2022 Best & Brightest Business Major: Sarah Sriram, Texas A&M (Mays)

by: Jeff Schmitt on March 26, 2022 | 717 Views

Sarah Sriram

Texas A&M University, Mays Business School

“I am an extroverted future physician with a love for people, fitness, entrepreneurship, and baking.”

Fun fact about yourself: I am a past member of the Texas A&M Waterski Team

Hometown: Waco, Texas

High School: Waco High School

Major: Business Honors

Favorite Business Course: Strategic Philanthropy

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

LEADERSHIP

Texas A&M Foundation Maroon Coats, Texas A&M University (February 2021 – Present)

-Director of Public Relations, (May 2021 – Present)

  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with Texas A&M University students, alumni, and staff with media usage
  • Maintain the public perception of the Maroon Coats student organization by designing social media content

-Maroon Coat, Class XIX

  • Serve as a student ambassador for the Texas A&M Foundation by regularly attending events with the university’s donors and friends, expressing gratitude for their selfless gifts to further academic excellence within the community
  • Provide campus tours and personal insight to prospective students, donors, faculty, and guests of the foundation.

Titans of Investing Class XXXII, Texas A&M University (May 2021 – December 2021)

-Chief Executive Officer

  • Selected to lead an educational finance program focused on increasing wisdom among students concerning major global events, stock market volatility, and corporate leadership skills
  • Construct and promote a culture of friendship amongst a group of 17 other students by leading weekly management team meetings, delegating responsibilities amongst the economics/investment teams, and setting the standard

Mays Business Fellows Program, Texas A&M University (November 2020 – May 2021)

-Fellow, Group XXXIX

  • Chosen as 1 of 35 to partake within a premier undergraduate professional development program with the purpose of building core competencies critical to exceptional leadership in the global society

Mays Business Honors Program, Texas A&M University (August 2018 – Present)

-Author: Pre-Medicine Guide, May 2021

  • Created a comprehensive guide for applying to medical school as a business major for current, incoming, and prospective students to aid them in their journey.

-Risk Coordinator, (November 2019 – November 2020)

  • Facilitated peer leader meetings for the Honors Freshmen Business Initiative program and mitigated all risk factors

-Peer Leader, (January 2019 – January 2020)

  • Instructed the Business Honors freshmen class of 2023 within the (BUSN 125) learning community course to assist with the development of personal and business competencies needed to be successful within a professional career

-Recruiting Committee Member, (August 2019 – May 2020)

  • Shared my unique college experience with prospective high school students by calling, emailing, and writing letters

Residence Life, Texas A&M University (May 2019 – August 2019)

-White Creek Apartments Residence Advisor

  • Fostered a positive living environment for students living in summer housing by prioritizing holistic wellness

ACTIVITIES & COMMUNITY WORK

CHI St. Joseph Regional Hospital, Bryan, Texas (January 2019 – May 2021)

-Human Resources Volunteer, (January 2021 – May 2021)

  • Assisted with clerical duties and support clinical operations while working with designated department interns

-Mature Well Lifestyle Center Volunteer, (August 2020 – December 2020)

  • Assisted with the fitness safety and education of elderly physical therapy patients and ensured thorough sanitation

-Emergency Room Volunteer, (August 2019 – May 2020)

  • Provided direct patient care by collecting/recording vital signs and aiding nurses with treatment procedures

-Cancer Center Volunteer, (January 2019 – May 2019)

  • Analyzed and reported the diagnosis of tumors to national and state level registries while also comforting patients

The Center for Health Organization Transformation (CHOT), Texas A&M University Site (August 2019 – May 2021)

-NSF Research Experience Undergraduate

  • Conducted research supporting major management, clinical, and information technology innovations in healthcare
  • Prepared systematic literature reviews and document finances/expenses for the National Science Foundation

Delta Delta Delta Sorority, Texas A&M Gamma Alpha Chapter (August 2019 – Present)

-Member

  • Diligently fundraise for the largest single philanthropic commitment to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
  • Engage in educational leadership programs which promote sisterhood and continued professional development

Mays Medical Guild, Texas A&M University (September 2018 – Present)

-Member

  • Create an environment of support for current business majors interested in pursuing a practicing career in healthcare
  • Plan, organize, and embark upon medical service projects and collaborative research opportunities as a cohesive unit

India Business Study Abroad, Texas A&M University (December 2019 – January 2020)

-Student Abroad

  • Participated in a two-week India field study in New Delhi, Agra, Mysore, and Bangalore
  • Engaged in corporate/cultural visits and a day-long globalization seminar and cultural activities at SDM-Institute for Management Development.

Texas A&M Collegiate Water Ski Team, Texas A&M University (August 2018 – January 2020)

-Team Member

  • Practiced to compete within the slalom, jump, and trick ski divisions of the South-Central collegiate water ski region

Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University (January 2019 – May 2019)

-Aggie Research Scholars Team Member

  • Contributed to an undergraduate research program team to test competing hypotheses about microvascular adaptation
  • Developed a mathematical model that accurately predicts vasculature response of the chick (CAM) model to occlusion

Where have you interned during your college career?

Medical Missions International, College Station, Texas (January 2022 – Present)

-Surgical Intern

  • Travel to the Mercy Home Compound in Kaduna, Nigeria to serve in a 20-bed hospital, orphanage, primary school, and training center for unwed mothers for three weeks during the month of February
  • Assist with direct surgical operations and intern under the hospital management staff to gain valuable knowledge surrounding the creation of a non-profit hospital in a lower-developed nation

Brazos Valley Plastic Surgery, College Station, Texas (August 2021 – Present)

-Patient Care Intern (Aug. 2021 – Jan. 2022)

  • Assist Dr. Malcolm Rude, board-certified plastic surgeon, with on-site cosmetic and reconstructive surgical operations
  • Provide direct patient care within the clinic by prepping excisions, removing sutures, and facilitating consultations

-Clinical Research Assistant (Jan. 22 – Present)

  • Contact previous breast augmentation surgical patients to design and report a five-year follow up case series in plastic surgery, “Evaluation of Antibiotic-Impregnated Mesh in Preventing the Recurrence of Capsular Contracture”

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas  (September 2020 – December 2020)

-Revenue Cycle Intern

  • Constructed an independent research paper which details the broad consequences of the 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic upon the U.S. healthcare industry, with emphasis on the associated factors of psychological treatment and disorder
  • Engaged with a team of both A&M and UT students in a customized curriculum experience across major functional areas of the MD Anderson center including analytics, clinical operations, access and revenue cycle; and finance

Anthem Group Waco | Development & Design, Waco, Texas (December 2018 – January 2019)

-Marketing Intern

  • Interned with a TAA-licensed umbrella organization for several real estate and creative companies to coordinate the monthly First Friday event in Downtown Waco which promoted small businesses in the area

AWARDS & HONORS

  • Terry Foundation Scholarship
  • Texas A&M Foundation Excellence Award
  • Sophomore Dean’s Excellence Award – Mays Business School, 2020
  • Freshman Dean’s Excellence Award – Mays Business School, 2019
  • Business Honors Weber Study Abroad Scholarship
  • Houston Howdy Club Scholarship
  • Business Student Council Aggie Ring Scholarship

Where will you be working after graduation? Attending medical school at the Texas A&M College of Medicine

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Since deciding to pursue a career as a physician, I have worked to develop a general understanding of the intersection between business and healthcare. I have now realized that many other elaborate factors must accompany effective treatment and scientific expertise to provide patients with a positive service experience. One of the first powerful lessons that I have learned from studying business is quite simple yet often overlooked. I learned that the role of kindness in healthcare is not supplemental. It is foundational. Healthcare professionals should prioritize the physical treatment of the patient and their needs, desires, and concerns. I have realized that kindness is not always innate in medicine. Kindness requires purposeful, voluntary action. It requires deep listening, empathy, generous acts, timely care, honesty, and support for family caregivers. I have learned to make my compassion for others a conscious decision in every interaction.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? I have found the most surprising thing about being a business major to be the versatility it provides to almost every student. Business majors not only pursue professional dreams which directly apply to their chosen major, they attend graduate school, become involved in public policy, serve abroad, and much more. Holding a solid foundation of key business acumen allows you to understand the way people, money, and organizations function. This is key to effective leadership amongst every category of occupation.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Electing to take the course Service Quality in Healthcare this past year has been one of the best decisions I have made during my time thus far at Texas A&M. One significant takeaway I received from this course was the importance of difficult conversations in end-of-life care. Medicine is often solely focused on finding the next solution, even when there is none. By utilizing shared decision-making (SDM), physicians can ensure their patients know all options and potential outcomes concerning their health. Patients must have the chance to voice their top values and priorities near the end of their lives. By embedding SDM into an organization’s culture, difficult conversations can be held far in advance when decisions are necessary. One thing that I would do differently in business school would be to take more healthcare elective courses that could transform my view of healthcare just like this course has.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I was able to attend Texas A&M because I received a full-ride scholarship. The Terry Foundation Scholarship, along with other academic scholarships, covers 100% of my college expenses. From a very young age, I learned that steadfast commitment to knowledge, even stubbornness sometimes, will enable you to reach all of your goals and be confident enough to shift them into a new trajectory. From researching new healthcare initiatives to studying real estate terminology, and even becoming a baked goods entrepreneur, I have an enthusiasm for all interests I pursue. I am most proud of this scholarship because of its impact on my entire future, including my ability to afford a medical school education following an undergraduate degree.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate that I most admire is my friend, Abbi Brenneman. Abbi has a heart of gold and a desire to serve others at the expense of her own comfort. Abbi recently shifted her career path away from a high-paying accounting career to serve the Teach for America organization in the Bronx, New York. Abbi always searches for the best avenue to use her unique talents to solve complex issues and contribute to social change. She is one of the hardest working people I know, always going the extra mile to be fully engaged and communicate thoroughly. Abbi was my cornerstone in the leadership team of our Titans of Investing Program this past fall semester.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would most like to thank my Dad, Ravi Sriram, for my success. My dad has always encouraged me to work my hardest to achieve dreams that may seem completely unattainable. Within our shared passions of tennis, adventure, medicine, and so much more, he has been a constant source of inspiration to me. My dad is one of my very best friends in this world. In addition to his ability to help me recognize my professional leadership potential, he always reminds me to follow my heart and stay true to my values.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The top two items on my bucket list are founding a non-profit children’s hospital in Mysore, India and seeing the Seven Wonders of the World.

What are your hobbies? One of my most recent initiatives is the creation of my first business, SugarChip. I started my SugarChip baked goods company as a way to merge one of my favorite hobbies with my passion for entrepreneurship. I love to bake custom cookies and cupcakes for local businesses and residents within my local college community. In addition to baking, I have a passion for waterskiing, tennis, and running. I am also an avid reader and student researcher.

What made Sarah such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022?

“I have been allowed to teach a class called Titans of Investing for the last 16.5 years and am now teaching my 33rd group. This is a highly elite class that is modeled after Ben Franklin’s Junto (Club for mutual self-improvement). For this special class, we seek to identify the twenty highest capacity and highest character students who are currently attending Texas A&M. Each semester, however, there can be only one top leader, the one who is offered the CEO position. Sarah Sriram was the CEO of Titans thirty-two, because of her natural leadership abilities, empathetic nature that cares for everyone, her inclusive and inspirational devotion, her warm and caring personality, her courage to lead well and a creativity that knows no limits. When Sarah Sriram walks into your world, something wonderful is about to happen. Right now, Sarah is in Nigeria serving on a medical mission. I have no doubt that she is a blessing to the leaders there, to the Nigerian people and to the sick and suffering.”

Britt Harris (’80)
CEO/President – UTIMCO
Executive Professor
Texas A&M University
Titans of Investing

DON’T MISS: 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2022