Francisco Ramirez

What are your central passion(s), and how do you plan to pursue them after graduation? 

My passion is and always has been learning about and protecting the ocean. Growing up in Florida, my favorite place has always been the beach, not just because of how fun it is, but because it has always fascinated me. When I chose to come to Flagler, I was thrilled to find out that a coastal environmental science major was being offered. I started learning about everything there is to know about our oceans and how science can be used to protect them. I plan on attending Officer Candidate School for the United States Coast Guard in the fall, where I want to use what I have learned to not only protect the people who use and enjoy our nation’s coasts but also help create regulations and legal policies that protect the coasts themselves.  

Who or what inspired your passion in this area?  

I have so many people to thank for bringing me here to Flagler. I would not have even known about this awesome school if not for my coaches Brian Beil and Kaitlin Rodriguez. They recruited me to run here at Flagler and brought me on a visit, and I was hooked immediately. I then found my passion in the Natural Science Department with amazing professors and courses. A special thank you to Dr. Melissa Southwell for being a great mentor in field and lab work over the course of both research projects I have participated in. Other professors I had only made me love the program more like Dr. Matthew Brown, Dr. Ed McGinley, Dr. Denis Frazel, Dr. Jessica Veenstra, Dr. Madeline Doiron, Dr. Barbara Blonder, Dr. Teri Seron, and many others that have made my time here at Flagler amazing and unforgettable.  

Can you share a memorable story from your time at Flagler that always makes you smile?  

A memorable story I have here at Flagler is our cross-country regional championship this past semester. Our team had a unified goal this year to be the first men's team to make it to the national championship race this year. The brotherhood we shared this season is one that I will never forget. We all had the best races of our lives at regionals and forced a tiebreaker against Anderson for the last spot for nationals. Unfortunately, we lost the tiebreaker, but we proved to ourselves and the future teams here at Flagler that it is absolutely possible to make it to nationals. I have no doubt that they will make it many times in the years to come and hope they do.  

Which academic resources, experiences, or mentors at Flagler were most valuable to you, and how did they contribute to your success? 

Coach Beil was one of my best mentors here at Flagler. Not only was he a great coach for me in the running sense, but he helped turn me into a better leader and man. Being on the cross-country team was a great experience for me. Waking up early every day and running thousands of miles during my time here kept me disciplined, and I’m grateful for it. Dr. Southwell was my best mentor in the academic sense since she was my academic advisor. She helped me navigate how to achieve my goal of double majoring and gave me opportunities to gain experience through research projects.  

What advice or lesson would you give to your freshman year self about the college experience?  

I would tell myself to try everything. Any opportunity or group that you can join do it. The more you do, the more you learn. I would also tell myself to take a trip abroad for sure because I love to travel and plan on doing that as I grow older.  

In the Flagler spirit, how do you hope to make history after graduation?  

With my Flagler Spirit, my dream is to make history by using everything I have learned here to serve my country in the Coast Guard and protect the world's oceans. My father was in the Coast Guard, my brother is in the Army, so I am going to continue the family legacy using my time here at Flagler.