BU Alumni & Friends: Ricardo Neal (SSW ‘99) Establishes New Fund
Highlighted in the BU Alumni & Friends blog, Ricardo Neal (SSW ‘99), founder of We Will All Rise, recently established the Williams-Neal Fund for Community Change, named in honor of his family to provide field education stipends for BUSSW students facing financial hardship.
Reflecting on his own time in the program, Neal recalls how vital his paid field placements were in allowing him to focus on learning and service.
“I wanted students to have some money to be able to buy groceries, to be able to pay an electric bill or something,” he says. “The relief I felt in not having to worry about certain things—I wanted students to have that.”
Through his generosity, Neal not only honors his roots and the community that shaped him, but also exemplifies the spirit of social work in action—investing in equity, opportunity, and the success of those who will rise next.