The Legacy of Sofia and Bruno Ontiveros
The legacy of Sofia and Bruno Ontiveros began with a dream shared by many immigrant parents: to create opportunities for their children that they never had themselves. After immigrating to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico, they devoted their lives to hard work, sacrifice, and education, raising six children who would go on to earn college degrees. Today, their son, UNM alumnus Jesus Ontiveros, and his wife, Gloria, are honoring that legacy through a generous scholarship at The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership, ensuring future generations of first-generation students can pursue the same promise of opportunity.
“I’ve always been proud of my mom and dad,” Jesus said.
Throughout their lives, Sofia and Bruno instilled in Jesus and his siblings the values of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Jesus grew up witnessing firsthand his father’s unwavering work ethic. Bruno spent his days working as a gardener, laboring from sunrise to sunset throughout the year. At home, Sofia played an equally vital role, caring for her family and ensuring their household ran smoothly. Together, Sofia and Bruno worked tirelessly to provide their children with new opportunities, leaving a lasting impact that continues to inspire the Ontiveros family today.
“They sacrificed a lot for us to go to school. For all six of us to graduate, and now to see their grandchildren graduate, it just seemed like there was something I needed to do to honor their memory,” said Jesus, reflecting on their decision to establish the scholarship.
Jesus grew up in a household that prioritized education and going to college. “My mom was a lover of education. I'm the baby of the family, so by the time I was coming along, there was no doubt that I was going to go to college, because all of my siblings, my brother and my four sisters had all gone to college.”
Jesus initially attended University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) for biology with the intent of becoming a doctor. His studies brought him to Albuquerque to attend the UNM School of Medicine. He soon realized, however, that medicine was not his calling and eventually enrolled in UNM’s Anderson School of Management, now The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership. Jesus graduated in 1983 with his Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and later earned his master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University.
Both Jesus and Gloria went on to build distinguished careers. Jesus held leadership roles with Honeywell and Sandia National Laboratories, where he served as a senior manager from 2014 until his retirement in 2021. Gloria worked for 43 years as a nurse caring for New Mexico’s youngest and most vulnerable patients in the UNM Hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit.
Education has opened many doors for Jesus, but he emphasized the importance of continuing to learn throughout your career. “Education doesn’t end when you get your degree. Leadership is such an important part of really anything that you do in your career. You have to understand how to lead and build your own basic tenants of your leadership philosophy. It's a continuous process that I'm still learning at my age.”
Jesus hopes scholarship recipients will go on to serve their communities and demonstrate the compassion and work ethic his parents embodied throughout their lives. “I would hope that they begin a career based on honesty, integrity, respect for others, and hard work.”
His advice to first-generation students is to persevere, even when they encounter obstacles. “Understand that there is going to be difficulties and times where [students] may feel continuing on is too hard. In these moments, it is important to seek out individuals and mentors that will encourage them and help them get through it,” said Jesus.
Jesus emphasized that the gift’s impact extends beyond his family and the students who will benefit from it. It also serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of education in shaping lives.