Kevin Lopez of Bristow, Va., has been named the 2013-2014 recipient of the University of Mary Washington’s Citizenship Award for Diversity Leadership.
The annual award is given to a rising senior enrolled as a full-time student in an undergraduate degree program at UMW. The student must maintain high academic standards, possess characteristics of leadership and make a personal commitment to advocating an appreciation for diversity and inclusion on campus.
As the award recipient, Lopez will serve as an active spokesperson for diversity inclusion, a peer mentor to students and a voice for underrepresented populations.
“Kevin has worked very hard to achieve what he has, and he has been very focused,” said Marion Sanford, director of multicultural affairs. “He has worked every year since he has been in school to help support himself, and he has done a lot of good work in the community. He is accomplished both inside and outside the classroom.”
Lopez, a sociology major, is a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and volunteers for the Falmouth Fire and Rescue Department. He also served as a counselor for UMW’s Student Transition Program for two summers and worked for Sodexo Dining Services for three years. He plans to pursue a career in criminal justice after graduation.
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News release prepared by: Brynn Boyer