What is your major?
Double major in
Economics and
Honors Liberal Arts with a minor in
Mathematics.
What is something you wish everyone knew about your major?
Although in some applied macroeconomics courses we study financial markets, the stock market is not a focus of this major, so stop asking us if you should buy GameStop stocks. As for my honors major, being “smart” is not requisite for joining, being a “try-hard” though is.
What was your most impactful class?
“Real Analysis” with Dr. Wai was incredibly character building and formative for me as an academic because it forced me to think about thinking (and about math) in ways that no other class has. The rigor of the material increased my mathematical maturity, and the satisfaction of writing clean proofs heightened my appreciation for mathematics.
What are some of your career goals?
Next year I will be joining the Economics PhD program at University of California-Riverside, so my highest career priority, in the short-run, is to successfully graduate from UCR, making long-lasting connections and publishing impactful research along the way. This summer I will be a graduate research intern at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and I hope I will impress the members of my team with my ability to learn and contribute meaningful work so that they will invite me to return in future summers.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
At the end of the day, college is about getting a job. Talk to others and think critically about what you are studying. Study something that you enjoy, that actually leads to a job, and work toward a career that is appropriate for the person you want to become. Do not go into debt for a degree that has a low ROI in the current market, live well below your means, and invest your money for retirement as soon as is practical. Lastly, work really, really hard.