Meet John Williamson

A Q&A with economics major, John Williamson.

What are you doing now, and what are your career plans?

Currently, I am a tier iI agent at General Motors and I have to say that I enjoy my job. I am going to be enrolling in the master of arts program in economics at Eastern Michigan University because I want to take the skills and the knowledge I learned here at Wayne State University and build on that. Afterward, I will be pursuing a dual Ph.D. in economics and mathematics.

How have the economics courses and training you had at Wayne State University been helpful to you?

The courses and training from Wayne State University have forced me to think outside of the box and to question everything that is put in front of me because just because there is an answer doesn’t mean that it is the only answer. The economic courses have also taught me to be able to think on my feet and to be able to analyze everything that has been presented to me. One example would be from the ECO 5700: Money and Banking course that I took in the spring/summer 2015 semester. This course has taught me to understand how the Stocks and Bonds market operates and different monetary policies and the Federal Reserve affects economic activity.

What advice would you have for current and future students in economics?

Take advantage of everything the department has to offer, go to lectures, talk with your classmates, and go to your professor’s office hours. The econ department is small enough to where the professors can learn your name and big enough that the amount of research opportunities seems endless. Also, writing a research paper will be the most rewarding experience you’ll encounter so don’t be afraid to rewrite a research paper from scratch. If you plan on going to graduate school then becoming an experienced researcher and writer in your discipline will take a great deal of practice. And finally, have fun. You are learning knowledge that is invaluable to any employer and you are making yourself more marketable than you may realize.