The Key to Opportunity: Joe Ramirez ’78 Funds Scholarship for First-Generation Students

Joe Ramirez ’78 has a good reason for wanting to support first-generation law students at UC Davis School of Law. “That was me,” he said. “The first time I ever met a lawyer was when I walked into King Hall.”

Ramirez, who is now Vice President Licensing & Associate General Counsel at Adobe Systems, was himself a first-generation college student when he arrived at the School of Law, and he credits the educational opportunities he received for giving the foundation for his career success in Silicon Valley.

“This job is really optimal for me, because it allows me to exercise what I do best, which I think is dealing with customers, coming up with creative solutions to their issues, and generating revenue,” he said. “I think I’ve been very fortunate, and I think it’s time for me to give back to my community and to the institutions that have had an impact on me. I loved King Hall when I went there, and it prepared me very well for the challenges I’ve faced.”

Ramirez has given back to King Hall by contributing his time and expertise, recently volunteering to speak to students on lessons learned during his 30-plus years in Silicon Valley. Together with his wife, he created the Joseph & Mary Ann Ramirez Scholarship at UC Davis School of Law to provide financial support for first-generation students.

“My wife and I both have a strong commitment to education, because we believe that’s the key to success,” Ramirez said. “Right now, I am as excited about the opportunities in Silicon Valley as I have ever been.  But if you want to be successful here, the key is education.  We want to help provide that opportunity for students at King Hall.”