This Mother’s Day, SXU honors a beloved public school educator whose decades of dedication in the classroom inspired hundreds of students to dream big and pursue higher education.
This year marks four years since the passing of Maribel Ochoa, a beloved mother of
four, who lost her decade-long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Her story began in
January 1969, just outside of Zamora, Michoacán, Mexico, in a tiny pueblo called El
Realejo. A few years later, her parents immigrated to the United States in search of a
better life.
Maribel learned to speak English by the age of five after her family settled on the South
Side of Chicago, IL. She quickly became fluent in both Spanish and English—skills that
would shape her future as a bilingual educator, leading classrooms in both languages.
But fluency didn’t shield her from the harsh realities of growing up as a young
immigrant. From the moment she arrived, Maribel faced racism and discrimination. As
the eldest of four children, she carried the weight of responsibility early on, but she alsocarried a dream—to pursue higher education and become a teacher for elementary
students.
After high school, Maribel earned a Master’s Degree in Education. She went on to teach
at several public schools throughout the area where she grew up, eventually finding her
longest home at Gaillest Elementary School, located in Chicago’s Southeast Side.
There, she taught students from first through eighth grade for more than 15 years.
Over her 30+ year career in education, Maribel did more than teach––she inspired. She
sparked meaningful conversations with students who, like her, dreamed of a better
future. Many came from similar backgrounds, and through her guidance and shared
experiences, she helped them see that their dreams were possible too.
Often referred to as “Miss Ochoa” from her students, she built lasting friendships with
both students and faculty who shared touching stories of Ms. Ochoa, after she had
passed away. One student, Alex Rodriguez, a current SXU student pursuing their
Bachelor’s in Arts, states, “Ms. Ochoa was such an amazing person, she had one of the
greatest impacts on my life, on many of my friends lives, and it seemed like just many
other people’s lives as well. She was my 5th grade teacher when I was at Gallistel and
she had done so much for me. That year I was getting bullied badly, i was always the
odd kid at school, but Ms. Ochoa always took care of me at school and she always felt
like someone I could go to. The same year my father had passed and I was just
struggling badly. I had gotten suicidal and I never looked forward to going to school but
when I did she was there for me like always. When I had gotten back to school after
missing weeks she had a card to show her condolences and a big hug. She helped me
with school work when other teachers didn’t want to and I’ll never forget how much she
helped me…”.
Cynthia Gonzalez, a 2021 graduate and fellow SXU alumna shared: ”One of the
summers we were helping her take down all of her classroom stuff, and she was asking
what I planned on doing after I’d graduated high school. I told her my plan was to attend
community college, and was pretty firm on my decision, especially because I was an
undocumented student so I didn’t have the option to be eligible for FAFSA or take out
student loans.
But Ms. Ochoa didn’t agree with my idea, and made me look into private universities like
Loyola and Saint Xavier, because she believed that I was smart and capable enough to
enter and be accepted. And that was literally the best advice anyone could have given
me. She was the support system I didn’t have as a first generation student. If she
wouldn’t have pushed me, I wouldn’t have received my Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal
Justice.”Without the unwavering support and belief system Maribel Ochoa cultivated and shared
with her students throughout her career, many of their paths might have looked very
different.
Maribel Ochoa passed away peacefully in her home on August 9, 2021, surrounded by
her children, grandchildren, spouse, parents, and siblings.
The power of education can move mountains, especially when paired with the
encouragement of a dedicated teacher.
Like great parents, educators help guide and uplift, preventing children from slipping through the cracks or being steered away from a brighter future. It truly takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes, it only takes one teacher to spark inspiration in the minds of many. It’s evident that Maribel Ochoa was
one of those teachers.