MAE Graduate: Winter 2014
Cost Analyst, United Launch Alliance
Decatur, Alabama, USA
What were your educational/career goals when you applied to the MAE Program? When I applied to the MAE Program, I wanted to gain a more in-depth understanding of Economics, especially from a mathematical perspective. Additionally, I wanted the opportunity to take electives focusing on particular areas of Economics that I had not studied previously.
Why did you decide to pursue your MAE degree at the University of Michigan? When I was choosing where to attend graduate school, the MAE Program at the University of Michigan stood out to me because of the flexibility that the Program offered. The chance to take a wide variety of classes outside of the Economics program, such as classes from the Ross School of Business, was something that appealed to me because it would give me the ability to choose classes that focused on areas of Economics and Business that interested me.
What did you enjoy most about the MAE Program? The most enjoyable part of the MAE Program was having access to a wide variety of classes. Due to the flexibility of the Program, I was able to schedule some truly outstanding elective classes that focused on particular areas of Economics that I was interested in learning more about. Another aspect of the MAE Program that I liked was how all of the new MAE students take the same core classes during the first semester on campus. Having the same classes as the other students in the Program allowed me to meet everyone very quickly and encouraged a highly collaborative learning environment.
How has your MAE degree contributed to your work today? The job that I have is very quantitative and requires me to work with data that has many variables in order to determine effective ways of reducing costs for the company. Both the core and elective classes that I took have taught me how to construct economic models as well as analyze the data that I get from these models in a meaningful way.
What advice do you have for MAE graduates looking for a job or internship? MAE graduates that are looking for a job or internship should focus on networking and getting their name out to those already working in the industry that they want to get a job or internship in. Additionally, MAE graduates should try to make their resumes stand out in some way. By including information such as unique skills or past work experience, MAE graduates can differentiate themselves from others in the job market and can demonstrate to a potential employer that they are a strong candidate to hire.
