Biographical Statement:
The College of Human Ecology and its program(s) have given me the opportunity to really explore, discover, and hone in on what interests me academically and as a result, Ive been much more comfortable in selecting my career goals and formulating my life plan. The breadth of options and opportunities has made me feel like Ive chosen the best amongst many alternatives. I feel confident that I have picked up the skills needed to succeed in the real world, or in my case, graduate school.
I first came to Human Ecology as a Human Biology, Health and Society major, but realized that I had not considering alternatives. So, I took several different kinds of classes during my freshman year and fell in love with the study of economics. Policy Analysis and Management (PAM) was appealing because it applies economics to the study of public policy issues. Its great - you get to study a discipline that you love because its so logical and can make powerful and accurate predictions with relatively simple models, but you can also work to make the world a better place by looking for better solutions to issues that affect the public.
While PAM takes a multi-disciplinary approach, I decided that I wanted to focus on economics as my toolkit, so I took courses in economic theory. I also realized that I have a particular interest in regulation, antitrust, and the interplay of labor markets, businesses, and government. So I took elective courses in law and economics, consumer policy, and labor economics. I knew I wanted to go to graduate school in an economics related field, which requires strong quantitative backgrounds, so I brushed up on mathematics and statistics courses. The flexibility of the PAM major allowed me to work in those extra classes, and also allowed me to get some practical experience through the Capital Semester in Albany.
My immediate plans after graduation include pursuing my Ph.D. studies in Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. I hope to one day become a professor or work in public service. |
