Megan Balasundaram

Bio

I work as an Honors Counselor guiding and helping first-year students as their main advisor and then transitioning to their Honors curriculum advisor in the following years. I want to help my students grow and develop from the SPICES model that the Honors College follows. College is a time for learning, exploring and developing oneself.

Born and raised in the Midwest, I try to appreciate the little things in life such as the stillness and quiet right before a rain storm rolls in. I grew up alongside cattle as well as many cats and dogs and still have a strong connection to animals to this day. I observe and take in everything around me and am appreciative of where I am. Right after high school I moved 2 hours south and attended Missouri State University for my Undergraduate and graduate degrees. I majored in business for both, with an emphasis in marketing, as I developed a passion for learning about branding, merchandising and studying how certain businesses thrive while others fail.

I have a background and experience in many areas of business such as: Order creation and management, Inventory tracking, budget forecasting, and sales projecting. I have had the opportunity to work for some of the best companies such as Coca-Cola, Expedia, and Bass Pro Corporate Office. I thrive learning about company culture and how they operate on a day-to-day basis. I have been in and out of higher education for many years and have been an Academic Advisor for both Missouri State University and UTSA. I love working with students and helping them reach their goals and passions.

Skill Development

Currently, I teach a Business Communications course for Missouri State University that focuses on becoming a strong and effective communicator. My students develop their verbal (including public speaking) and non-verbal styles of communicating during the semester. We develop a resume and do mock interviews from which they can build on during their academic studies and be strong applicants after graduation. I am a big fan of developing your ‘elevator speech’ when mingling with prospective employers. You never know where the next opportunity might present itself!

Cultural Exploration

While I was earning my MBA, I was offered a teaching assistant position at a University in Dalian, China for a semester. While living and working in a city where less than 5% speak English, I was able to immerse myself in Chinese culture and learn that there is so much more to our lives than the little bubble we live in. I relied immensely on non-verbal communication and also tried my hand at learning Mandarin. (I am still working on that till this day). I was able to travel to Japan and South Korea during my semester. Experiencing all of the amazing food and sights was something I will never forget.

My life today consists of a multi-cultural household of myself, my husband who is from India, and our 4-year-old son. We incorporate pieces from each of our backgrounds to make sure he appreciates his heritage. It is so fun to see him grow and take on the characteristics of each of us.

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