Making a Positive Impact With Mathematics and Economics – Tristan Smith

“Initially, I chose to study math and economics because I enjoyed studying those subjects and thought I could probably get a good job with them. Over time, my goals and reasons for studying these subjects changed as I felt the ideas and skills developed could make a positive change in the world.

Both math and economics are undervalued for their importance in understanding and fixing quality of life and human rights issues. Without math and statistical research, we have no way of finding groups that need help or fully understanding the efficiency or inefficiency of different methods. Understanding math and economics can help effectively introduce policies and technologies to address issues in medicine, climate change, the economy, finance, and other fields. 

A major challenge I have faced in college is the development of health issues. In my freshman year, I began to experience difficulties in some major areas of my life, and I had no idea what was happening. At first, I attempted to ignore it, but eventually began looking into different conditions and aids for them. Thankfully, I was able to figure out what was happening and what could help with it. Adjusting to this not only meant using support devices or lifestyle changes but also accepting the limits of what I can do and the extra help I may need sometimes. I am happy to say that I have successfully adapted to these changes and learned how to balance my health and academics in the face of these challenges.

I chose to attend Meredith because of the strong on-campus community. I wanted to attend a college with a close community where I could make connections with my professors and classmates. I knew that Meredith was the right place for me when I started taking more major classes. Having these classes with my fellow math or economics majors helped me feel at home here. 

Working at the Learning Center has probably been my favorite part of attending Meredith. Not only have I gained valuable work experience, but I have also had the opportunity to participate in the amazing community. Interacting with the tutors and staff is the highlight of my week, as they are some of the kindest people I know and always make me feel accepted and appreciated. Serving as an embedded tutor has also allowed me to work with some great professors and get great practice working with larger groups of students. The sessions working with the tutees are invaluable, as you get to know these students and help them succeed. 

The learning specialist and tutor coordinator from the Learning Center helped me to grow professionally in many ways. As my higher-up and mentor, he helped me develop tutoring skills and soft skills such as communication, time management, and professionalism. In our one-on-one meetings, he would help me understand and solve issues such as misunderstandings or communication problems, correct weak spots in the course material, and tutor hard topics. Seeing how he handled situations and the impact he had at Meredith made me look up to him and work towards having similar skills and impact. My time at the Learning Center has solidified my goal of eventually becoming a professor myself, though I do want to work in the field first!

While at Meredith, I discovered my passion for researching women’s empowerment. In the spring of my freshman year, I took Gender and the Economy with Dr. Anne York. For my final project, I researched regional differences in the gender pay gap within Germany and the historical context behind it. Following this project, my passion for studying women’s rights and empowerment began to grow. In the semesters since then, I have researched this subject for every project I could. 

In my last semester, I did a presentation on the impact of childcare costs on the poverty rate for single mothers, and I finished my honors thesis on how different economic factors impact women’s empowerment for women from India. I hope that by researching the specific demographic groups that need additional support, we can improve the lives of women who need it the most.

After graduation, I plan on taking the summer to study for the math GRE, continuing to study programming languages and computer science, and applying to applied statistics Ph.D. programs in the fall.

My long-term goal is to work in economics research and conduct statistical research on the economic factors of women’s empowerment. My top strength of competition helps motivate me to continue studying and improving my skills, and should also help me to put the best work and effort into getting into and succeeding in a Ph.d. program.”