Meet Our Raptor Ambassadors

Arianna is a senior Health Sciences major with a double minor in Psychology and Leadership.
She is the past President of the Filipino League of Innovative Pinoy Students, a mentor in the Leadership Institute, works for Athletics, and is a proud Executive Ambassador Leader. She commutes to campus via the PATCO Train.

How would you describe the community of students on campus here?
"We don’t call anybody freshmen, we call them first years. We have a lot of transfers and international students so we don’t want to refer to anybody by the point they’re starting at, but rather celebrate what they can become."

Why do you prefer commuting to school?
"I can’t recommend commuting enough. I think everybody should be using public transportation. I can take the River LINE to Camden or the PATCO to Philadelphia. I’m even part of a program where I get a gift card back for how much I spend on transit per month. So commuting saves me money, allows me to be more independent, and I still have access to a lot of great opportunities."

"Rutgers–Camden is a diverse and welcoming community that has provided me with the opportunities to grow as a scientist and as a leader."

Kiyoshi was born in Virginia Beach, VA but has spent most of his life in West Deptford, NJ. He is currently a part of the College of Arts and Sciences and is majoring in Biology with a double minor in Chemistry and Psychology. He is currently scheduled to graduate in May 2023. Kiyoshi is a senior member of the Fried lab researching sleep and chronic pain utilizing fruit flies, the student representative for the RUC*DC (Driving Change) Group, and the Vice President/Community Service Chair for his Fraternity Alpha Chi Rho. Kiyoshi will also be a Resident Assistant for the Office of Housing and Residence Life this Fall and is a Raptor Ambassador for the Office of Admissions.

"As a nursing student and a commuter, I was afraid of how I would get involved in campus life, but I quickly learned Rutgers offers a multitude of ways to do just that!"

Alana is a senior Nursing major. She is a manager of the Rutgers–Camden Men's Ice Hockey team and a Raptor Ambassador leader. Alana is a commuter, but has taken advantage of the many ways to get involved in campus life! She hopes to pursue nurse anesthesia in graduate school.

Katherine is a junior Nursing major with a minor in English. She is a tutor in the Learning Center, a member of the Leadership Institute, and is a happy Ambassador Leader. She is a commuter student and drives to campus.

Why did you choose Rutgers–Camden?
"I knew I wanted to study nursing and Rutgers has an absolutely amazing program. The open house won me over because they showed me the facilities, answered all of my questions, and helped me see that Rutgers was the perfect fit."

How do you get involved on campus?
"Even though I’m only in class with students from my major, I still have the chance to meet new people outside of my program by hanging out on campus. The quad is a great place to make friends and come across students with different perspectives."

How do you take advantage of the resources and facilities Rutgers offers?
"I wasn’t aware of the resources that Rutgers offers my first semester. Once I became an ambassador, I dug deeper and learned more about the school’s hidden gems. I started using the free tutoring program. I didn’t know about it my first semester and could really see the difference during my second semester when I did use it."

Phil is a senior double majoring in Health Sciences and Psychology. He is the past Secretary of the Catholic Campus Ministry, a member of the Filipino League of Innovative Pinoy Students, and Biology Club. He is a Resident Assistant and is an avid Philly goer.

Did Rutgers–Camden meet your expectations? What surprised you once you were here?
"This environment on campus is welcoming and very diverse. My high school was diverse and I was concerned my college experience wouldn’t be the same. However, Rutgers–Camden is home to people of all cultures, backgrounds, and belief systems. I want my circle to be open to different perspectives and I’m glad my school feels the same way."

How did you get involved on campus?
"I have two jobs on campus—I work in Admissions as an Ambassador and as an RA. I am the secretary of the Catholic Campus Ministry. I’m involved in bio, psych, health sciences clubs."

"I came to this campus not knowing anybody or anything about the school. I just showed up and pushed myself to get involved. Now, I feel at home. Everyone says hello, but the campus is big enough that you’re still always meeting new people."

How has your coursework brought you outside of the classroom?
"We’re given a lot of opportunities to volunteer, whether through the classroom curriculum or as a way to get engaged in our free time. After transferring to Rutgers I got involved on MLK Day by taking a bus to Camden, meeting the community, and cleaning up the streets with other students. I also took a class in Childhood Disparities and after gaining knowledge in the classroom we got to see those lessons firsthand. Our TA drove us to visit a nonprofit in Camden and we learned things like how something as simple as a sidewalk can change the community or how being a food desert drastically affects the Camden population. As a school focused on civic engagement, there are many chances to learn more about the place you’re living in rather than keeping yourself isolated within the campus."

What is your experience like with the faculty?
"I transferred here not sure what to expect with the faculty. I came from a college that had classrooms full of 500 students and the only way to hold yourself accountable was through a clicker. Here we have direct contact with our professors. They reach out to us one-on-one rather than through a mass email. They really care. In addition to working at Rutgers–Camden, they also work in their field so they have firsthand experience in the lessons they’re teaching."

"This is my second class with a professor who’s had a big impact on my college career. High school taught me a lot, but she taught me about the real world. She often shares her stories to impart some wisdom on our class and even takes up her own time to talk about my future. That personal connection is very important to me."

How do you take advantage of the resources and facilities Rutgers offers?
"Rutgers–Camden provided me with many opportunities, especially through the job fairs and internship fairs they hold once a month. The best part is that I only had to wait in line about five minutes to speak to any company I was interested in. If I went to a bigger school, the competition to make an impression would get much fiercer."

"The library is an amazing opportunity. Books can be expensive and since I prefer physical books to digital copies, they can get even pricier and harder to find. Because Rutgers is part of the Big Ten Conference, however, we have access to not only every Rutgers library but the other colleges’ libraries too. I can just type in the number of the books I need for my classes and get them shipped to my location."

"The Career Center is helpful in preparing me to apply for jobs. They offer resume workshops and even help you find business attire for the interview."

Abhi was born and raised in India and moved to the U.S. in 2016, currently living in Voorhees, New Jersey. He is pursuing a double major in Finance and Business Management with a minor in Human Resources.

After graduation, Abhi plans on pursuing the Financial Analyst career as well as getting his CFA charter. He is involved with many organizations like the Student Government Association, SAATH, Beta Alpha Psi, Raptor Ambassador Program, Business Leaders Development Program (BLDP), Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity, and Honors College.

Why did you ultimately decide on Rutgers–Camden?
"I only applied to Rutgers–Camden and New Brunswick. Applying to schools in Philadelphia was tempting but a lot of family members are Rutgers alum, so I knew Rutgers has a great reputation both throughout the U.S. and abroad and staying in state helped a lot with tuition. I ultimately chose Camden over New Brunswick because of the potential. I wouldn’t have been able to get this involved in a bigger school. Serving in organizations and navigating a smaller campus opens up more opportunities with less competition."

Did Rutgers–Camden meet your expectations? What surprised you once you were here?
"Rutgers–Camden has far exceeded my expectations. I figured I would do my schoolwork, finish as soon as possible, and get out into the world. I didn’t expect to get this involved and make the meaningful friendships that I did."

Is there a faculty member who greatly influenced your college career?
"One of my biggest influences through my college journey is my finance professor, Ralph Giraud. I’ve learned a lot from his humility. Even though he’s experienced and extremely busy, he’s always there to help us. He dedicates a lot of time to replying to our texts and emails and helping us with networking and internships. He is an inspiration to me and what I can be in this field."

How do you take advantage of the resources and facilities Rutgers offers?
"There are a lot of resources here that go underutilized because students don’t know about them. I love the Career Center. Specialists in my field help me improve my resume and determine how I can strengthen myself as a potential hire through mock interviews, career trait testing, and career fairs."

"I'm a sophomore Nursing major. You can ask me about events and life on campus."

Jasmine is a sophomore Nursing major. She is a member of the Filipino League of Innovative Pinoy Students and is a sister of one of the sororities on campus, Sigma Delta Tau.

Jasmine commutes, but lives right around the corner from campus. Her favorite hobbies are binge-watching on Netflix and hanging out with friends!

LeAnne is originally from Florida, but has lived in South Jersey for most of her life. Currently, she is a junior majoring in Health Sciences, living on campus here at Rutgers–Camden.

Meanwhile, she participates in the Raptor Ambassador program as an Ambassador Leader, where she hopes to give potential students a reason to fall in love with the campus. She is also member of SAAC (Student-Athletic Advisory Committee) that gives a chance for athletes’ voices to be heard in the NJAC conference, the school’s tennis team, as well as Omicron Delta Kappa, which provides her with leadership development for the professional world.

Is there a faculty member who greatly influenced your college career?
"I’m not going to sugarcoat it: Freshman year can be nerve-wracking. I was able to keep going thanks to Craig Knox, my English professor. I was afraid I’m not that good of a writer, but he never lost faith in me. He still willingly helps me improve my papers for other classes and writes letters of recommendation for me. He’s also the first in his family to go to college, so he really sees where I’m coming from. Since I met him my first semester, he was one of the first impressions I had of the faculty here and I’ve carried it with me since."

How would you describe the community of students on campus here?
"Around campus it’s so easy to meet people because of how tight-knit it is. We’re hard workers, but you’ll always catch us smiling and laughing. If you need help, you can turn to the person next to you and they’ll be glad to lend a hand."

What was the application process like for you as a first-generation college student?
"I knew I wanted to go to college since sixth grade but since neither of my parents went to college, they had no clue what to do. I had to figure out everything on my own. I had to browse through all the schools, email financial aid offices, figure out FAFSA by myself."

"To a 17-year-old, it’s very tough. I applied on my own, but thanks to Rutgers’ app some of that stress was taken away. Since I come from a low income family I was able to surpass the application fee. Once I saw how much I could get from the colleges, it made my decision so much easier."