Ram Academy

Two words describe students at Suffolk: "engaged" and "leaders"! Carry on this great tradition by jump starting your Suffolk experience and attending a Ram Academy!

Suffolk University offers Ram Academy as an extended transition program for new first-year students after they have completed orientation. Each Ram Academy is tailored to a different segment of the student experience: leadership, multiculturalism and social justice, Boston's arts and culture community, and service and community engagement. Ram Academy is a unique way to learn more, go further, and really connect with the Suffolk experience while having the most fun possible with other new Rams.

Ram Academy participants can expect to:

  • Be provided with an opportunity to make friends with other incoming first-year students who share similar interests
  • Have a unique co-curricular engagement experience that supports a successful college transition and creates a sense of belonging in their new community
  • Be exposed to greater understanding and appreciation for a pluralistic society
  • Build connections with upper-class students and members of Suffolk's faculty/staff
  • Be introduced to shared expectations for community membership at Suffolk University
  • Build confidence in understanding and accessing the personal and academic support resources available at Suffolk
  • Get a jump start on getting engaged in campus life and find out what it really means to be a Suffolk student

Ram Academy 2023 will take place August 31 - September 2. More information about registration and access will be coming soon! 

Ram Academy participants work with experienced student leaders, staff, and other first-year students in an experiential education model. Questions? Email us or call 617-573-8321.

Ram Academy

Are you excited to explore the arts in Boston during your time at Suffolk? 

The Boston Arts & Culture track will jump-start your Boston experience by introducing you to its vibrant arts and culture scene. We will explore museums, attend plays, visit music venues, tour historical neighborhoods, see comedy, and do a little art-making ourselves. Come meet a great group of like-minded students, as well as Suffolk faculty and staff, who are as excited about the Boston arts scene as you are.

Do you envision a future where you feel empowered to make real difference on important issues, like oppression, racism, LGBTQ+ equality, or gender equity? 

The Multiculturalism & Social Justice track will dive into what social action means and looks like and explore activism as a college student. With a focus on building community and connections through social justice, participants will engage in dialogues on equality, access, and equity and will learn skills to find (or amplify) their voices for social, political, and environmental change in our communities.

Can we count on you to be the leaders of tomorrow?

The Leadership track provides students with an opportunity to explore personal goal setting, leadership styles, and jump-start their participation in the Journey Leadership Program in an experiential education setting. Participants will learn about their natural leadership abilities, how to work in teams, how to challenge themselves in reaching new goals, and about opportunities for future leadership growth at Suffolk.

Do you have a passion for service?

The Community Engagement & Service track provides students with the opportunity to explore the City of Boston through a social justice lens. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in several volunteer projects and civic engagement programs with other new students at local community-based organizations. Participating in this Ram Academy presents an opportunity to meet other incoming freshmen with a shared passion for service and leadership in their community. Students will partake in direct service, community building, and interactive discussions which will foster skills in leadership, service, and social justice.

Explore your connection to wellbeing and health through the Wellness is for Everyone track. Students will enjoy various activities with their peers that focus on the physical and emotional dimensions of wellness. Students will have an opportunity to interact and have fun with one another through movement, spending time in nature, and practicing various wellness tools such as mindfulness. Students will also learn about specific wellness topics such as intuitive eating and the impact nutrition can have on cognitive and physical functioning, as well as be exposed to both Suffolk and Boston resources which support well-being and health.

Frequently Asked Questions

$150.00 (non-refundable). Scholarships are available on a case by case basis.

Email us for more information about Ram Academy scholarship opportunities.

Ram Academy will take place August 31 - September 2, 2023.

Ram Academy has a jam-packed programming schedule. Participants are expected to participate in all of the Ram Academy activities and should plan on early starts and late-night programming.

Students with confirmed on-campus housing will be able to move into their residence hall prior to the start of Ram Academy. Students who will be commuting during the school year would also be commuting over the course of Ram Academy.

Students with confirmed on-campus housing will move into their residence hall on the morning of August 31 2023.

More details will be shared at Orientation.