Akshaya Sreenivasan
Texas A&M University, Mays Business School
“She is definitely one of the best professors out there, the level of impact she had in my career and in many others is unmeasurable. Her passion for helping students and people around her is what makes her stand out. I wouldn’t be where I am today without everything I learned from her and the help she provided throughout my career! I graduated almost 5 years ago and one of the most impactful and memorable projects I’ve worked on in my career was from her class.” – Adriana Sosa Wade
Akshaya Sreenivasan, 38, is a Clinical Associate Professor of Marketing and the Director for the Aggies in Tech Program at the Mays Business School, Texas A&M University. Prior to joining Mays, she worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University.
Sreenivasan’s work primarily involves exploring the use of information and communication technologies for international development (ICT4D). Her work was inspired by her experience as a short term consultant at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. She also studies the psychological aspects of communication technologies with an emphasis on social media interactions, usability research, and community formations.
She helped in forming the ICT4D group at Penn State and was awarded the prestigious university-wide W. LaMarr Kopp Award for research and international development. Her work has been published in the Government Information Quarterly, the Journal of Information Policy, and the Association of Computer Machinery (ACM).
A former news anchor and reporter for the prestigious NDTV network in India, Sreenivasan has worked on several breaking and lead news stories including the extensive coverage of the LTTE’s (Sri Lanka) fall.
She is the recipient of the 2021 Herb Thompson Teaching Award in Marketing at the Mays Business School and the 2024 Association of Former Students Best Teacher Award at Texas A&M University.
BACKGROUND
At current institution since what year? 2016
Education: PhD in Mass Communications from Penn State; B.S and M.A in Electronic Media and Broadcast Communications from M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women, University of Madras.
List of Undergraduate courses you teach: Aggies in Tech – Business Technology Leadership Courses, Social Media and PR, Marketing Consulting, Advertising & IMC.
TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR
I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when: I met the star lineup of Marketing faculty at the Smeal College of Business, Penn State University.
What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? As a clinical faculty, my research requirements are not mandated by the University (unlike a tenure track faculty). But I love research, and I am currently working with a team of scholars to bridge the gap between classrooms and corporate board rooms. I am discovering that our pedagogy is outdated, and we need to evolve quickly to meet the teaching needs of tomorrow.
If I weren’t a business school professor, I’d be … News Anchor/ Reporter (I did that in my past life).
What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? I genuinely love teaching, and I can have a normal conversation with my students. I have been a professor for almost 9 years now and taught over one thousand students. Not once have I felt bored or disinterested to teach. When you show that you care, the students reciprocate it.
One word that describes my first-time teaching: Nervous
Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: You must be nimble and willing to change, as its not hard science.
Professor I most admire and why: This might sound cheesy, but the truth is that I admire my husband (and colleague), Hari Sridhar. He was the first business school professor that I saw lecturing. Every semester, I compare my teaching evaluations with him. He was 40 under 40 for Poets & Quants. It gets a little competitive at home, but that’s what keeps us going.
TEACHING BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS
What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? It’s more of a conversation than a lecture. You are learning with them and at the same time, trying to stay ahead of the game.
What is most challenging? With the changing digital/ AI landscape, there is so much newness that you can add. But there is a fine line between letting go of traditional theories, to create space for newer practices.
In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Curious.
In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Arrogant
When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as … an easy A, if you put in the work.
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
What are your hobbies? I love to cook; I love to host. I am a huge history buff.
How will you spend your summer? With family, making memories and being happy.
Favorite place(s) to vacation: Chennai (that’s my hometown, and I always look for an excuse to visit).
Favorite book(s): All time favorite would be the Peanuts/ Calvin Hobbes. It puts your life in perspective.
What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? Currently, I am obsessed with “Only murders in the Building” on Hulu. In a world of action, and gore, Only Murders is good scriptwriting and acting.
What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? I am not very picky. I can listen to practically anything. My Apple playlist currently has Kanye West, John Denver, Michael Jackson, and MS Subbulakshmi.
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this … Collaboration: At the end of the day, everything is a business. Engineers, healthcare professionals, people in the arts etc., need some business acumen. The goal is to make the study of business more accessible, and collaborative.
In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at … innovating and evolving. Organizations where R&D/ innovation/ curiosity/ creativity are at the center of all business operations, are the ones that thrive.
I’m grateful for … every moment of my life (happy/ sad/ everything in between).
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