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Raciti, Sebastian J. Scholarship

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For 31 years Sebastian Raciti, known as Sib, served in various roles that were instrumental in the development of Ramapo College. Dr. Raciti was one of Ramapo’s founding faculty, arriving in the College’s second year. He held various posts during his tenure including director of the School of Metropolitan and Community Studies, dean of the School of Administration and Business, vice president for Academic Affairs, vice president of Institutional Advancement and professor of Economics. He was also the director of the Governor’s School for International Studies, a summer program for gifted high school students. In his administrative roles, Dr. Raciti helped design new academic programs, raised funds to support new initiatives and scholarships and recruited new faculty. He earned bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Fordham University.

  • For any student majoring or minoring in Economics
  • Recipient chosen by the ASB Scholarship Committee

Scholarship application is closed for this semester.


2024 Recipient

Michael Mullane

Michael Mullane of Pompton Lakes N.J. is an Economics major and plans to minor in Computer Science or Finance. He has a GPA of 3.5 and was a member of NHS and on the Dean’s Honors List at his previous university, Case Western Reserve University.

At Ramapo, Michael has been active in the 2022 Leaders in Service program and plans to be an active member of the CCEC and orientation leader program. As an orientation leader and LIS mentor, Michael hopes to get new students involved at Ramapo and help foster a healthy student body.

Michael has also been involved in off-campus activities, including the Pompton Lakes Volunteer Fire Department, and is a handyman for EZ-Fix Handyman services in Wayne. As a handyman, Michael has performed numerous home improvement and renovation projects for clients in Wayne, N.J., and surrounding townships.


2023 Recipient

Ryan Schwartzman

Ryan Schwartzman of West Milford N.J. is an Economics major with a minor in Business Analytics. He has a 3.65 GPA. Ryan is extremely grateful for this opportunity.



2022 Recipient

Emile Eeckhout

“Ramapo has given me everything I could have hoped for when I decided to study abroad,” says Emile Eeckhout. Emile is a junior Economics major from Ottignies, Belgium. He has a 3.8 GPA.

Emile  is in the Honors Program, on the Dean’s Advisory Council, and is on the RCNJ swim team, where he serves as captain and holds two school records.

“Studying in a foreign country in a new language hasn’t always been easy, but I am very proud of my academic and athletic successes so far,” he says

After graduation, Emile plans on getting a masters degree at the University of Amsterdam to eventually work back home in Europe.



2021 Recipient

Illiana Natale

“Thank you to all the incredible professors who have challenged me to reach my full potential,” says Honors student Illiana Natale. The Elmwood Park, N.J. resident is an Economics major with a 3.91 GPA. 

Illiana is the Secretary for the Psychology Affiliation, where she helps organize club events. As an Honors Developmental Group leader, she mentored first-year Honors students transition to the program and campus life, an experience she deemed rewarding. 

This year, she presented research at the virtual National Collegiate Honors Council. After she graduates, Illiana plans to work in economics before attending a graduate program. 



2020 Recipient

Kevin Afonso Duque

Kevin Afonso Duque of Paramus, N.J. is an Economics major. He has a 4.0 GPA and is a member of Ramapo College’s Omicron Delta Epsilon, Alpha Lambda Delta, Beta Gamma Sigma, National Society of Leadership and Success, and New Jersey Collegiate Business Administration Association honor society chapters.
Kevin currently works as an Anisfield School of Business (ASB) Research Assistant for two professors. He plans to join the Roadrunner Financial Group and take part in the Federal Reserve challenge during Fall of 2020.
He is especially proud of the academic awards he has received as a first generation college student and understands the complexities faced by the less fortunate. His overall scholastic goal is to eventually obtain a PhD. Due to his extensive interest in Macroeconomics, he hopes to eventually work for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Kevin’s favorite quote is from Calvin Coolidge: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent…”


2018 Recipient

Cody Collins

Cody Collins of Martinsville, N.J. is a double major in Economics and Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He has a 3.71 GPA.

At Ramapo, Cody has been involved in the Roadrunner Financial Group, Sports Club, and academic research.



2017 Recipient

Stephen Geerlof

As the Student Trustee for the College’s Board of Trustees, Stephen Geerlof has had the opportunity to represent the student body and learn how the separate divisions of the College come together to provide the best education to its students.  He is also an intern for the Peer Facilitation program and oversees 84 upper class mentors who assist first year students.  “Interning in this role is important to me because I owe much of my success at Ramapo to older students who helped me in my first year,” said Stephen.

Stephen is an Accounting Major, with a minor in Economics, and has a 3.96 GPA.  He has been on the Dean’s List every semester. His hometown is Maywood, NJ.



2016 Recipient

Jonathan Adam

Jonathan Adam is from Scotch Plains, NJ  and is majoring in Economics.



2014 Recipient

Brittany DalCais

After a two years at SUNY Oswego, Brittany DalCais is in her junior year at Ramapo, majoring in Economics. She is a member of the track and field team as a pole vaulter. “Ramapo has a nationally ranked vaulting coach, and I knew that attending Ramapo would positively and tremendously impact my jumping,” Brittany said. “Also, Ramapo’s business school is of a high caliber.” Brittany is from Hewitt, NJ and has earned a 3.92 grade point average.


2013 Recipient

Saroj Maharjan

Saroj Maharjan is an international student from Nepal majoring in economics and accounting. He has a grade point average of 3.94.
On campus, Saroj has participated in the Federal Reserve Challenge, the CFA Research Challenge Team, the KPMG mentorship program and the United Nation’s DPI Public Youth Conference.



2012 Recipient

Christine O’Neill

Christine O’Neill of Harrington Park, NJ is an Economics major. She is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon and Beta Gamma Sigma, and serves on the College’s Judicial Review Board. She is an assistant with the Eastern Economic Association, an organization that is based at Ramapo College. Christine is the first in her family to attend college. A senior, Christine has a 3.79 grade point average. She would like to become a lawyer.



2011 Recipient

Martin Cohen

Martin Cohen of Woodcliff Lake, NJ is majoring in Economics and Finance. He serves as assistant to the executive director of the Eastern Economic Association, a not-for-profit corporation whose objective is to promote educational and scholarly exchange on economic affairs that is based at Ramapo College. Martin is a member of the Federal Reserve ChallengeTeam, Hillel and the Ultimate Frisbee Team. The junior has earned a 3.85 grade point average and plans to obtain a doctorate in Economics and become a professor. Martin says, “This scholarship means that I have the recognition and support of my school in my future endeavors.”



2010 Recipient

Brandon Pecoraro

The 2009-2010 recipient of the President’s Cabinet Scholarship was Brandon Pecoraro. Brandon is currently a senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. After graduating from high school, Brandon’s band signed with a record label, performed around the country and successfully released an album nationwide. “From age 16 I was part of management in my own national business which became selfsustaining,” he says. “Once I had attained these achievements, I kept my promise to myself to pursue higher education.” Brandon has earned a 3.94 grade point average. He is from New Milford, NJ.



2009 Recipient

Adam Biener

Adam Biener is a junior majoring in economics. “I hope to complete a math minor and a music minor as well,” he says. This year Adam was elected as a senator to the Student Government Association. He is a peer facilitator and teaching assistant for freshman seminar classes, and a tutor for fellow students in economics and corporate finance. He is a production manager for WRPR, the College radio station, as well as a DJ. Adam participated on Ramapo’s Fed Challenge team, competing against schools from throughout the country at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He is from River Vale, New Jersey.

The Raciti Scholarship is named after an esteemed business professor whose legacy has set the standard for teaching the subjects I am studying. Hoping to one day be a professor of Economics, the generosity of the Raciti family provides me with the means and the drive to continue.

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