Same Family, Same Instructor, Same Class — 36 Years Apart

By Suzanne Finch

Near the end of the fall semester of 2025, Lois Olson, a long-time marketing lecturer in SDSU’s Fowler College of Business, was wrapping up her Marketing (BA 370) class when an unfamiliar woman walked into the classroom near the end of the lecture and took a seat toward the back of the room.

After the class ended, the woman approached Olson. “Do you remember me?” she asked. Olson, who estimates that she has taught over 37,000 students since she started at SDSU in 1988, admitted that she didn’t recognize her.

The woman introduced herself as Maria “Charo” Mouritzen and explained that she had taken this very same class as an SDSU student in 1989 with Olson as the instructor.

“I taught a section on qualitative research and told the class that if they were fluent in another language, there was good pay for those who excelled as focus group moderators,” said Olson. “That lesson resonated with Charo and she has been doing that work on a global basis as a Spanish speaker for many years now. She was coming to thank me.”

While Olson expressed her appreciation, she also asked why Mouritzen decided to come forward after all these years.

Mouritzen had one more interesting surprise in store: Her son, Ryan, was a student in the class Olson had just finished. 

But Charo and Ryan Mouritzen — both marketing majors — were not the only Aztecs in the family. 

In fact, seven family members spanning three generations and nearly 70 years are either SDSU alumni or current SDSU students. 

The Mouritzen family includes three generations of Aztecs:

Carolina Mouritzen – mother/grandmother (’59, Speech Communication)
Gary Mouritzen – son/father (’93, finance)
Charo Mouritzen – daughter-in-law/mother (’91, marketing)
Ryan Mouritzen – grandson/son (’27, marketing)
Marco Mouritzen – grandson/son (’29, management)

Charo’s husband, Gary Mouritzen (finance), her mother-in-law, Carolina Mouritzen (speech communication), and her two sisters, Sandra Aguila (art) and Lorena Aguila (psychology), all earned their bachelor's degrees from SDSU. Additionally, another of her sons, Marco, is an SDSU freshman majoring in management/entrepreneurship.

Much like their sister, Lorena and Sandra Aguila continue to work in their chosen fields long after graduation. 

“My education at SDSU had a very positive impact on my life,” said Sandra Aguila, who is currently a free-lance graphic designer.  “The kind of support offered to me was pivotal in my experience there.” 

Lorena Agulia, a clinical psychologist, said she chose to attend SDSU, not only because it was a family tradition, but because of the university’s  “solid reputation of the department of psychology.” 

“SDSU was instrumental in my preparation as a psychologist,” she said. “I love what I do. It is who I am. And I have SDSU to thank for giving me the start I needed to become a psychologist.” 

The meeting with the Aguila sisters and the Mouritzen family, reaffirmed to Olson the reason she loves teaching. “It was so moving to know I influenced Charo’s career and very happy life,” she said. “I have been here a long time, and I love what I do. But the real reward comes with the meaningful experiences like the Mouritzens and the Aguilas.”