MSU alumni return for undergraduate career event hosted by Professor Stacy Dickert-Conlin and the Econ Club . L:R Joshua Scott, Bryan Britten, Stacy Dickert-Conlin, Allisyn Mattice.
On April 9, Bryan Britten, Allisyn Mattice, J.D., and Joshua Scott, who graduated from MSU with degrees in economics, returned to campus for a panel discussion with undergraduates in the program. Britten is a data engineer at Skylight, Mattice is a corporate attorney at McLaren Health Care, and Scott is a program manager at Lear Corporation.
Stacy Dickert-Conlin, Ph.D., emphasized the power of hearing from alumni who had been in their shoes.
“We have incredibly successful alumni who demonstrate the breadth of what you can do with a degree in economics,” Dickert-Conlin said. “Who better to be able to provide advice and perspective on career pathways for our undergrads?”
Each of the panelists described their time at MSU, their careers once they graduated, and how their MSU degrees helped them along the way.
Britten shared his journey working in investigative, analytical, and engineering roles. Because of his expansive career, he had some important advice for economics majors:
“For one, don't assume that because you're getting any kind of degree that you have to be an economist, I never wanted to be an economist,” Britten said. “I didn't care about GDP. I didn't care about, you know, the trade account deficits or interest rates or any of that. But I did find it interesting that there was this way to apply mathematics to things that affected me every day. At the time I wanted to go out, be with my friends and party. Looking back on it now, there are so many lessons that I learned but many questions I wish I would have asked that could have helped me learn what I know now. So, you know, while you're here, take advantage of it. You're going to be here anyway, right? Take the information, study the material, ask questions, and just be curious.”
Mattice shared that when she first came to MSU, she thought she was going to be a psychiatrist, and after doing an internship, she realized that isn’t what she wanted to do. She encouraged students to use their time to explore experiences and internships to help them find their passion. Even her career journey after she graduated helped her dial in her passion, from law school to working with government officials and now working for McLaren.
“Now, I have a perfect balance with my passion of law and policy: I get to help develop the laws for lobbyists to go and advocate for,” Mattice said. “I also get to use my analytical thinking skills from economics every single day for McLaren Healthcare to help patients receive value-based care and access throughout the State of Michigan. I would really just encourage you to try to find your passion and use these years to do it. If you think you love something, go and try it. If you try it out for three months and you're like, not for me, go and try something else.”
MSU alumni share their advice for economics majors. R:L Joshua Scott, Allisyn Mattice Bryan Britten.
Scott described his career that he built rising through the ranks through his work ethic at Lear Corporation. As a project manager, he also described what he looks for in hiring onto his team with advice to students about building a reputation.
“Start your first job ready to work, because the foundation you build sets your reputation for the years that come and will open up opportunities for the rest of your career. .”
To learn about other career paths and if economics is the right major for you, visit https://econ.msu.edu/academics/undergraduate/why-econ.
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By Katie Frey