Dr. Valerie Ballesteros Utilizes Her Decades of Expertise in Teaching Business Students
Dr. Valerie Ballesteros teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the Hallmark School of Business, utilizing her impressive business experience and academic achievements in the classroom. Beginning her career in financial planning, Dr. Ballesteros supported financial advisors and brokers and was ultimately recruited by Merrill Lynch where she became a Senior Financial Advisor and an International Financial Advisor.
“Merrill Lynch recruited me in 2002 as part of a diversity initiative in their advisor training program,” shared Dr. Valerie Ballesteros. “I was at Merrill for almost a decade gaining valuable industry experience and worked through the Great Recession in 2008 and its recovery, which was a unique part of our economic history to experience.”
Having spent more than twenty years in the financial industry, Dr. Ballesteros garnered a great deal of professional experience. Recognizing her extensive expertise, the MBA director for a local San Antonio university approached Dr. Ballesteros to consider pivoting to a career in academics.
“Within the first week of walking into the classroom, I fell in love with teaching. After a while, I kept getting more classes to teach like investment planning and principles of finance, really anything that was within my background.”
Teaching at universities like the University of the Incarnate Word and Texas State University fueled Dr. Ballesteros’ newfound passion for the classroom. Spending ten years teaching brought her to Hallmark University’s School of Business.
“I came to Hallmark part-time and was approached by Dean Pamela McCray to consider teaching full time. I found myself called on to teach more business and finance classes, though this time at a unique school. It’s remarkable how Hallmark offers degrees in such an accelerated format for one, and secondly for a population that is very nontraditional in academics.”
Dr. Ballesteros is a first-generation college graduate and mother, earning two master’s and a doctoral degrees while still working. Teaching students who have stories similar to her own is a fulfilling experience, knowing she can make a lasting change in each student.
“Everything you teach makes an impact on our student’s personal and professional lives, which goes on to impact the lives of those who interact with them. What cements it for me is when I see students succeeding in the industry. Whether they’re getting promoted, starting a new position, going back for their master’s, you know that you were a part of their journey and that you made an impact.”
As with every instructor and professor at Hallmark University, Dr. Valerie Ballesteros’ work is making a lasting impact on the lives of the students she encounters in her classroom.