UAH grad student Phillip Ray is forging his path as a leader in Huntsville’s tech industry
By: Curtis Venetta
Phillip Ray is making a name for himself in Huntsville’s ever-growing technology industry. Despite the recent loss of his father, Ray has continued to develop his professional expertise while supporting his family and shining a light on the local community.
Ray started his leadership journey as an undergraduate student at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) when he worked as a resident assistant and a career ambassador.
As a member of Alpha Tau Omega, Ray participated in multiple community service projects on and off campus. He served as operations chairman for two years before stepping into the director role for the fraternity’s Battle of the Buffalo festival, an annual fundraiser for cancer research.
Alongside his involvement on campus, Ray worked as an intern for both Maximum Technology Corporation and Northrop Grumman (NG) while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in information systems.
“During my internship with NG, I rotated several times amongst different teams, learning new skills that I applied both in and out of school,” Ray says.
Ray began working full-time as a pathway systems engineer after graduation.
He attributes his full-time transition within NG to UAH Career Services’ constant motivation, explaining, “UAH taught me the value of networking, challenging myself to look beyond a failure and rising above it and making connections with diverse people.”
Ray helped start the Ambassadors, Interns & Mentors (AIM) program at NG, which provides networking opportunities and support for interns. He served as the professional development co-lead for the Pathways Council for one year before becoming the site co-lead, allowing him to help organize networking events for early career professionals.
He has also made several technical accomplishments during his time with NG.
“One of the plans that I authored and own is the Systems Engineering Management Plan, which has received recognition from both NG leadership and Missile Defence Agency (MDA) leadership,” Ray says.
While continuing to carry out his responsibilities as pathway systems engineer, Ray also works as the lead scrum master on his product team to lead planning events, oversee teams and assist where needed. This March, he transitioned into a new role, where he has adopted even more responsibilities, ensuring his team meets the program’s milestones.
Ray has received various awards in his two years working full time with NG.
He is also on the planning committee for two programs created by Leadership Greater Huntsville, both designed for emerging leaders in high schools and universities across the state.
Amid his ongoing achievements, Ray recently faced a tragic loss in his family.
“This past year was one of the hardest years of my life as my father passed away in July,” Ray says. “This impacted my family and me deeply and has required me to spend more time back in Tennessee supporting the family.”
Despite his recent loss, Ray has found time to remain dedicated to his work and stay optimistic in the face of life’s challenges. Ray says his experiences have shaped him into someone who always smiles, practices resilience and holds firm in his beliefs while remaining open-minded.
Ray describes UAH as his “home away from home,” sharing that the university has provided him with numerous opportunities to grow in and out of the classroom. Now, he is working toward completing his Master of Science in cybersecurity on the management track at UAH.
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