The Henry Ramsey Jr. Emergency Loan Fund * Notable Alumni

Henry Ramsey

Henry Ramsey Jr.

Henry Ramsey Jr. (’60), a retired California Superior Court judge and former dean of Howard University School of Law, believes in giving big for the small stuff.

“The beginning of the semester when you have to buy books and groceries, that is a hard moment,” says Ramsey. “In the words of the business community, ‘It’s a cash flow problem.’ You need a bridge to get over a temporary rough spot.”

The Gift
Set up a decade ago, The Henry Ramsey Jr. Emergency Loan Fund — a revolving, no interest, short-term loan fund of $30,000 — is open to undergraduate students who are in good academic standing and are qualified to receive need-based financial aid. Students can borrow up to $1,000, which must be paid back in 30 days.

Since 1999, the fund has made 223 loans totaling $125,706.14, helping students to pay for books and groceries, rent and car repairs.

The Inspiration
“I couldn’t have gotten my higher education without emergency help for little things,” notes Ramsey. “I thought there would be others who would be in the same spot and need this kind of assistance.”

Ramsey had a rewarding moment a few years back when he spoke at UCR. Students who were helped by the Ramsey fund stopped by to say thanks. “It was very satisfying,” says Ramsey.

Ramsey’s time at UCR and his groundbreaking career are detailed in his autobiography, “The Life Story of Henry Ramsey Jr.,” which was published in January

He graduated from UC Riverside in 1960 and went on to receive a law degree from UC Berkeley in 1963. Ramsey taught at Berkeley’s law school, Boalt Hall, from 1971 to 1980, during which he also served on the Berkeley City Council from 1973 to 1977. He went on to serve on the Superior Court of California from 1981 to 1991. Ramsey served as the dean of the Howard University School of Law from 1991 to 1996. He has been active on several committees and boards of the American Bar Association and in 2002 served as Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Nigeria Rule of Law Assistance Project. The project was designed to address elements of the Nigerian judicial system that Nigerian stakeholders identified as needing improvement and strengthening.