Ontiveros couple establishes business scholarship at UNM

Jesus and Gloria Ontiveros established a new scholarship at The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership at the University of New Mexico. The couple created the award to honor their parents, Sofia and Bruno Ontiveros, who immigrated to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico. The scholarship supports first-generation students pursuing business degrees.

Sofia and Bruno Ontiveros raised six children in the United States. They moved from Chihuahua with the goal of providing educational opportunities for their family. The couple worked hard to ensure their children could attend college. Jesus Ontiveros grew up in El Paso, Texas, before the family settled in Albuquerque. He watched his father work as a gardener from sunrise to sunset throughout the year. His mother managed the household and prioritized the education of all six children. All six Ontiveros siblings earned college degrees. Now, the couple is seeing their grandchildren graduate from college as well.

Jesus Ontiveros attended the University of Texas at El Paso to study biology. He planned to become a doctor and moved to Albuquerque for the UNM School of Medicine. He later switched to business studies at UNM. He graduated from the Anderson School of Management in 1983 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting. The school is now called The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership. He later earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University. He held leadership positions at Honeywell and Sandia National Laboratories. He served as a senior manager at Sandia from 2014 until his retirement in 2021.

Gloria Ontiveros worked as a nurse for 43 years. She cared for newborns in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at UNM Hospital. She focused on patients who were young and vulnerable. The couple believes that education provides a foundation for a career. Jesus noted that learning continues after graduation. He said leadership is a continuous process. He hopes the scholarship recipients will serve their communities. He wants them to show compassion and work ethic similar to his parents.

Jesus said his parents sacrificed a lot so their children could go to school. He described the decision to establish the scholarship as a way to honor their memory. He said his mother loved education. As the youngest child, he knew he would attend college because his brother and four sisters did. He hopes the scholarship serves as a memorial for all immigrants who come to the United States seeking a better life for their children. He encourages first-generation students to persevere through difficulties. He advises them to seek mentors who can help them through hard times.