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Student Leadership Awards

                   

This picture features students holding awards at the reception.

Overview: 

The Annual Student Leadership Award Reception is a night of recognizing and awarding Ramapo College’s outstanding student leaders. The 2025 Awards that will be presented will be the Pillars Award (for Seniors), the Jerome Lee Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership (for Seniors), and the Award for Outstanding Leadership (for all class years). Read their descriptions below or apply here for this year’s awards!

Applications for the 2024-2025 Student Leadership Awards will open in Spring 2025. If you have any questions about the upcoming Student Leadership Awards, please email Student Leadership at leaders@ramapo.edu. 

Award Descriptions: 

This picture has a group of five students holding leadership awards at the reception.

Award for Outstanding Leadership

Award for Outstanding Leadership (up to 20 leaders total may be selected for this award, approximately 4-5 per class year): This award is for students who demonstrate exceptional campus leadership. Awards will be selected by class year (First-Year Student, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior)  for RCNJ campus involvement, academics, and leadership.

The Jerome Lee Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership

Jerome Lee Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership (up to 3 leaders will be selected for this award): The Jerome Lee Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership is named in honor of the Director of the Student Center who died in 1995. Jerome Lee valued high ethical and moral standards and gladly extended his capacity for human love to all those with whom he came in contact. Applicants for the Jerome Lee Memorial Award should demonstrate in their work within the co-curriculum leadership through grace, human kindness, and the art of gentle persuasion—all traits which characterized Jerome’s work. To be eligible students must be seniors with a graduation application on file for January 2025, May 2025 or plan to graduate August 2025.

The Pillars Award

The Pillars Award (up to 3 leaders will be selected for this award): This prestigious award honors those senior student leaders who have demonstrated over the course of their career at Ramapo College outstanding leadership, a strong commitment to the mission of the College, and dedication to fostering a positive and inclusive living and learning environment. The recipient should be considered by others to be the product and embodiment of the four Ramapo pillars of interdisciplinary curriculum, international education, intercultural understanding and experiential learning.  To be eligible students must be seniors with a graduation application on file for January 2025, May 2025, or plan to graduate August 2025. The criteria for consideration are as follows:

  • Outstanding contributions to the quality of campus life through sustained participation in co-curricular activities and/or programs.
  • Improvements in the college community through initiation of services or programs which support the college’s mission and strategic plan.
  • Distinctive service to the student body through exceptional performance in an established position, whereby the manner in which the duties of that office were discharged have a substantial impact on the quality of student life and campus climate.
  • Performance, leadership, communication, and commitment that reflects the ideals of the four pillars of Ramapo which may be viewed here: ramapo.edu/about/mission/

 

This picture has seven student leader holding awards at the reception.

Eligibility:

Award recipients will be selected based upon RCNJ campus involvement in leadership activities, including, but not limited to:

  • Student Government Association
  • Clubs/Organizations/ Sororities/ Fraternities
  • Honor/ Professional Societies
  • Community Service/ Activism
  • Residence Hall Involvement
  • Serving as a Peer Facilitator/Tutor/Mentor
  • Athletics

In order to be considered for an award, a student must:

  • Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student (or a January 2025 graduate).
  • Maintain a 2.5 Cumulative GPA and be in good judicial standing at the College. Academic and disciplinary histories will be reviewed and may affect award decisions

Applications for the 2025 Student Leadership Awards will open during the Spring 2025 semester.

For more information please email the Student Leadership team: leaders@ramapo.edu
This picture features a group of students with President Jebb outside near the Ramapo rock on grass for their ceremony.

Congratulations to all of the 2024 Student Leadership Award winners!

This picture features a group of students with President Jebb outside near the Ramapo rock on grass for their ceremony.

2024 Award Recipients:

Award for Outstanding Leadership

Outstanding Leadership by a First-Year Student

Franco Miyashiro
Samantha Schley

Outstanding Leadership by a Sophomore Student

Desiree Bounds
Faith Duncan
Luanne Hernadez
Daniel Rajakumar
Stephen Raymond
Chantalle Reyes
Abigail Rojas

Outstanding Leadership by a Junior Student

Saadat Chowdhury
Nikita Hanover
Gloria Jeong
Sharleen Lee
Victor Oluwagbemi
Ekaprana Ramesh
Naydelin Reyes Rodriguez
Larissa Wade

Outstanding Leadership by a Senior Student

Chloe Carter
Nashari Payano
David Ripinsky
Madison Weeks
Madeline Zech

Jerome Lee Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership

Niki Bajracharya
Matthew DiPietro
Katherine Morales
Maya Peacock

The Pillars Award

Maxianne Best
Allison Contreras
Jasmine Jones
Jenna Vesey