We're a community-firstcyber group.
The Vaquero Information Security Initiative (VISI) is a cybersecurity student organization and 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in the Rio Grande Valley. We were founded to address the challenges our region faces in cybersecurity, and our goal is to build the skills to help. Students who join build applicable real-world skills alongside passionate, like-minded individuals. VISI serves as a network and springboard for students to launch careers in cybersecurity while giving back to our communities through workshops, open resources, and other contributions.
Our Mission
Produce cybersecurity professionals and give back.
VISI was created for the enthusiast who looks to make a difference. What we produce is designed to provide value to our communities and help our members grow into cybersecurity professionals. At the end of the day, our goal is to empower our members to take initiative in their academic and professional lives, whether that be attending or presenting at conferences, conducting research, starting projects, or making meaningful connections.
Our Pillars
Devotion
We protect the communities we come from. When we learn something, we share it.
Dedication
Delivering real value takes discipline. We aim to produce quality work.
Curiosity
Curious minds are the roots of progress. We ask questions, explore, and share what we find.
Honor
We act honestly and within the law. When the easy path conflicts with the right one, we take the right one.
Bigger problems need more people.
Security work done alone has a ceiling. As a team, we take on research others can't, respond to simulated incidents, and build tools that outlast any one member. If you're a UTRGV student or curious individual ready to work on hard problems alongside people who call security their calling, we invite you to join and help us make a difference.