As a first-generation college student whose parents immigrated from Vietnam to the United States, Vivian Ly (BS ’24) attributes much of her academic and professional growth to her experience at UMRF Ventures, Inc. during her time at the University of Memphis.
Ly attended White Station High School and knew she wanted to stay close to home and attend the UofM just like her older sister. When starting school, it was important to Ly to find a community and a part-time job within the field of computer science.
“I definitely think being first-gen, it’s important to find your community,” Ly said.
She established connections with various organizations, including her sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. A sorority sister introduced her to the opportunities available at UMRF Ventures.
“I think that UMRFV is a great place to connect with other students and have that sense of community there,” Ly said. “I can see the support within management, because at UMRFV, there are many opportunities open for you to move up. So, you can go from analyst to supervisor, and you can even reach management level as well. And I think having those opportunities of growth for students as they further their career within college and eventually graduate helps them understand what the real-world industry is like.”
Housed within the University of Memphis, UMRF Ventures facilitates a talent pipeline, offering industry partners access to student employees who specialize in areas such as IT help desk services, business optimization, cybersecurity, system automation and more. It recently reached a milestone of placing more than 100 students into full-time jobs and 1,000 students through its talent pipeline.
“The connections we’ve established with companies like Raymond James have been a key factor in providing our student-employees with access to cutting-edge training and development opportunities, helping them build a strong foundation for future success,” CEO of UMRF Ventures, Pierre Landaiche said.
Ly started at UMRF Ventures the summer of 2022 during her freshman year as an Identity Access Management analyst with the UMRF Ventures Raymond James contract.
Starting her college journey as an undecided STEM major, Ly’s experience at UMRF Ventures inspired her to officially choose computer science as her field of study.
“This was my first introduction into what I would be doing in the future,” she said. “It has brought a lot of perspective as to what computer science majors can do.”
“I think that UMRFV is a great place to connect with other students and have that sense of community there.”
– Vivian Ly
In her role, she gained experience performing various tasks including becoming proficient in Agile methodology, creating emails, mailbox distribution lists and working with ticketing systems. She gives credit to the UMRFV leadership team for their significant role in her development, consistently providing support and guidance along the way.
“Raymond James has been a joy to work with, as the diverse teams and complex challenges brought a deeper understanding of business operations, communication and problem-solving that have greatly contributed to my professional growth,” she said.
“Vivian’s story is a shining example of how determination and real-world experience can transform a student’s future,” Jared Weaver, Manager, IT Security, IAM Ops said.
“From her first days as an IAM analyst, she embraced every challenge with an eagerness to learn and grow, all while balancing her responsibilities as a first-generation college student. At Raymond James, we’ve seen firsthand how the support and hands-on environment provided by UMRF Ventures can unlock a student’s full potential, and Vivian’s accomplishments are proof of that success.”
Because of the flexible nature of working at UMRF Ventures, Ly was able to study abroad during the summer of 2023 at the Université de Catholique de Lille in France. Her job was waiting for her when she returned.
In April 2024, Ly transitioned into the technology risk and assurance role. Today, she works as a Project Coordinator within UMRF Ventures’ Raymond James contract.
“I really want to use this time in my position to explore more and learn more technical skills and technical knowledge of cybersecurity,” Ly said. “And I also have plans to get certified with CompTIA Security+ and other certifications. This has also inspired me to become a project manager in the future as well.”
Having the opportunity to attend meetings with Raymond James employees was among her favorite things about working at UMRF Ventures.
“I was meeting people who were at different stages of their career, whether they were recent grads or have been working for 10 or 15 years or so,” she said. “It was just very important to understand and learn. Professional skills and soft skills are just very important.”
Ly said her experience as a student would have been different if it weren’t for UMRF Ventures. She’s been able to gain confidence while working at the company.
“I feel like I would probably be jumping around in the sense of trying to have a consistent job,” Ly said. “And I know one of the things that was big within my college career was thinking about an internship. The thing about UMRFV is that they worked with my school schedule. It was a consistent job that allowed me to go to school while receiving hands-on experience that also connected with my ideal career. The company offers internship opportunities as well.”
In her spare time, Ly volunteers at Multinational Memphis where she works with children from immigrant families, a program she attended as a child.
