Vo Family Expands Longhorn Legacy at Texas Global
- Nov 18, 2025
- Global Alumni Relations
- by Alex Briseño
Surrounded by family, friends and colleagues for the dedication of the Texas Global Vo Family Lobby, Andrew Phong Vo (BBA ’95) reflected on the support and sacrifices — particularly those made by his parents — that paved the way for their growing impact across The University of Texas at Austin.
In April 2025, 50 years after Vo and his family immigrated to the United States from Vietnam, they gathered at Texas Global to celebrate the latest chapter of their continued commitment to the University and international education.
“The Texas Global Vo Family Lobby dedication was an incredibly meaningful moment,” Vo said. “It was a chance to honor my parents, their lifelong impact as educators, and the sacrifices they made to support my dreams.”
A plaque adorned with a silhouette of Vietnam was mounted in the lobby. The text reads, “This space is dedicated by Andrew Phong Vo (BBA ’95) in honor of his parents, Dang and My Le Vo, whose resilience as Vietnamese refugees immigrating to the U.S. in 1975 has been a lasting inspiration. It celebrates the boundless opportunities Texas Global creates for international students at The University of Texas at Austin.”
“Supporting international students and programs allows me to help others experience the same transformative opportunities UT once offered me and to ensure that the Longhorn spirit continues to reach every corner of the globe.”
With the lobby dedication, Vo wanted to further build on his family’s enduring imprint by supporting and inspiring international scholars who, like him, came to Texas with big dreams.
“The Vo Family Lobby is just the most recent example of Andrew and the Vo family’s passion for international education and the Longhorn community,” said Sonia Feigenbaum, senior vice provost for global engagement and chief international officer. “The Vo family has forged a lasting legacy that parallels their lived experience and our shared mission. Texas Global is honored to house this symbol of belonging, endless possibilities, and inspiration for generations of students and scholars.”
Championing International Education
For Vo, it felt fitting to dedicate the space to a vital community that supports students from around the globe with the guidance of extraordinary staff and programs.
“Hosting the ceremony in a welcoming space that celebrates our international student community made it even more special,” Vo said. “As a first-generation Vietnamese American whose journey was made possible through the generosity of countless individuals and communities, it truly felt like a full-circle moment.”
In 1975, Vo’s family immigrated to the United States from Vietnam. After growing up in Sugar Land, Texas, Vo earned a finance degree from the McCombs School of Business in 1995. He went on from there to build an acclaimed 30-year career at Accenture and currently serves as Chief Transformation Officer in the Middle East.
Throughout his life, Vo has remained focused on expanding access to education and ensuring that his positive experience on the Forty Acres can be afforded to current and future international students.
“Through Texas Global, I’ve found a deeply meaningful way to give back. Its mission — connecting people, ideas and cultures — mirrors my own journey and my parents’ lifelong belief in the power of education."
Broadening Impact
Service, support and connection have always marked Vo’s time on the UT campus. As a student in 1994, he founded the Texas Iron Spikes, a service-oriented student organization and the official Texas baseball men’s spirit group.
As an alum, Vo felt a calling to give back to the University in ways that honored his parents’ unwavering commitment to international education. That vision came to life in 2020 when he returned to campus for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the Vo Family Auditorium in the UT Admissions Welcome Center.
“My family and I have been deeply blessed to give back to our beloved alma mater in ways that reflect the many chapters of my own Longhorn journey,” he said. “We’ve always believed in broadening how we share our time and treasure across the Forty Acres, because so many parts of the University helped shape who I am today.”
In 2018, Accenture offered to move him from Houston to Singapore to help transform its business across the firm’s Growth Markets region. Although the expat role was outside of his comfort zone, Vo knew it was exactly where he needed to be.
"The experience of working across 20-plus countries, learning from extraordinary cultures and people, deepened my belief in the power of international education to expand perspectives and unlock potential," he said. "This became the catalyst for my continued involvement with Texas Global and, ultimately, the President’s International Board of Advisors, which I was asked to join in 2023."
Paying It Forward
Vo takes great pride in his active role on several boards and councils at UT Austin, underscoring both his professional interests and the responsibility he feels to repay the kindness inherent in the opportunities he’s been afforded.
Vo has been a member since 2023 of UT Austin’s International Board of Advisors (IBA), which strengthens and enhances the University’s global visibility; supports its aspiration to become the world’s highest-impact public research university; and provides advice, support and direction to the University’s president and leaders.
As the chair of the Technology and Society committee, Vo is leading the IBA’s efforts to advance the University’s global research mission through GenAI innovation, strategic partnerships and faculty collaboration.
Vo has also served on the McCombs School of Business’ Advisory Council since 2013, and in 2014, he also began his ongoing stint as a semifinalist interviewer for the Forty Acres Scholars Program. His ongoing involvement with the McCombs Advisory Council resulted in Vo and his wife, Sophie, endowing a McCombs Presidential Scholarship to support exceptional business students with full tuition.
“Through this gift, we’ve had the privilege of sponsoring four outstanding McCombs student leaders, each of whom embodies the spirit of excellence and service that defines The University of Texas,” Vo said. “Together with my ongoing work on the council’s scholarship committee, this has allowed us to help expand access, opportunity and leadership development for the next generation of Longhorns.”
Vo, a Texas Ex, described the UT Austin alumni network as “one of the most powerful in the world.” As he continues to build a Longhorn legacy in the Vo family name, he also encourages Longhorns to seek out mentors, build relationships and pay it forward whenever possible.
“Even a single conversation can open doors you never imagined,” Vo said. “Whether by giving back, mentoring others or getting involved with your local Texas Exes chapter — wherever you are in the world, each of us has the chance to uplift future generations and honor the University that shaped us.”
