Ivette Ordo?ez named Outstanding Undergraduate Student in CSUSB's College of Business and Public Administration

SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. – Cal State San Bernardino’s College of Business and Public Administration has named Ivette Ordoñez its outstanding undergraduate student for 2015. She will be recognized at the college’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 20, at 8 p.m.

This year, commencement ceremonies will be at Citizens Business Bank Arena, at 4000 East Ontario Center Parkway.

Ordoñez will receive her bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in accounting. She has made the dean’s list every quarter since fall 2011 with a grade point average of 3.94 in her core classes.

“I feel extremely grateful for being selected and acknowledged as the top undergraduate student in my college,” said Ordoñez. “This award to me is a great acknowledgement that hard work pays off and doesn’t go unnoticed.”

The San Bernardino resident said that she’s been fortunate to have had the support of several people in her life, especially from her parents, who taught her the importance of education at an early age.

“My father has been an inspiration to me,” Ordoñez said. “I know the struggles my dad went through in Mexico trying to get his education at UNAM, a research university in Mexico City. I’ve been given so many opportunities that my dad could only dream of, so he is my motivation to accomplish what he was not able to finish.”

The road to her degree had challenges. One of the hardships she endured was taking on additional responsibilities as a co-parent to her younger brother after her mother moved to Mexico due to certain circumstances when Ordoñez began her freshman year at CSUSB.

Through hard work and good grades in high school, she received a four-year scholarship from the GEAR UP Program to attend CSUSB, and is thankful for the many sponsors and donors who contribute to the education of students like her.
Ordoñez, whose career goal is to become a certified public accountant, has already been accepted to begin graduate courses at CSUSB this fall to pursue a master of science in accountancy. After that, she plans to take the CPA exam with the goal of passing all four sections the first time.
“I am blessed to have wonderful parents who gave me the tools I’ve needed to succeed, friends who encouraged me do better, and a boyfriend who has supported me in many ways,” said the 21-year-old.

Other commencement exercises on June 20 include the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at 8 a.m.; the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Education will be at noon; and the College of Natural Sciences at 4 p.m.

The Palm Desert Campus will hold its commencement exercises on Thursday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort in Rancho Mirage.

All of the ceremonies at the Citizens Business Bank Arena will be streamed online on the Creative Media Services live webcast page at http://acm.csusb.edu/services/videoproduction/livewebcast.html.

For more information about the June 2015 graduations, visit the CSUSB Commencement website at http://commencement.csusb.edu/index.html.

For more information or a digital photo of Ivette Ordonez, contact the university’s Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.

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