You never know exactly what the future holds, but you should always be open to the possibilities. Helen (Brooks) Brophy, ’57, taught her son, Paul, that valuable life lesson—and now Paul is passing it on to first-generation college students through the Helen Brophy Scholarship Fund. Paul recently established the fund by directing a $100,000 gift from his late mother’s estate to Buffalo State College.

“My mom was always open to new experiences. She loved learning, and she wasn’t afraid to try new things,” Paul said fondly about Helen, who passed away in May 2009 at the age of 87. “This scholarship fund, named in her honor, is a way to let that spirit live on.”

Helen’s entry into the college in 1939 was all about being open to life’s possibilities. When a friend invited Helen to accompany her to the entrance exam for moral support, Helen agreed. When Helen was asked by college officials if she, too, would like to take the exam, she said yes. And when Helen was then offered a state-funded scholarship to the school, she signed her father’s signature on the dotted line (he didn’t think it was necessary for girls to attend college) and secured a spot in the freshman class.

On campus, Helen distinguished herself in academics, earning membership in the Kappa Delta Pi and Nu Lambda Sigma honorary fraternities. “I also found out later that Helen had joined the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority at the college,” said her younger sister, Jeanette Levin, laughing. “She was too modest to brag about her achievements. That was the beautiful thing about Helen: she had a very sweet and quiet and modest side, but she also did what she wanted to do in life.”

Just four credits short of graduation, Helen did what she needed to do in 1943. She left school to follow her husband, James, to New Jersey, where he had found work in support of the war effort.

“She wanted to follow my father during World War II, but she was also determined to finish her degree someday,” said Paul, who works as a real estate development consultant in California. “So she brought my sister, Judy, and me back to Buffalo during the summer of 1957 and took the last two classes she needed to graduate.”

With her degree in hand, Helen became a state employment service counselor. Later, she earned her master’s degree and spent the next 20 years of her career as a school psychologist, making a difference in the lives of countless children.

“My mother knew the value of a liberal arts education, and she absolutely loved to share that with others. From taking our daughters to their first Broadway musicals and the museums of New York City to organizing a book club at her local library, she shared that passion,” Paul said. “This gift gives us a tremendous sense of satisfaction. My mother always wanted to help future students at Buffalo State, just as the citizens of New York provided her with opportunities 70 years ago that would never have been available otherwise.”