Meet Megha Sanjay

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am from St.Louis, Missouri. I received Bachelor's degrees in International Business and Speculative Design from UCSD, and stayed on to complete my Masters in International Affairs with a focus in Management. One interesting experience was curating an exhibit (with a team of peers) for the Kendall Frost Marsh Reserve's new research facility -- that will also be showcased as part of the Getty Pacific Standard Time Exhibit! I also worked on several research papers that opened up new avenues of interest I hope to build on in my career.

Tell us about your campus involvement at UC San Diego

I was involved in several organizations as an undergrad and in graduate school. I served on the Associated Students' Judicial Board and as a Student Advocate, as well as Co-Chair of the Eleanor Roosevelt College Welcome Week committee for incoming students. I was also the Marketing Chief and subsequently Editor-in-Chief of the Prospect Journal of International Affairs, and part of the Business Team for the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Club. I was also the Teaching Assistant for MGT 164 at the Rady School of Business for 2 years, which was an especially rewarding professional experience. I also participated in the Basement Sprint program, working with the San Diego Zoo. As a Graduate student, I was part of GO GPS (akin to a student government body) as the VP of Events, the President of Women Going Global, and the VP of Internal Communications in the Security Studies Group. I'm was also an English in Action volunteer mentor (3 years in undergrad, and continued on as a graduate student). I am currently part of a few alumni groups, and hope to continue to stay highly involved in the UCSD community!

Why UC San Diego?

I remember being amazed by the campus when I did my undergraduate college tour -- I love architecture, so the fact that the older parts of campus had variety really stuck out to me. I also loved the college system because it felt like I was in a small school in a big university. I knew I wanted to stay here for a few more years, especially after the pandemic, so the GPS graduate program felt like the right option to not only get the campus experience but also to create the network of peers and professionals that I missed out on. I jokingly get called an unofficial tour guide by my friends because every fall, I always end up walking around with new students and giving directions or insights into the campus -- no university is perfect, but there are so many elements of this campus that make me feel right at home and excited to show up every day!

What has been your favorite part about your graduate student experience at UC San Diego?

I love how small the GPS community is, and everyone has been supportive of each other's careers and goals. I also appreciate how the faculty and staff are genuinely willing to help you and are open to students just swinging into their office for a chat -- I feel at ease to bring up questions or concerns, and as one of the youngest students in the program (who may not have as much professional experience), it has been extremely helpful to have people motivated to help me succeed. It's not always been rosy, but someone has always been there to help.