Riverside—The UC Riverside Athletics Department held its annual end-of-year Scotty Awards on Thursday evening, and Men's Soccer player Francisco Ramirez won the Lindy-Citizenship Award, presented to the student-athlete who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and service to the university and the community at large during the current school year.

It is named after long-time Highlanders director of intercollegiate athletics Dr. Frank Lindeburg, because of the commitment and dedication he has shown to the community over his six decades as a Riverside resident.

As a peer mentor, Ramirez works with the group "Assistance, Counseling and Encouragement," as well as "the Highlander Early Start Academy," supporting students who are encountering personal and academic difficulty, while aiding students in the development of essential and lifelong academic skills.

He has spent time assisting the Academic Resource Center Peer Mentors program, training peer educators, and providing students with instruction in fundamental attending, counseling tutoring and problem solving skills

Also, this year, Ramirez served as an event organizer for the Chicano Latino Youth Conference Committee, assisting 1,200 Inland Empire students who were making their first-ever visit to a college campus.

A member of the Kindling Intellectual Development Program, he has helped educate under-served youth in science an art through a variety of projects and workshops.

Ramirez has also served as a mentor for local high school students through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Youth Leadership Institute, and the Mentorship for the Enrichment of College and Career Achievement program.

Somehow, he has also found time to work as a soccer referee in the Inland Empire Soccer Referee Association, and as a Developmental Soccer Coach with the Epic Academy.