Vivienne is a National Merit Scholar pursuing a Finance degree in the Honors Program at the C.T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston. She is on track to graduate in three to four semesters.

This past summer, she interned at an investment banking firm in New York City and recently received a full-time offer from the company. In Summer 2026, she will intern at one of the top three consulting firms, based in Houston.

A graduate of Taylor High School (Class of 2023), Vivienne served as president of the debate team. She was a national qualifier in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking, a four-time State qualifier in Informative Speaking, and a three-time State qualifier in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking. In middle school, she was part of one of Houston’s top Public Forum Debate teams.

Vivienne has been a speech and debate coach with AVA KSDA since 9th grade and also mentored her high school teammates as an upperclassman. She remains deeply passionate about speech and debate and continues to contribute to the community through coaching and mentorship.   

 

"I’m thankful that my parents encouraged me to join speech and debate in elementary school and pushed me to stick with it through the years. Speech and debate has shaped me both academically and personally—helping me build confidence, think clearly under pressure, and express myself in a way that feels natural and personable.

 

I also learned the importance of leadership and genuine, collaborative teamwork. During my freshman year, I interviewed for and was accepted into Bayou Capital Group (BCG), a student-led investment club at the University of Houston focused on securities investing through interactive equity research. Thanks to my background in speech and debate, I felt right at home conducting research and confidently presenting stock pitches to alumni and corporate executives.  Sophomore year, I was accepted onto the UH Ambassadors team, where I help support campus and alumni events, promote student engagement, and serve as a bridge between students, alumni, and the broader university community.

I have to admit, I didn’t even like reading the news when I first started debate in middle school. But over time, that changed. Now, I actually enjoy staying informed—I have The New York Times' news alerts set up and regularly keep up with current events and global issues.  

Speech and debate has really boosted my self-esteem and given me a kind of confidence I never knew I needed—it's helped me feel more comfortable speaking up, taking on challenges, and just being myself in all kinds of situations."