Jaime Ramirez ’00 and his family
Two decades into his professional career, Jaime Ramirez can proudly say he helps people and makes a difference every single day.
Perhaps that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though, because it’s exactly what Ramirez has been doing basically since his arrival at Saint John’s University.
“I was very fortunate being at Saint John’s, coming from a family where I was the first to go to college,” said Ramirez, who served SJU as an admissions student tour guide and as founder and director of an outreach program for Hispanic/Latino youth. “I had experiences with a lot of wonderful men and women who would take the time to listen, to talk, to advise, to impart wisdom.”
That’s what Ramirez now does for others. He serves as a clinical social worker in the Outpatient Mental Health Clinic at St. Cloud Veteran’s Health Administration Medical Center, where he has provided care since 2007.
“In my role, I provide individual, couples and group psychotherapy for veterans as well as clinical case management – that’s helping veterans navigate the VA healthcare system,” said Ramirez, who lives in Sartell with his wife Carolyn – also a VHA clinical social worker – and their kids Jasmin (10), Alejandro (8) and Ariana (6).
“It is a very humbling profession, and it is one that is very rewarding. When it comes to helping people, you work until you get as far as you can and your energy takes you, then you call it a day and pick it up the next day.”
The roots for that career of service sprouted at Saint John’s.
“He was an agent for change,” said SJU Director of Admission Marketing Tom Voller-Berdan ’88, who helped recruit Ramirez in 1996. “He’s just this kind, generous person that loves Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s.”
As an SJU sophomore, Ramirez founded the Fast Forward Youth Program, an Hispanic/Latino youth college initiative and outreach program through the CSB/SJU Admission Office.
“It involved me going to high schools and speaking about my experience in life and how I got to Saint John’s,” said Ramirez, who subsequently recruited over 400 CSB/SJU students to serve as tutors and mentors for Hispanic/Latino students in Central Minnesota during his years as director of FFYP. “We’ve really got to go to the source. We’ve got to plant the seed.”
After graduation, Ramirez worked as an SJU admissions representative from 2000-05 before heading to grad school, nonprofit work in San Diego and to the St. Cloud VA.
“I’m always looking to evolve. I’m always looking to improve things,” Ramirez said. “When we look to the profile of a good Saint John’s student, these are the things we look to – service and leadership.”
#WeAreJohnnies
“When we look to the profile of a good Saint John’s student, these are the things we look to – service and leadership.”