The Center for Student Involvement staff recently welcomed their newest staff member Jack Nesmith, who is the new Coordinator for Civic Engagement and Student Leadership Programs. Having graduated from Ramapo in 2014, Nesmith is quite familiar with the college. Nonetheless, he is excited to return to his alma mater with a new role.
“I see it as an honor and a privilege to come back and work with the future generation of students coming in,” said Nesmith. “The values instilled in me at Ramapo are in this young generation of leaders and to see that makes me excited.”
As a student, Nesmith was quite involved and with the support of his faculty and staff he realized that he wanted to make higher education his career. In his junior year, Nesmith worked as a resident assistant in Laurel Hall. Through that position, he discovered his passion for higher education, stating “I liked the leadership of [residence life], so that kind of ignited my passion when I was an RA and a peer here at Ramapo for student affairs and higher education.”
After Ramapo, Nesmith went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Higher Education at Rider University.
As the Coordinator for Civic Engagement and Student Leadership Programs, Nesmith will mainly be responsible with helping students become active and engaged leaders on campus. While looking to educate students and assist them in their careers at Ramapo, Nesmith claims, “I’m really looking to learn from students. I want to listen to them and help them create and pursue their visions.”
Nesmith also plans to instill confidence in student leaders.
“My lifelong goal, not only in this position but in general, is to really help students identify leadership within themselves.” Nesmith said. “I think a lot of people see a leader as someone who may talk the most or be the loudest person, but for me, leadership is so fluid and so diverse.”
Nesmith will assist in overseeing a student staff comprised of six Ramapo undergrad students. Miyah Meadows, a junior who has been working at the Civic and Community Engagement Center, or CCEC, for over a year, appreciates his efforts to get to know her as a student, not just an employee.
“He always takes time out of his day to ask how we are, how classes are going and to let us know he's there if we ever need something,” Meadows said. “He's very easy to talk to and is always giving encouraging words that help me push through a long day.”
Similarly, sophomore Achyut Gautam, another CCEC student employee stated, “Jack has a powerful personality with charisma and humility. His compassion and genuine vein of helping others has made all of us very comfortable working with him. I am sure our office will achieve a lot more under his guidance and supervision.”
Nesmith’s students are hopeful that the office will grow more and have a greater impact on campus under his supervision, and look forward to what is to come.
Nesmith is very excited for the new role, and wants students to know he is ready to take on the tasks at hand and beyond. He parted with, “I want students to know that I have a very open door policy. I love talking to students. I’m someone who will be your biggest cheerleader, even if I don’t know you, and I’m really excited to see the awesome things you’re going to do at Ramapo.”
For those interested, Nesmith’s office is located at SC-214, which is behind the CSI Main office. He can also be reached via email at jnesmith@ramapo.edu.
ewisnesk@ramapo.edu
