Stephanie Ly joins Department of Physiology as new Unit HR Administrator
Building meaningful relationships has always been a cornerstone of Stephanie Ly’s journey. As the eldest sibling to one brother and one sister, she cultivated early on a deep sense of responsibility and a knack for nurturing relationships.
It’s a quality that’s become a hallmark of her professional journey. It’s also something she’s ready to bring to Michigan State University Department of Physiology as its newly hired Unit Human Resources Administrator.
“I plan to be proactive in meeting people in-person or virtually and sharing with people information on how they can work with me and reach me for any help,” said Ly stressing that the role of HR isn’t just to solve problems in the workplace. “Frontline employees don’t usually come to HR unless they have an issue. However, there are opportunities to build relationships to get to know more of their perspectives and challenges through using technology to share resources and processes.”
The Canadian-born Ly’s childhood dreams of becoming a polyglot revealed an early inclination towards embracing various perspectives and interests. Raised in Holland, Michigan, she initially pursued a pre-law degree with a focus on immigration law at MSU. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in humanities and pre-law, Ly’s interest in becoming a lawyer started to wander elsewhere.
“I was drawn to international higher education instead and switched courses for an opportunity as an immigration advisor for students and scholars,” said Ly adding that she still utilizes the skills she acquired from her law degree like ethics and policy interpretation.
Ly found herself employed at the Office for International Students and Scholars at MSU within various positions over the course of seven years. However, it was her role as an advisor that would soon pivot her career interest again.
“I ended up doing a lot of coaching for international students when they were seeking opportunities after graduation as well as facilitating the process of visa sponsorship for our staff and faculty,” Ly said. “I really enjoyed that part of my role, so I became interested in the HR field.”
With a rich portfolio of MSU experience that includes an undergraduate law degree and work experience spanning seven years at the Office for International Students and Scholars followed by three years in IT Services, Ly has high expectations for herself as she applies her plethora of knowledge and skills accumulated over the years to help support the Department of Physiology’s own mission of growth and academic research.
“I expect that my role will be a resource for the department and its divisions in guiding staff on HR policies and procedures and how to effectively apply them to the department,” Ly said. “I am super excited to have this career growth opportunity and to support an academic department where the research contributes to advancing human and animal science.”
Stephanie Ly’s office is located in the Department of Physiology’s main office suite in room 2201C of the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building.
By: Tyler Lee
