Where do you call home?
I was born in NYC but I grew up in the Bay Area in California so I think of myself as a Californian. Boston is my home now.
Why did you choose Suffolk?
I chose Suffolk because it is in the heart of Boston, just a block from the Park Street MBTA station which is important because I commute from Somerville. Suffolk also has plenty of study abroad opportunities. This spring break I went to Rwanda to study economic strategy and the business of water. Not only did I get course credit for this adventure, but I also got to go on a safari in a game park with my fellow classmates!
Which courses and experiences were the most significant for you?
Econometrics was one of my more difficult classes and the most valuable class to me because it taught me how to run regressions and make economic models. These skills are the most practical I have learned at Suffolk because they are necessary to conduct economic research and work within the field of economics.
I took Occupational Crime with Pamerson Ifill one semester and he introduced me to the head of probation in Suffolk County. Because of that introduction I secured an internship in the Probation Department at Suffolk Superior Court. This was an invaluable experience because although this ultimately was not for me, it helped satisfy my curiosity about exploring that career path.
Are there any faculty or staff members who have significantly affected your experience?
Professor Jonathan Haughton has been my Economics advisor since I first started at Suffolk and he has helped guide me through school. He has connected me with other alumni from Suffolk with economics degrees and careers and provided insight into my various options after graduation. I was able to do a project on the effects of the opioid crisis on the economy in my Intermediate Microeconomic Theory class taught by Professor Haughton. With this project, I combined both my majors and showed how crime can affect the efficiency of the economy. I am very proud of this project.
Professor Makryannis was my first economics professor. He taught with so much enthusiasm and I genuinely felt he cared about his students’ success. It was because of his engaging class that I learned I loved economics and added on the economics major to my degree.
What's next for you?
My long-term goal is to eventually go to graduate school to study economics. My short-term goal is to get a job that in some way relates to my study of economics either in the private or public sector.
Suffolk has helped prepare me for a career in economics and helped prepare me for the world. I now have an understanding of how the economy works which is vital even if I do not pursue a career in economics. By teaching me economic theory and how to create economic models, I have the skills necessary to pursue a career in economics. Throughout my time at Suffolk, I was able to obtain high enough academic standing to be competitive when I apply to graduate school. Suffolk has allowed me to learn new skills, hone other skills, and grow as a human intellectually and socially.