A Passion for Justice

Meet Alma Ramirez, whose desire to learn and serve flourished as a student at Mount Mary College, Milwaukee. As a Caroline Scholar, she benefited from challenging academic work, leadership development, service learning opportunities and financial assistance.

Alma said, “I am thankful for and fortunate to have opportunities to learn about social injustices through the scholarship seminars and my service learning sites.” She will receive her bachelor’s degree with a double major in Spanish and international studies and a communications minor in May 2013.

Two years of her service work was with Voces de la Frontera, a grass roots nonprofit organization in Milwaukee, helping and advocating for immigrant workers’ rights. “After listening and witnessing many injustices to legal and undocumented immigrants, I knew I wanted to help this population. I now consider law school, as I could give people legal assistance, which is what they need the most.”

Recently, Alma completed nearly 100 service hours working with Sister Jan Gregorcich, executive director at Global Partners: Running Waters, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing relationships with people in Latin America.  Alma served by translating documents and responding to other communication needs.  In Latin America alone, 85 percent of the population lacks running water. She was in awe of how a small organization brings awareness and makes a difference in the lives of people. “It was eye-opening to learn about the complexity of the water issue. I saw a global perspective on water as need versus commodity.”

Did you know access to safe drinking water is not available to people in many countries throughout our world?

Caroline Scholarship information www.mtmary.edu/caroline/index.htm.
Global Partners, Running Waters www.globalpartnersrunningwaters.org.