Ramapo’s annual trip to the New Jersey State House in Trenton – The Ramapo News

The annual trip to the New Jersey State House in Trenton, NJ, available to students from the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), Leaders In Service and the Student Government Association, took place on December 4, 2024. The group gathered at the Bradley bus stop downtown before the two-hour drive to Trenton begins.

The group led by Patrick O’Connor, Allie Shapiro, Dylan Heffernan and Natalie Quiñones reached their destination and were taken to the State House Annex where they were presented with two plaques. The first panel consisted of four Ramapo College graduates who now work in various areas of state government: Dr. Tamika Quick, Jason Bergman, Rebecca McNeil and Jamie Vasquez, and the second panel consisted of people currently working in government affairs.

The four Ramapo alumnae panelists began the conversation by discussing their time at Ramapo and how they arrived at the positions they now hold.

Quick, a former EOF student, said the EOF program was her original reason for attending Ramapo College. Here she learned “what it means to be a lawyer for (herself).” After graduating in 2003, she quickly became a member of the Ramapo College faculty and participated in the student activities programs. She attributes her success to developing the relationships she made at Ramapo that allowed her to “become the woman she is and the professional she is.”

Bergman, another Ramapo graduate, now works as a contract lobbyist and is currently working with a pharmaceutical company to provide better reproductive health care to women in New Jersey. When asked what advice he would give students now, he said, “Learn what you love and learn what you hate,” and urged students to try working in different fields to understand better what they would like to do as a possible career.

Rebecca McNeil, the third Ramapo alumni, now works in the governor’s office. She graduated from Ramapo College with degrees in American Studies and Political Science. Her advice to the next generation of students was, “Don’t let imposter syndrome get the better of you,” but still remember to “stay humble.” She made it clear to the students listening that they were there for a reason, even if they were in a situation that they felt they didn’t deserve. They are qualified even if they feel like they are not qualified, but they must realize that they still have a lot to learn.

Ramapo College’s final panelist, Jamie Vasquez, graduated with a psychology major. He described the story of how he became a student at Ramapo College and shared that one day he visited the campus on a school trip and fell in love with the campus, something many can relate to. He also claims that he “truly felt at home for the first time” in Ramapo. After graduating from Ramapo, he worked his way through the criminal justice system, initially working as a detective at a juvenile detention center. Today he works as a research analyst.

The New Jersey Government Affairs Panel educated students about working in state and local governments. It also gave students an insight into the individual graduates who received the many opportunities they may not have had otherwise.

Following the panels, students took a tour of the New Jersey State House, starting with the annex where the panels were held, through the “Tunnel” and the General Assembly Halls. The group even had the opportunity to visit Gov. Phil Murphy’s reception area of ​​his office, a place not many tour groups get to see.

This trip to Trenton was one of many trips offered and gave students the opportunity to speak with alumni and gain information about life in the government world.

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Featured photo courtesy of Allie Shapiro