Ria Schultz Reflects on Leadership Role at UNM’s Center for Financial Capability and What's Next

Ria Schultz recently graduated from the Anderson School of Management with a degree in finance and marketing and served as Executive Director of UNM’s Center for Financial Capability (CFC). She’ll soon begin a new role as an Inside Sales Associate with CoStar Group in Richmond, Virginia, working with their Homes.com subsidiary to help real estate professionals get their listings on the platform.

After high school, Ria began working as a teller at Nusenda, where a single customer interaction sparked her passion for helping others achieve financial wellness. A regular customer once joyfully shared she had finally saved enough money to take her daughter to lunch, a moment that gave Ria a life-changing epiphany: she wanted to help others meet their financial goals.

That inspiration set her path in motion. After learning about UNM’s CFC, she took the initiative to email the department’s executive director to express her interest. “I would love to work with your team and help students. If there is an opportunity, please keep me in mind,” she wrote. A few months later, she joined the team as assistant director and was eventually promoted to executive director.

Ria is especially proud of the CFC’s growing impact on campus. In fall 2024 alone, the center recorded over 500 additional student interactions through events and workshops. With support from Nusenda, the CFC hosts financial literacy workshops, networking events, scholarship opportunities, tax assistance, and more. The center helps students build financial confidence and supports their academic and personal success.

“Working at the Center truly helped shape me for the professional world,” Ria said. “It gave me the space to use and grow so many different skills, especially communication, relationship-building, and learning how to take initiative. One of the most valuable things I learned was how to take an idea and run with it.”

While at Anderson, Ria took a full course load and stayed deeply involved in student life. She held officer positions in the Association of Latino Professionals for America and the Financial Management Association, served as Director of Communications for ASUNM, and participated in the Anderson Sales and Business Development Center. She credits the Intro to Sales class and her experience at the Arizona State Collegiate Sales Competition with building her confidence and preparing her for high-stakes professional environments. “The one-on-one coaching helped me refine my approach and feel more confident in unfamiliar situations,” she said. “The team truly cares about every student, and I always felt supported.”

She also shared that Anderson’s support extended far beyond the classroom. “During a tough semester dealing with unexpected family and caregiving responsibilities, the flexibility, scholarships, and understanding I received meant the world to me. It reminded me that I wasn’t alone.”

Ria credits several mentors with helping shape her journey, including professors, Reilly White, Ryan Knight, and Dimitri Kapelianis.

Reflecting on her time at Anderson, Ria says she’s especially grateful for the people and opportunities that helped shape her path and excited for what comes next.