It’s been more than 50 years since Helen Ramirez, MSW ’59, was a student at the USC School of Social Work, but her connection remains as strong as ever. Every year, the Vista, Calif., retiree autographs her check, stamps the envelope and drops her gift in the mailbox—like she has for the last three decades.

“I feel very passionate about education,” she said. “Education opened the doors of opportunity for me, and I always try to pay back. That’s my motivation.”

Ramirez has provided consistent financial support for the school for more than 30 years. As one of the few Latino students in her class, she is particularly interested in funding scholarships that will enable other Latino students to attend graduate school. She, too, had been the recipient of a tuition scholarship.

“Education helps students develop an inner confidence and gives them the tools to contribute to society,” Ramirez said. “The USC School of Social Work did a wonderful job of meshing the analytical and the practical, and making the education much more usable. One of the skills I developed was to not only listen, but also not to judge too quickly in diagnosis. That carries over into your personal life and allows you to help others, and yourself, too.”

As a student, Ramirez specialized in social work for children and families. She performed her field placement at the Los Angeles County Department of Adoptions and started working there full-time after graduation. Ramirez worked her way up the ladder until she became director in 1978. She served in this capacity for six and a half years before the department merged with the county’s Department of Children and Family Services.

While there, Ramirez spearheaded the creation of the first bilingual unit to serve Latino clients and recruit more families to adopt Latino children. She said she would like to see more emphasis placed on these kinds of bicultural initiatives, which applies to all aspects of social work.

That’s why Ramirez has given consistently for so long: to help create opportunities for students to innovate in the profession of social work, just as she was able to do.

“Everyone has been helped in some way, so giving back should be almost a built-in responsibility,” she said. “When we’re given the tools to move forward, society as a whole benefits, and we should all be interested in that goal. Even though we don’t always meet the people who benefit from our gifts, it’s rewarding to imagine that they will go on to do big things. I hope they will make contributions that will encourage others to give, and that the gifts keep radiating out and spreading for years to come.”