杏吧原创

June 16, 2026

by Elizabeth Mendicino ’26

A great professor can change the life of the learner completely, empowering them towards a greater future than they had planned. A great professor inspires, advises, supports, and challenges their students. Great professors are remembered for years to come, leaving an indelible mark on their students.

Associate Professor of Law and Society Mihaela Serban embodies just that, uplifting her students to new heights and inspiring confidence while educating. As convener of the Law and Society major and the Human Rights and Genocide Studies minor, Serban works closely with students through advisement and mentorship.

Serban joined Ramapo in 2010, drawn to the public school mission and the fact that the school has one of the oldest Law and Society programs in the country. Founded in 1992 by Professor Emiratus Anne Glickman, the Law and Society program provides an interdisciplinary education that examines the relationship between law and every part of society, as Professor Serban refers to it 鈥淟aw 360鈥�.

鈥淸Ramapo Students] are eager to see connections between what we do in the class and their everyday lives,鈥� said Serban. 鈥淭here is an appreciation for education as a good in and of itself, and an appreciation for a program like Law and Society.鈥�

The Law and Society program provides a foundation for many career options, including public service, law enforcement, healthcare, social services and legal administration.

Each year, a number of the program’s graduates enter law schools such as Boston College Law School, Georgetown Law, New York Law School, Pace Law School, Rutgers School of Law, John Jay College, Seton Hall, and Syracuse University.

As an accessible member of Ramapo鈥檚 tight-knit, collaborative community, Serban mentors and encourages ambitious Roadrunners to reach their goals.

Dr. Miheala Serban, left, is a mentor to Ava Cicero-Johnson ’27, right.

鈥淧rofessor Serban has been one of the most supportive and helpful professors I鈥檝e known at Ramapo,鈥� said Ava Cicero-Johnson ’27 of Colts Neck, NJ. Cicero-Johnson is a Law and Society major with a Crime and Justice Studies minor, who intends to pursue law school. 鈥淪he is constantly pushing her students to reach their fullest potential. On top of that, her classes are engaging, entertaining, and informative, encouraging us to think in ways we haven鈥檛 even considered prior.鈥�

Cicero-Johnson works extensively with Serban as Chief Editor of the Ramapo Journal of Law and Society (RJOLAS), which Serban co-founded. RJOLAS is one of the only Law and Society journals in the country, welcoming submissions from institutions nationwide.

In addition to her extensive work with students and in the classroom, Serban has authored an exceptionally extensive list of books, journal articles, book chapters, and journal special issues. She most recently authored the chapter The Communist Public Sphere: A Sociolegal Analysis, in .

鈥淧rofessor Serban has been one of the most influential professors I鈥檝e had at Ramapo,鈥� said John Brighouse ’26, a Law and Society major and English and Literary Studies minor from Clark, NJ. 鈥淓ach class I鈥檝e taken with her, she鈥檚 pushed each student to work as hard as they possibly can. If I could go back and take all her classes again, I would do it without hesitation.鈥� Brighouse interned with the United Nations during his final semester at Ramapo, an opportunity bolstered by his Law and Society background.

Serban has made a deep impact on each and every student she has taught, through challenging them in the classroom and empowering them outside of it. She exemplifies that the power of an educator extends beyond the classroom, and can change lives.

鈥淧rofessor Serban is鈥� considerate and thoughtful, and I’ve really appreciated how she always pushes her students to be the best that they can be,鈥� said Alessia Mendicino ’28, a Law and Society and Psychology double major from Chesterfield, NJ. 鈥淪he is such a great professor because she just explains concepts in a way that is really easy to understand and really attaches them to modern day examples.鈥�