ARLINGTON, Texas — As he suited up for one of life’s proudest moments, UT-Arlington student Oswaldo Ortiz Jr. wasn’t alone.
In fact, over the last two-and-a-half years, as he worked toward his Master Of Business Administration (MBA), his father Oswaldo Ortiz Sr. was by his side every step of the way. Together, the two commuted and sat through the same classes.
“It was all worth it at the end,” Ortiz Jr. said.
On Friday, the father and son graduated from UTA with MBAs together.
“This is the proudest time of my life,” Ortiz Sr. said. “I never imagined this.
“It started like joking, ‘Hey dad, lets study together, OK yeah,’” Ortiz Sr. said.
Ortiz Sr., who earned his bachelor’s degree in Mexico City, said his son motivated him to pursue his education further.
The two immigrated from Mexico 10 years ago, and have called DFW home ever since.
“Moving here from Mexico 10 years ago, there’s a lot of sacrifices, and I’m so happy to give back to him,” Ortiz Jr. said. “Getting to know him as a peer and student beyond just my dad has been an incredible experience for which I’m grateful for.”
Ortiz Jr. works for Citibank, and his father is a Microsoft employee. While they enjoyed earning their Masters degrees side-by-side, they don’t plan to go into business together.
“It’s never too late to chase your dreams,” Ortiz Sr. said. “If we did it, everybody can do it. You need to try to do your best all the time in order to achieve the goals you want to pursue.”