I Am Engaged - Nate
My Major: Economics (ECON)
My Minor: Finance
What drew me to my major?
Economics can explain just about everything in the world. It's not just money; it's psychology, politics, engineering, architecture, and everything in between. There’s so much you can do with a background in economics that it's overwhelming.
My view of liberal arts in an engineering institute like Georgia Tech…
The Ivan Allen College fits into Tech in two ways: the way it contributes to the Institute and the influence the Institute has on the College. Georgia Tech is a school that prides itself on diversity, which can be seen walking down any of the pathways that wind through campus, or even noting that it is the #1 school in awarding engineering degrees to black students. Part of what contributes to that diversity is an education that breaks from the norms of engineering schools.
By educating many students in areas like history, literature, politics, economics, and so on, you find more students who have different ideas to contribute to discussions both in and out of the classroom. Indeed, one must know all the effects on culture, economics, politics, and the like of many of these engineering projects, providing an invaluable facet to education at Georgia Tech.
On the other hand, by having a liberal arts program at an engineering school, the liberal arts students get part of the education that engineers gain simply by association. How many English majors have to take calculus? The integration of these two usually distinct and separate aspects of education create for more well-rounded students in general, adding to the overall experience of all students at Tech.
I am engaged by Tech through…
I am currently an accountant in the office of Grants and Contracts Accounting here at Georgia Tech. This department is in charge of keeping track of all of the research projects and grants at Georgia Tech, excluding GTRI and the Georgia Tech Foundation. Among my responsibilities, perhaps the most fascinating is my role in keeping our database up to date with changes to projects and new projects. Because of this, I am fortunate enough to see all of the research that goes through this school, and I must say that Georgia Tech is an incredible institution.
Though I graduated in December 2008, I still cherish and appreciate all of my experiences as an undergrad through a large variety of organizations. First and foremost I was involved with my soial fraternity, which opened paths to everything else I was involved in. Indeed, I am still involved through it as our Alumni Board Treasurer. I was also a host and Advisory Board member of Connect With Tech, an overnight visitation program. I have also been on the Georgia Tech Student Foundation Investments Committee, the largest student-run endowment in the nation, and Executive Roundtable - an open forum of various sorts. I carried leadership positions in each, ranging from treasurer to portfolio manager to managing info sessions and more.
My favorite thing about Georgia Tech is…
My favorite part about Georgia Tech is the camaraderie. This is a challenging but storied and proud school, and the way the student body operates exemplifies these unique traits. We complain about the hardships, but in the end we love this school and would trade nothing for our experiences here.
What do I see myself doing in the future?
As mentioned, I am currently an employee of Georgia Tech, and have been since February. Though I have not been in my current role for very long, I have learned a lot about academia, financial reporting, Federal agencies, accounting, and many other areas. This nefound knowledge has broadened my horizons and has equipped me with the tool sto begin a long and successful career. While I'm not sure where this will take me, I do want to continue with a career in finance or economics, made stronger by a background in accounting.
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