Proud Longhorns and Even Prouder UFCU Members

For the Islam family, UFCU has been more than a bank — it’s been an essential partner through life’s biggest milestones. From their first home loan to their son’s first checking account, UFCU has become an integral part of their financial journey and a trusted member of their family.

Their connection to UFCU began in 1988 when Saiful arrived in Austin to pursue his master’s degree at The University of Texas™.

“I learned UFCU was owned by students and faculty,” he recalls. “After that, I moved my banking to UFCU [and have] been a loyal Member [ever since].”

He remembers the personal service, a no-fee-checking account, and a special, promotional end-of-year rebate when he opened his account. It was a true game changer for students like him at the time.

In 1997, when they were fresh out of college with limited savings, UFCU helped the Islams purchase their first home.

“Mortgage rates were sky-high,” Saiful recalls. “UFCU [had] an FHA loan with 3% down. I remember it was an 8% mortgage rate, [but] this is what we could manage and [we bought] the house,” Saiful states. “Even though we didn’t have the money, they gave us the dream that we could be a homeowner,” Lima expressed with gratitude.

UFCU’s support did not stop at mortgages. When the family faced financial challenges, UFCU introduced them to solutions like a home equity loan to consolidate and pay off their debt.

“We had few student loans and some credit card debt,” Lima recalls. “A loan officer explained [to us] a home equity loan. We went to mortgage services and took the home equity loan. We paid off our student debt and credit card debt. The [lower] interest rate and paying off the bills was an awesome feeling,” Lima shares.

Lima also credits the Investment Services department for helping her save smarter and grow her investments. 

“Before I came to UFCU, I worked at two other institutions, where I [still] had my 401ks. I went to our Investment Services department and talked about how I could benefit and save more. They helped us through this journey and moved our investments to UFCU to help us save more and make more.”

Now with everything in one place, she can navigate all her finances with ease. UFCU’s mentorship now extends to their son.

“I [get] goosebumps when I think that at exactly Niraf’s age, I opened my account at UFCU,” Saiful reflects. “Hopefully UFCU will help him the way they helped me to shape up his future too.”

Inspired by his parents, Niraf shares, “My dad opened an account when he was my age and he was able to learn how to save, get a mortgage, [and] buy an investment property. Now, they can show me and teach me how to be financially set. I am very happy and glad I get to learn from them how to be financially responsible.”

Lima’s relationship with UFCU grew deeper when she joined the organization as a full-time employee.

“During my career path, any support I needed to take any certification, my UFCU family was there,” Lima expresses. “They helped me [stay] motivated to grow my career. To this day, UFCU always [prioritizes] work life balance and that is [also] important for me.”

Lima takes pride in UFCU’s commitment to community, particularly its support for the Bangladesh community.

“What I love to do is not only build my career, but also give out to the community. That is one of the biggest philosophies [at] UFCU. [Because of this], when I [am] out in the community, UFCU [is] able to give me support. That helped me bring more people to UFCU to help them be financially empowered.”

For the Islam family, UFCU isn’t just another financial institution — it’s their financial companion.

Members Lima I, Saiful I, Niraf I
Member(s) Since 1988
Services Everyday Banking, Mortgage, Investment Services