November 20, 2025

by Lauren Ferguson

Ramapo College of New Jersey’s growing population of first-generation students gained their own spot on campus to connect and find support when the First-Generation Student Center space officially opened to roadrunners this month.

“The First-Generation Student Center is more than a resource—it’s a reflection of our values. It’s a promise to our students that they are seen, supported, and that they belong. It’s a place where questions are welcomed, stories are shared, and community is built,” said Gabriella Ammiano, director of Ramapo’s Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program and Student Success, which houses the First-Generation Student Center.

Ammiano, who was a first-generation college student herself, made her remarks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Center’s physical space on Ramapo’s welcoming Mahwah, NJ campus.

The long-awaited space opened in the midst of a boom for Ramapo’s first-generation population – defined as students whose parents or legal guardians have not completed a bachelor’s degree in the United States. In Fall 2025, a record 47% of the College’s new students reported being first-generation. And since 2022, enrollment of first-generation students in Ramapo’s incoming classes has grown by 55%.

First-generation students Jennifer Lopez ’27, second from right, and Chantalle Reyes ’26, right, joined supporters, including Ramapo College President Dr. Cindy Jebb, to cut the ribbon and officially open the First-Generation Student Center.

Recognizing that first-generation students could benefit from additional and tailored support, Ramapo’s First-Generation Student Center was first established in 2022 through a Priority Needs Proposal (PNP), as part of the College’s 2021-2022 Strategic Planning Process. Since 2022, the Center has provided purposeful support and engaging services to create an equitable environment for first-generation students. But the center lacked a physical space until this month.

Assistant Director of the First-Generation Student Center Uma Mahalingam ‘18, a first-generation student during her time as an undergraduate at Ramapo, hopes the new space will serve as a “second home” to the students she serves, where they “always feel seen, supported, and celebrated.”

“Home isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling … With the opening of our new physical First-Generation Student Center, that feeling now has a place to live and grow. It’s more than just a room on campus; it’s a symbol of beginning, becoming, and belonging and the strength of our first-generation community,” Mahalingam said.

Ammiano called the ribbon cutting “a celebration of identity, resilience, and the transformative power of education—the power to change not just individual lives, but the lives of entire families and communities.”

First-generation Social Work major Jennifer Lopez ‘27, of New Brunswick, NJ, who interns in the Center, agreed. “We are building a legacy that will last for generations to come,” she said.

First-generation students celebrated the official opening of the First-Generation Student Center on campus.

The establishment of the First-Generation Student Center shows Ramapo is committed to creating upward social mobility, supporting students and empowering them to thrive.

“When you come to Ramapo, we not only understand the experiences of students who are first in their families to go to college, but we have the structures and people in place to support you from day one through the transformational day of commencement,” Ramapo’s Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement Dr. Christopher Romano said.

In the Best Colleges 2026 rankings released by U.S. News and World Report, Ramapo College broke into the top 100 schools in the Top Performers on Social Mobility category – an indicator of the ability to improve one’s socioeconomic standing through education and career opportunities. Ramapo’s 34-point jump to #85 in the category, the highest increase by a New Jersey institution, is a testament to its strong infrastructure to support upward social mobility.