Contact: Ambrosia Ortiz 505-524-2847 Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales 505-277-5920

July 29, 2002 MAYFIELD GRADUATE RECEIVES REGENTS SCHOLARSHIP AT UNM Ortiz to study music, German Although homecoming isn't scheduled until October, when freshman Ambrosia Ortiz arrives at the University of New Mexico campus from Las Cruces in August, it will be a kind of homecoming for her. Ortiz is one of 14 high school students selected for the Regents Scholar Program, the most prestigious of scholarships awarded at UNM. Ortiz, a graduate of Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, is the daughter of Nubia and Francisco M. Ortiz. "Both my parents graduated from UNM in 1981," she says. Her father is a political science graduate who served as UNM student body president. Her mother studied bilingual education. Ortiz was born in Albuquerque and lived here until six years of age when her family moved south. "It was in the back of my mind forever to go to UNM," she says. An accomplished musician on the viola, she is the only high school student to play for the Las Cruces Symphony. She received several awards in orchestra including recipient of the Southwest District Solo & Ensemble Honors for two years. She received a music scholarship and plans to major in music. Graduating with a 4.06 grade point average, she is a National Merit Finalist, National Hispanic Scholar and Presidential Scholar Semifinalist. She was active with student council, German Club, National German Honor Society and the German-American Partnership Program. She was highly active with the German program, a rigorous program completed by very few students. "Ms. Ortiz is one of the most talented and most diligent students I have ever had in my 30 years of teaching," wrote Ingrid Luchini, German instructor, now retired from Mayfield High School. "Ms. Ortiz was sponsored by the Las Cruces-Nienburg Sister Cities Affiliation Committee to attend the one-week 'Medientage' (Media Days) Conference for Young Women in Nienburg, Germany. She did excellent research prior to her trip and returned with valuable information for the Sister Cities program. "She has my highest recommendation for the Regents scholarship. I am confident she will continue to be an outstanding student at UNM," wrote Luchini. "The German program at Mayfield had an outstanding reputation. I wanted to learn another language well. They provided that opportunity," Ortiz says. She has tested her language skills by traveling to Germany three times. She plans to continue studying the language at UNM. Ortiz says her parents encouraged her to attend school in state. "I know that I will get more individual attention at UNM than I would if I went to a larger school. I think the education is as good as any big school," she says, adding, "maybe better." # # #

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