“I’ve spent over 20 years in campus dining and auxiliaries, where building relationships with students has always been paramount. A benefit for anyone in higher education—student-focused or not—is the opportunity to educate and enrich the campus community.”
– Michael Ramella
Executive Director of University Auxiliary Services
University Auxiliary Services
University at Albany, SUNY
Michael Ramella has dedicated 20 years to the dining and campus auxiliary services sector, with utmost importance to fostering student relationships as his top priority. Michael believes that any interaction between him and students is a chance to educate as well as expand their knowledge. Being a father of a college student has enabled Michael to see how being“a part of conversations and insights that international students can share.” As he believes that the more we can share about our experiences with one another, the better we can understand each other and grow.
Michael recently joined iCEP Academy, where he found the opportunity to grow and expand his communication skills. Allowing him to have further insight into what international students go through.
What inspired you to join the iCEP Academy, and how do you hope it will shape your work with international students?
“ It was an opportunity to learn new skills to apply in an area important to the campus community and extra important to our international students. While I can relate to the experiences of a domestic student, I didn’t have a good understanding of the difficulties our international students might face in assimilating to the campus. Having the knowledge I gained in the Academy allows me enough understanding to ask the right questions and be prepared with the right answers to help these students as much as possible.”
How has the iCEP experience so far inspired you or reinforced your passion for supporting international students?
“While the learning in the academy was terrific, it was the interaction with my cohort and peers as we celebrated our international students that brought it all full circle. That was the “aha” moment that helped me to see what the impact truly was. We were blessed to have then-graduate Dr. Marzieh Dehghan-Chaleshtori perform a dance for us and share a bit of her culture, deepening the understanding for me of what it means to be an international student at UAlbany.”
What advice would you give to others thinking about joining the iCEP Academy?
“Don’t think about it, just do it. It was a fantastic experience and insight into another community here on our campus. The academy helped me to understand issues and open conversations. Those conversations have built trust and shared experiences that I don’t believe I would have had otherwise. I’m grateful to be a part of the experience and happy to share it with the rest of my cohort.”
Michael’s unwavering dedication to his students and community, fueled by empathy and kindness, truly embodies the spirit of fostering a more loving and compassionate environment.
About the Author
Marely Esperanza Pina
Marely is an English Literature major at Lake Forest College and the 2025 Fall Intern at ICAway. She brings a passion for storytelling and analysis to her writing. Marely has also played the flute for more than 12 years, a pursuit that fuels her creativity.
