Pre-University
International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, 34 points
Undergraduate— University of Michigan, Ann Arbor ; Residential College
B.S. Environment
I chose to pursue this degree for two main reasons: First, it is an interdisciplinary degree that gives me foundational understanding across all disciplines. I’ve always loved school and refuse to stifle my academic curiosity. Secondly, a degree in environment will allow me to help people and make a positive impact on the world, which gives me a sense of fulfillment. As climate change becomes a more pressing challenge, I find myself increasingly concerned for the diversity and security of future generations. I hope to use the knowledge I gain about environmental issues to help shift our society toward a sustainable future that will leave the generations to come with hope for the future. My specialization within Environment is titled, Sustainable Business, and it is my intention to use market based approaches to improve social consciousness within the private sector.
B.S. Economics
I’m pursuing an economics degree because I am fascinated by the decision making process and have an affinity for the certainty that quantitative analysis provides. As a person who strives to always do things correctly on the first time, I find a high degree of inherent value in the evidence based reasoning that is central to economic theory. Understanding cost-benefit considerations is valuable for every organization and individual, so I’m confident that this field of study prepares me to make a positive difference in the world. I hope to use my economics degree to model decisions creatively and use data unexpected ways. In the age of cheap data I am excited by the opportunities to apply core economic theory to new arenas, particularly within social and environmental responsibility. The study of common resources, game theory, externalities, and quantified utility are especially engaging.
Applied Statistics minor
I investigated the applied statistics minor because I’ve always had a soft spot for math, but committed to it because of the immense role that statistics plays in shaping our understanding of the world. I want to be able to consume information—such as crime statistics, impacts of pollution, effectiveness of government policies—and draw my own conclusions about the implications. I’m interested in compare projected profits between socially responsible and socially ignorant business models, in the hopes of finding strategies which can effectively internalize non-market benefits to social consciousness. I also want to be able to conduct independent research and analyze my own results, should my curiosity be piqued by something within my means to explore. The value I perceive in being able to interpret data on my own cannot be understated, and I intend to make a career out of this type of work.
Post-Graduate Plans
I intend to pursue some form of graduate education, be that in the form a masters or PhD in environmental economics, management, environmental justice, sustainable business, or behavioral economics. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had an undergraduate experience that challenged me to think in new ways and explore the approaches to knowledge creation of various disciplines. I hope to continue this interdisciplinary approach to learning in my graduate studies and in my professional career.