Posted on December 10, 2018 by Joanna Carver
Born in Irving, TX and raised by two immigrant parents, Jessica Lê has always had a mission for success. Lê will graduate this December with undergraduate degrees in cyber security and information systems.
“I love the feeling of being in a fast-paced, diverse and challenging environment,” said Lê, a first-generation student. “Cyber security is such a broad field. Being a curious person, the blend of technical and soft skills suited me perfectly.”
Lê completed an internship last summer with Chevron’s forensics department. She assisted investigators with data recovery and internal investigations, and she completed two major projects. As part of the first project, she developed a playbook for how to process an inappropriate use case. She also worked on a mobile device assessment for forensics. Her hard work paid off, and she was offered a full-time job in January after graduation in Houston.
“I loved Chevron’s culture,” said Lê. “I had a fantastic team and mentors who helped me throughout the internship. Everyone wanted me to succeed.”
While at UTSA Lê was active in student organizations as well as professional activities. She worked as a research and teaching assistant with the college’s Cyber Center for Security and Analytics. Lê was recognized as a Distinguished Business Student in the college this year for her academic and professional accomplishments. She was also a senior officer and vice chair with the student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery Women’s Chapter.
Lê acknowledges that her success resulted not only from her hard work, but also from the support that she received from the College of Business, the Center for Student Professional Development and faculty members Nicole Beebe, director of the Cyber Center for Security and Analytics, and Jianwei Niu, interim chair of the Department of Computer Science.
“Dr. Beebe’s Digital Forensics class helped me tremendously with my internship,” said Lê. “Both Dr. Beebe and Dr. Niu genuinely care about their students. I admire their leadership, and they served as role models for me of women succeeding in technology fields.”
As Lê prepares to begin her professional career, she offers a few tips for other business students. “Be active on campus and take on leadership roles,” she said. “Participate in the events and programming offered by the college and UTSA.” Lê attended information sessions, technology talks, internship and interview workshops and the college’s Career Action Program.
“There is nothing more meaningful than to pursue a life of development and betterment,” said Lê. “My journey allowed me to do what I truly love—helping others. Be bold and confident, work hard until you succeed and never give up. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me.”
— Joanna Carver
