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Leaving a legacy of compassion

Alum Sandy Hyman on turning a lifelong career in social work into a lasting legacy for students.

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Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes
Alum Sandy Hyman [BSW/67 MSW/69]
Alum Sandy Hyman [BSW/67 MSW/69]
Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes

Sandy Hyman [BSW/67, MSW/69] has spent a lifetime showing up for others. Now, in retirement, she is turning that same care toward the next generation of social workers. Upon completing her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees, Sandy knew she was entering a field that would test her values, resilience, and heart. What she didn’t anticipate was how deeply the social work profession would shape her life—and the lives of so many others. 

Today, she is transforming that lifelong commitment into a lasting legacy through a new bursary that will support future social work students.

Lifelong commitment to social work

Sandy’s commitment to community and politics began early. In 1967, she was elected Lady Stick of Social Work, a key student leadership role. This experience led to her service as a Winnipeg City Councillor from 1991 to 1995. On council, Sandy stayed true to her social work values by focusing on the needs of people and standing up for vulnerable groups. 

“I loved politics. It was always about making real change.”

After nearly 40 years of working in child welfare and education, Sandy has seen how financial barriers can limit who can pursue a career in social work, despite a deep passion and potential.  Her decision to create a bursary stems directly from those experiences, reflecting her conviction that the profession requires diverse, compassionate graduates who understand the complexities, trauma, and systemic inequities.

"This bursary is about legacy. It’s about giving someone else the chance to learn, to serve, and to make a difference – just like I had the privilege of doing," says Hyman.

Sandy is focused on giving back to the profession that shaped her so profoundly. In honour of her MSW Class of ’69, she created a bursary to support students pursuing a Bachelor or Master of Social Work. She hopes to raise $25,000 to fund the bursary and help future social workers who share her compassion.

This bursary is about legacy. It’s about giving someone else the chance to learn, to serve, and to make a difference – just like I had the privilege of doing.

Sandy Hyman

Challenges and triumphs

When asked why she has remained so passionate about social work, Sandy is candid about its challenges.

“Sometimes I think it’s anti-social work,” she reflects. “Often, a social worker is alone, uncertain what’s next or what to do. Neither education, on-the-job training, nor life experience prepared me for what I faced.”

One of her most unforgettable cases involved a teen labelled extremely behaviourally disordered and housed alone in a group home under 24/7 supervision. “He so wanted to be with his mom,” she recalls. “But every system considered him a danger — to students, staff, and even himself.”

Her voice still trembles as she remembers completing the funding application for his education plan. “As I filled it out, I shed tears. This boy’s story was almost unbelievable, so deeply painful. Writing it felt crucial — a final opportunity to offer him a thread of hope, a way to learn how to be with others, and with himself, safely.”

Sandy’s career was filled with moments like this — raw, real, and heartbreaking — but she never lost faith in the power of care, coordination, and courage. “We held our breath and followed the plan diligently,” she says. And it worked: a teen once feared by every system around him began to experience connection, learning, and growth.
 

Leaving a legacy

For Sandy, the MSW Class of ’69 Bursary is both a tribute to her classmates and a continuation of the values that guided her career: care, coordination, and courage in the face of human struggle. She sees the bursary as a way to offer students the same opportunity she once had—to learn, to serve, and to make meaningful change in their communities. 

Sandy Hyman’s dedication, empathy, and vision are part of a legacy that will support future social workers. 

For more information on the MSW Class of ’69 Bursary, please contact Jennifer Triggs, Leadership Giving Officer, at: Jennifer.triggs@umanitoba.ca or call 204-299-6641.