Economics Ambassadors Help Connect Students to the Department

CLASS Ambassadors are the undergraduate student representatives from each department in the College of Arts and Science at the University of North Texas. The Ambassadors work with the college and the departments to give an undergraduate student's perspective on various subjects including but not limited to, work load, courses, student activities and organizations, and campus life. They help out with various activities such as Preview Day and Calling Nights. Additionally, the College of Arts and Sciences Ambassadors strive to promote good will through service opportunities and social events.

The departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) select ambassadors at the beginning of every spring semester based on certain eligibility requirements. If you are interested in becoming a student ambassador in the future, then please reach out to us at EconAdvising@unt.edu. 

Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 Economics Ambassador

Name: Brandon Poirier (BS in Economics)

Tips for success within your major and college: Economics covers a variety of disciplines, so understanding everything from public policy to international trade can be a tall order. My recommendation is to find people who are good at things you aren't—complement each  other! You can learn anything if you have a friend to hold your hand through the process, and since no one is great at everything, everyone wins! This will also help you to get involved with the Economics Department and to make connections with fellow peers and professors.

What I wish I knew as a freshman: Get involved early. Find groups of peers you can get along with and have fun! For my first year and a half I only went to campus for my classes and nothing else. Looking back, I don't think I knew how or where to find events I'd like to participate in. Most student lead organizations can be found through OrgSync but it's always worth it to ask people around you too in case they're doing anything themselves.

A Campus office or Service I recommend: There are a lot of services the University offers, but many of them are things you'll use once or twice. The only service I used regularly was the Economics Help Center. There are other services on campus which offer tutoring/academic assistance, but it's often better to get help from people who specialize in the area. If you ever have any trouble in a class, whether it be homework, studying, or just trying to understand the material, the Help Center was created for that express purpose. Plus, it's free!

Career Goals: I'm mostly focusing on what's directly in front of me first: Graduate School. My immediate goals are to study for the Graduate Readiness Exam. I want to continue my education with a Masters Program in the future, which will assuredly help my job prospects, no matter what I chose to do.

Hobbies: Whenever I have some downtime, I enjoy reading whatever I have on hand. Other than that, playing board games with friends is always fun; maybe someday I'll convince them to play Campaign for North Africa! I'm also the one who ends up scheduling events most of the time, so if you're ever around and need a group of friends feel free to reach out!

Fall 2023 - Spring 2025 Economics Ambassador Bios

Name: William Higdon (BS in Economics)

Tips for success within your major and department: My best advice for students who are looking to succeed as an economics major is connection with your professors and fellow students. One of the best aspects of the economics department is just how tight knit it is, which has been amazingly helpful to me during my time here. The professors are always interested in getting to know you and tap into your potential as a student. If you take the time to talk and connect with them, they will provide you all the help they can to nourish that intrigue and curiosity into real, tangible results. Not only will this benefit you in your academic career, but can also aid you in future job opportunities, as well. Your fellow students are also an amazing resource to help you, as they are all taking similar classes as you and understand the difficulty that you will experience. Just like the faculty, they are also willing to help you if you’re confused or unsure about something. I’ve experienced such scenarios myself and would not have been able to get through them without any of the people in the department. As a final note, not only are the people good for you academically and career wise, but they will also provide you with a great and memorable social life that you will never forget!

What I wish I knew as a Freshman: I wish I knew even more people earlier during my time here. Going through the principle's courses connected me with some people and faculty early on, but it wasn’t until my sophomore year as part of the department’s student organization and taking upper-level courses that I really started to meet people and form the friendships that have lasted through the rest of my time here. It was not until I formed these friendships that I realized just how essential a good social life is to success. Obviously, a student needs to plan out their workload and study hard for their classes, but that alone is not a healthy balance for most people. Having those close friend groups will provide an important break from the struggles you’re experiencing, and will ultimately be better for your mental health.

A Campus Office or Service I Recommend: I highly recommend the Economics Help Center. The people working there are very knowledgeable about the subject material, and are great people to get information about classes you’re interested in taking, along with the economic advisors, of course.

Career Goals: I am an Economics major and math minor in my senior year, and I hope to apply and be accepted into the Master’s program here at UNT. Eventually I want to get a PhD and teach economics to students and do research in the field.

Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with the people around the department, working out, and reading about a variety of subjects. Some examples include economics, political science, philosophy, theology, and devotional works.

 

Fall 2022 - Spring 2024 Economics Ambassador Bio

Name: Isaac Hunter (BS in Economics; BA in English)

Classification: Junior

Tips for success within your major and college: Make friends in your major. They will be a lifeline when classes are tough, and as an Econ major, they will be. Make sure to build a relationship with your professors because that pays dividends in the future. Also, keep your grades up and apply for department scholarships to ease the load of paying for classes. A lot of students don't even realize there are annual department scholarships. Finally, take math classes early, probably one a semester. A background in math and stats will help you immensely in your junior and senior years.

What I wish I knew as a freshmen: I wish I knew how quickly college would go by. Make sure you take time to enjoy your college experience and do things to help others. Life only gets crazier from here.

Career goals: I hope to write about economics for a newspaper and work my way up the ranks in a journalistic institution.

Hobbies: I enjoy playing guitar, writing, reading, and debating economics, but his life is defined by his love for Jesus Christ. Most of my free time is spent at church.

Fall 2022 - Spring 2023 Economics Ambassador Bio

Name: Jingwa Asonganyi (BS in Economics)

Tips for success within your major: Economics can seem like an abstract field, but there is almost always a real-life example of what you are learning, so never be afraid to ask questions or further clarification from your professors. Also, form connections with upperclassmen, they are always open to give advice on classes to take, skills they wish they learned, internship/job opportunities, and other great tips for success.

What I wish I knew as a Freshman: One thing I wish I knew as a freshman was that you should start looking for internships and job opportunities as early as you can. A good way to start is to build a resume and attend career fairs. Additionally, when you receive enough credit hours, you can work at the Economics Help Center as an academic assistant which is a great way to practice your basic economics skills while gaining work experience.

A campus office or service I recommend and why: The aforementioned Economics Help Center is a fantastic way to receive assistance on homework and tips for studying for quizzes and tests. All of the assistants there have taken the classes they mentor, so they have great advice to give you!

Career Goals: Since I am currently a senior with plans to graduate in the Spring of 2023, I am deciding whether to pursue graduate school for Economics or join the workforce as Data Analyst after I receive my Bachelor's degree.

Hobbies: I am currently a performer for UNT's improvised theater comedy club, and we have shows on Wednesday nights. I find improvised theater as a fun way to communicate spontaneously and confidently despite not knowing where a scene will take me next.

Fall 2020 - Spring 2022 Economics Ambassador Bios

Name: David González Corson

Majors: Economics; Political Science

Classification: Senior

Tips for success within your major and college: "Hello! My name is David Gonzalez Corson, and I'm one of the new student ambassadors for the UNT Economics Department. I've been asked to write a bit about myself as well as give some tips and tricks I've picked up during my time at UNT, so here we go! If you want to succeed as an economics major, you can't be scared because others say it is hard. Study hard, contact your professors, go to tutoring and you will find success just waiting around the corner. Plus, it helps that the department at UNT is absolutely spectacular about helping out its students. Not only are the professors and staff extremely dedicated to helping their students grow, but they also provide a tutoring service that is open to all students in an economics course called the Economics Help Center."

What I wish I knew as a freshmen: "If I had to give one piece of advice that I wish I knew in my freshman year, it would be to remember that you're more than a student and more than a soon-to-be successful professional--you are also a human being who is allowed to have fun and relax every now and then. The best thing any professor told me was to be careful because "a candle burning at both ends burns out twice as fast;" you need to find balance if you're gonna succeed. Besides that, I'd say that the rest of my advice is something that most of you have heard: give it your all, talk to your professors, and don't let rumors about how hard something is scare you."

A campus office or service I recommend: "If you're taking any course, lower level or even upper level, ask if the Economics Help Center can help you get through it. Taken together, however, I hope reading this has been helpful!"

Career goals: "I'm a third year economics and political science double major, and my current goals are to one day either help design economic policies that will help my local community grow or become a professor and help others learn about my craft."

Hobbies: "I'm still just an undergrad who enjoys writing stories and long boarding around campus in his downtime. I look forward to seeing you all around campus in the future. Welcome to the Mean Green Family!"

Name: Yousef Omar

Major: Economics

Classification: Junior

Tips for success within your major and college: "If you are majoring in Economics, I truly believe that class is the most important part of succeeding, understanding the material, and achieving good grades. Make sure you attend all classes, take notes, and really make sure you understand everything the teacher is explaining. Always make sure to ask the teacher if you do not understand a point, because especially in economics, if you do not understand the basics, you won't understand what follows; just like building a house on sand. Thankfully, we have the best economics teachers at UNT, so make sure you utilize them fully.

"If you are a student in the CLASS, then you probably know that there is a second language class requirement of 12 credit hours at least. The college offers another solution, testing out of that. Incase you did not know, you can take a test for any of the languages provided, and based on how well you do, you can earn credit hours for that language without taking the classes. I managed to test out of 12 credit hours of Arabic, saving me a lot of money, and a whole semester in time.

"My best tip is that you should go at your own pace during your college career. People around you probably stress that you should graduate as fast as possible and that you should finish in 4 years or less. Of course, it is nice to graduate early and finish fast so you can have more time going onto the next step of your career, but sometimes it is not worth it. Finish as fast as you can while maintaining the best performance possible. If you think that taking less hours will help your performance, then do that. Future employers and grad schools do not care how long it took you to get your degree."

What I wish I knew as a freshmen: "I wish I knew how fast university would fly by, so make sure you utilize it to the fullest, and enjoy it as much as you can. Rent books or try finding them used from someone or online. (Make sure it is the correct edition). Always be open to change, whether that is your major or life changing, it is not always a bad thing to change. Surround yourself with smart and good people that you can look up to and learn from. Know your professors and make sure they know you. Firstly, know you professors before taking the class, you can do that by asking people around if they have taken their class before, or checking websites like ratemyprofessor.com. Then when you start the class, get to know the professor by introducing yourself and talking to them, that way they will start knowing you too. Utilize the facilities in school that you pay for whether you use or not."

A campus office or service I recommend: "Go to the writing lab whenever you have any essay, even if you are confident about it. The writing lab will proofread it for you, and they will always have tips. Visit your teachers during office hours. If you have any questions, or just want to chat and get to know your teacher better, go to their office hours. Go to the help center for questions, homework's, and tests, they are very experienced and will always help you. Libraries. Obviously, you should use the library for studying, printing, and more, but many students do not know that we have more than one library at school. My favorite library is the media library because I like playing video games. The media library offers something for every gamer out there, they have top notch gaming PC's that you can use for free, as well as any console you can think of that you can rent or use there."

Career goals: "My main career goal is to successfully graduate from UNT with my bachelor's degree in Economics, then get a law degree from a prestigious school. I also have a goal to one day have the ability to change this world into a better place. I plan on doing that using my knowledge of Economics and Law. I believe that there is a lot to change in this world in these two fields."

Hobbies: "I really enjoy traveling, trying new things, and meeting new people. I enjoy hiking and sightseeing. I play many sports including soccer, football. basketball, and table tennis. I also like trying out new sports. Video games has always been one of my favorite hobbies growing up and it still is now."

Fall 2018 - Spring 2020 Economics Ambassador Bios

Name: Anna Katz

Degree: BS Economics, minor in Mathematics

Memberships (past and present): UNT Economics Student Organization, Honors College, Academic Assistant for the Economics Department, Omicron Delta Epsilon

Accomplishments:

• President's List for Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017. I currently have a 4.0 GPA overall.
• Vice President and Treasurer of Economics Student Organization
• Session Chair for Economic Scholars Program Conference 2018 at the Fed at Dallas
• Department of Economics Scholarhsip

Interesting fact: I brew Kombucha at home. Kombucha is fizzy fermented tea with various types of fruit or fruit juice. I also enjoy watching food documentaries like "Rotten."

Why did I (you) major in Economics? : I like economics because it takes the rational and irrational decision making of everyday life and explains it in mathematical terms and graphs. My favorite concentration of economics is education and urban development.

Name: Samuel Eckert

Degree: BS Economics, BS Mathematics, Actuarial Certificate

Memberships (past and present): UNT Economics Student Organization

Accomplishments:

• Undergraduate Mathematics Teaching Assistant
• Dean's List for Fall 2016 and Spring 2017
• Eagle Scout for Boy Scouts of America

Interesting fact: I enjoy learning about the math and science within cooking and baking.

Why did I (you) major in Economics?:

I have always been naturally good at math, and economics is a way to explain real-life problems and decisions with math. Economics also has helped me develop key problem-solving skills, and that is a useful life tool. My favorite concentration of economics is health economics.

Fall 2017 Economics Ambassador Bios

Name: Paul McCormick

egree: BA Economics, minor in Public Administration

Memberships (past and present): UNT Honors College, We Mean Green Fund Committee

Accomplishments:

• UNT Excellence Scholarship for entering freshmen, UNT Economics Undergraduate Scholarship for Academic Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences Willis Endowed Scholarship, Jostens Global Citizen Sustainability Scholarship, and President's List for roughly half of my semesters at UNT.
• Interned with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the US Environmental Protection Agency, and currently working as an Academic Assistant in the Economics Help Center

Interesting fact: I studied abroad in Thailand during Fall 2016, taking courses in International Trade, Industrial Organization, Thai Society and Culture, and Poverty and Rural Development in Southeast Asia.

Why did I (you) major in economics?: I chose Economics because I wanted a more technical foundation than I felt I would get from other social sciences, however I have had a chance to add a second major in Social Science, allowing me to build upon that foundation with extra coursework in Geography, Sociology, and others. I hope to pursue a master's in either Public Administration in order to work in public policy, or in the social sciences in order to teach.

Name: Gabriel Puche

Degree: B.A. in Economics, B.A. in English, Spanish Minor

Memberships: Economics Club, Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society), Alternative Service Breaks (ASB), Buddy System Mentoring Program.

Accomplishments: Alternative Service Breaks Site Leader, President's List, Dean's List, Recipient of the UNT Excellence Scholarship, UNT Dean's List Scholarship, Department of Economics Scholarship, Leslie H. Palmer Memorial Honors Scholarship, and Mary Whitten Memorial Scholarship,

Interesting fact: I love cruises and I cannot wait until my next one in January 2018!

Why did I (you) major in economics?

It is the one subject that combines every other subject into its curriculum. For instance, Mathematics is relied upon when solving equations of various topics including tax and elasticity and when drawing tangency lines. Also, having a strong grasp of writing enables you to articulately analyze an economic graph. Lastly, history becomes indispensable in the subject when studying the actions and impact of several economists such as Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and David Ricardo. Studying Economics ultimately allows every student to rely on their strengths to thrive in the classroom.

Fall 2015 Economics Ambassador Bios

Name: Parker Barouch

Degree: BS Economics

Membership: Officer of the econ club 2014-2015

Accomplishments: Economic scholarship for academic excellence, President's list, Dean's list

Interesting fact: I can play the saxophone

Why did I major in Economics?

Economics to me is the study of why this world works the way it does and what we can do to change it. When someone tells me something the first thing I think is why and in economics that's what we figure out, why. I chose Economics because I enjoy the study of it and it is everywhere we from loans from a bank to the classroom.

Name: Mollie Ramsey

Degree: BS in Economics

Memberships: Economics Club, Student Ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences

Accomplishments: President's List, Dean's List

Interesting Fact: I am in a rock band called The Unsinkable Molly Browns.

Why did I major in Economics?

As a person with a wide variety of interests, I originally came to UNT with an undeclared major. I took a Microeconomics course, and it really grabbed my attention. The theories and real life applications of economics appealed to me because I could see and learn the real result of important occurrences in the world. From today's stock market to sports to government entities, economics degrees get you into exciting emerging markets. That is something I want to be a part of.

You can email us at econ-Ambassador@unt.edu to answer any questions from a student's perspective about the Economics Department! If you want to email a question to a specific ambassador, just include his or her name in the email.