Ramapo Kids Shadow Parents, Get A Taste Of College Life

MAHWAH, NJ — Ramapo College welcomed employees' school-aged children to campus to give them a taste of what it's like to be a college student for a day.

In a 20-year tradition (suspended for the past couple of years due to COVID-19), the Mahwah college hosted "Take Your Child to Work Day" on Thursday, giving children the opportunity to shadow their parents in their offices, and to participate in activities unique to a higher-education setting.

"We hope that (the children's) visit to campus leads to their development as problem solvers, change agents and responsible leaders who make a positive impact on the world around them," said Virginia Galdieri, the college's vice president of people operations and employee resources, and co-organizer of the day's event.

The day's activities, Galdieri said, are tailored to the age groups (3rd through 5th, and 6th through 8th) and can only be offered in a higher-education setting based on the programming of Ramapo students.

Kids, for example, studied in the college's financial markets trading lab, learned about building family trees and solving crimes through genealogy, and developed photos in a darkroom. They were also able to interact with students, tour the campus and participate in some of the college's time-honored customs — such as Arching.

"(Take Your Child to Work Day) gives the college the opportunity to showcase what we truly foster, providing students with a strong foundation for a lifetime of achievement," Galdieri said. "By welcoming (these) children to campus, we plant the seeds for a love of learning."

Patch spoke with two mother-child dyads, and asked them each about their favorite experiences and/or most interesting lessons learned throughout the day. Here is what they said:

Patch To Parent: What do you appreciate most about "Take Your Child to Work Day"?

Susan Auger: (My son) gets to experience Ramapo and all of the different things it has to offer.

Patch: What lesson do you hope your child takes away from this special day?

Susan Auger: Loving the work that you do.

Patch to Patrick: What has been one of the coolest things about today for you?

Patrick Prendergast: Experiencing what my mom does for work and how she interacts with students. My mom talks to her coworkers about me (some of whom I've met today). It makes me feel special.

Patch To Parent: What do you appreciate most about "Take Your Child to Work Day"?

Cindy Robles: I like that my daughter gets to see where I spend my time every day, interacting with other people and giving them the best customer service support that (my department) can.

Patch: What lesson do you hope your child takes away from this special day?

Cindy Robles: To do what makes you happy in life.

Patch to Savannah: What has been one of the coolest things about today for you?

Savannah Martinez: It's been cool to see the environment that my mom is in when she works. It's also nice to meet all of the people she talks to about me.