“Farmingdale’s very own RAM program”

By Bossuanny Macias

FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK OCTOBER 28TH; Students are randomly selected to join the research aligned mentorship program better known as the RAM program. The RAM program provides low-income first-generation students with one-on-one mentorship and an assigned advisor, the opportunity to participate in research projects, early registration, internship opportunities, and further exploration of their career options.  The RAM program is dedicated to equipping students with the necessary skills to transition out of college and into their chosen fields successfully. According to Acting Dean Dylan Gafarian, “ we help students,  traditionally, first generation, low income, or historically minoritized college students, achieve their goals of graduating, graduating on time, graduating with higher GPAs, but also gaining some real world practical experiences, either in the world of undergraduate predominantly internships or mentorship”  

The RAM program was designed to give all students who apply to Farmingdale an opportunity to get in even while not knowing of the existence of the program. Its random selection process allows for students who could benefit from the extra support to get in without having to go through an application process that they may not have been aware even exists. Its selection process ensures that students who are applying to Farmingdale don’t miss out on being a part of the program due to a lack of information on the opportunities it provides for students. Acting Dean Dylan Gafarian explained that this selection process aimed to eliminate any possible factor that might keep students from finding their way into the RAM program, “For a student to have to go through the process, to apply for every individual program because there are so many programs in every school specifically here, we have four different programs that are very similar. If a student has to apply, they need to know what they’re applying for”. He further explained that this selection process allowed students to be considered even without previous knowledge. “We also find that a lot of times, students only find out about programs because of who they know, or how they were raised, or what education they might have. What if that person doesn’t have someone who says, "You'd be great for this’,So that’s why we chose the random selection process.”

A program as influential in a student's life as the RAM Program has a specific metric system that goes beyond simply getting a student to graduate. Graduating on time is a big priority for many students and the RAM program assists them in staying on track as well as not just graduating but graduating with a good GPA while asking how he measured the programs success Gafarian stated,  “
We also want to make sure that students are graduating with higher GPAs. We find that with right interventions, we are assisting students in gaining quality education, but doing it well. We also want students to retain. 
We want students to feel belonged, belonging at Farmingdale State College for a longer period of time. If a student doesn't have types of programs like this, we're not the only one, there's tons of others. If they don't have programs like this, we have found that students will drop out or transfer at a higher rate.” Acting Dean Gafarian wishes to further track the influence of the RAM program in student retention as well as students taking on leadership roles and better understanding the relation between the RAM program's influence on these students’ achievements. “Anecdotally speaking,we find that a lot of our students tend to get involved, run clubs, have a greater presence on campus. They receive different accolades and awards. 
Is that just because we're looking out for those students, and we notice that they're getting those, or are our students doing it at a higher rate because we push them to do it? So I think right now, that's anecdotally, and I'd like to kind of put some metric behind that…”

For many of its members it has provided support, a community, and academic support and opportunities that have had a positive impact on their college career. Student Tyler Henry, professional communications major explains how the Ram Program  has helped him become confident in his research skills and attend events that allow him to network. “The research aspect of it has a lot of influence in that. Yeah, because over the summer, I was working on, well, I still am working on a project. And through that project, it's helped me meet professionals in the field that I'm interested in. 
So, for example, I interviewed many athletic directors for the schools in our athletic conference” 

Another member of the RAM program who chose to stay anonymous explained how the program gave them a sense of guidance and community that allowed them to meet people and become a more outgoing individual  “ As a first generation, yeah, because, like, my brothers went to college, but they didn't help me too much. So, like the guidance part of it all, college can be an isolating experience as a commuter that goes in and out of school for their classes. The RAM program gives its students a place to socialize and belong to a community. 
“ I  think hanging out with other RAM students has definitely made it more, like, a community. All the friends that I currently have are from the program. I mean, you come out of your shell a little bit.”

The RAM’s program's influence and impact goes beyond those 4 years students are in Farmingdale. The Acting Dean reflected on its impact and how students should not think of it every day but in some way realize its influence. Gafarian says “I think what makes the RAM program pretty successful is the unsuspecting impact that it has on a student. They don't need to think about it every day. They don't even think about it while they're here, or even right away when they graduate. 
Maybe in five years, they'll reflect and say, Oh you know what? That was actually really helpful.”

The Research Aligned Mentorship program shows the impact and importance of mentorship and guidance in a student's career and personal development in their college career. The RAM program strives to give low income first generation students the right guidance to successfully navigate through college and eventually take those skills and apply them to their professional careers.