mental health advocacy and resources.

“I believe I was chosen to present because my main focal point of the presentation was how community engagement fosters positive mental health on campus,” said Reed, of Ringoes, NJ. “I think they liked it because it brought a community engagement point of view to higher education.”

As president of the Psychology Affiliation club on campus, Jackie Reed ’26 discusses topics such as stress management and student life. 

Reed’s presentation highlighted the powerful connection between community engagement and student wellness, and focused on how college students can prioritize the eight dimensions of wellness – physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, financial and environmental.

Reed hopes that by sharing her experiences and expertise with peers, she helped to spread a message that will help others prioritize mental health.

“I’m interested in student mental health and the impact we make on individuals,” Reed said. “Mental health really matters because the more people we impact, the more the wider community is affected. This makes for a healthier campus environment.”

The summit was far from the first time that Reed has made a positive impact on others as a Roadrunner.

Jackie Reed ’26, far right, participates in service projects through Ramapo College’s Center for Student Involvement.

During the College’s 2025 Civic and Community Service Awards ceremony, Reed was awarded the Student Civic Engagement Award for her service on and off campus.

“Through her involvement as a member of the service-focused co-ed fraternity Alpha Phi Omega; as a Big in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal and Northern New Jersey program; and as a Peer Mentor in the Leaders in Service program, Jackie has made ripples on campus and in the community year after year,” said Allene Shapiro, coordinator for community engagement in Ramapo’s Center for Student Involvement (CSI). Reed also does volunteer projects through CSI and serves as a substitute teacher in her hometown.

Allene Shapiro, left, coordinator for community engagement in Ramapo’s Center for Student Involvement, presented Jackie Reed ’26, right with the College’s Student Civic Engagement Award.

She plans to study forensic psychology in graduate school, and is particularly interested in victim statements and evaluations. However exactly her future career pans out, one thing is clear. She will continue to make an impact on those around her. As Shapiro shared, Reed has a “consistent and steadfast spirit for serving her community.”