By MAX McQUIRTER
Last week several members of the University of Tampa’s Adam Smith Society (the economics honor society) traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit several top economists, including several UT alums working in various areas of public policy.
The purpose of this annual trip is to allow economics majors, generally juniors or seniors, to meet and network with career economists to learn about their vocations.
Since the start of the D.C. trip a few years ago, at least four UT Adam Smith members have landed jobs at federal agencies in the capital.
On the first day, the group spoke with Dr. Kurt Schuler, an international economist at the US Treasury; James Carter, chief economist of the Senate budget committee; and John Schindler and Ana Arrambide (former Adam
Smith member), who both work at the Federal Reserve as an economic forecaster and a financial analyst, respectively.
“After hearing about the impact economic analysts contribute to U.S. monetary policy, I definitely intend to pursue a career working in Washington, D.C.,” said Jessica Fontaine, management and economics double-major.
“It was very influential in my decision to work at the Federal Reserve,” said Arrambide in reference to the Adam Smith D.C. trip she attended while at UT.
The following day held another fascinating series of meetings, the first with Tim Lehman, toxic chemical specialist, Stephanie Suazo, UT Adam Smith alum and economist at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Lehman and Sauzo spoke about their own career paths and the important role economics plays at the EPA in regards to cost and benefit analysis estimations for the regulation of toxic chemicals.
At the Congressional Budget Office the group spoke to Dr. Bob Arnold, principle analyst in the macro analysis division; Dr. Jeff Holland, chief of the projections unit; and Priscilla Hammett, former Adam Smith member and
macroeconomic analyst.
“Our visit to the Congressional Budget Office was one of the highlights of the trip. The CBO performs an invaluable function, giving legislators the objective economic analysis they need to make decisions about government
policy and regulation,” said economics major and St. Pete native Nick Parker.
The final venue of the trip was the CATO Institute, a privately operated libertarian think tank, where the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity Director, Ian Vasquez discussed his organization’s role in attempting to
change public opinion in regards to trade, fiscal policy and constitutional issues.
“For free-market thinkers, CATO embodies an environment that is both humbling and inspiring,” said Megan Teague, philosophy and economics double-major.
“I was inspired by Vasquez’s passion to spread free-market ideas, though I did not agree with his opinion.”
While all Adam Smith members said they had positive experiences, international student and economics major Markus Mattsson was especially touched.
“I have fallen in love with Washington and the trip gave me an excellent insight of economists’ real life work in one of the world’s most important capitals.”
For more information about the Adam Smith Society, you can contact the current president Aubrey Levesque at alevesque@spartans.ut.edu or faculty advisor Charles Skipton at
cskipton@ut.edu.