Legacy of Giving: WSU grad Ida Rosenbaum Kost lives on through scholarship and daughter's international social work efforts

"When my mother died, I wanted to give annually in her name as well. Her identity as a social worker was paramount in her life, so to honor her memory I chose to give WSU, her alma mater, an ongoing grant for scholarships to the Wayne State School of Social Work,"  stated D'vorah Kost.  

Dedicated to Detroit's Most Vulnerable Children: Social Work grad Carlynn Nichols leads clinical services at The Children's Center

"These children tend to be served by various systems due to complex needs and societal challenges. As a social worker, I have been able to work in partnership with these systems by engaging other professionals in policy and practice transformation," noted Carlynn Nichols.

Nearly two decades after leaving prison a free man, WSU staffer Terrell Topps now goes back weekly to steer others from incarceration to higher education

"When I first started back, I had to deal with feeling like everybody knows I was incarcerated, so I understand when my clients tell me that," he says. "I absolutely had that mindset and had to work through it. So, when I try to create learning communities for the men who will be here on campus, I understand that psychology and what their struggles are going to be," stated Terrell Topps.

After overcoming prison and drug addiction, School of Social Work alum Eric Wilkins now helps others using mindfulness and meditation

"I've seen my own life rise from the gutters and back alleys, but I've also seen the dedication to positive change by our young people as they cope with the challenges of modern living. How can we do better for ourselves and neighbors? Perhaps by understanding that we must take responsibility for our own lives, how we live them, and how they impact others. We are not powerless; one person can make a difference," noted Eric Wilkins.