Hannah Sheldon '20

Applied Economics and Accounting major Hannah Sheldon ’20 has never been comfortable with accepting things at face value. “You have to look at things with a critical eye,” she says, “and you need to make sure the actual data make sense.” At Bryant, she’s used that natural curiosity to see what makes the world tick.

Her professors have helped guide her on her mission to figure out the world. “They’re so excited about what they do and want to share it,” Sheldon, who recently accepted a position as a Research Assistant on the Data Services’ International Data and Economic Analysis (IDEA) team with DevTech Systems, notes. “They want to work with you and want you to be excited about what you're learning as well.”

Inspired by competing on Bryant’s Federal Reserve Challenge Team, which tasks students with analyzing economic and financial conditions and formulating monetary policy recommendations, Sheldon decided to continue examining big ideas, with an aim toward making a difference.

“I learned a lot from the Fed Challenge and it helped me realize that I really love to do economics research,” says Sheldon. “I like being able to ask ‘Hey, what if we tried this?’ Or how can we take this theory and beat it up? Or if we took this hypothetical situation and did something new, what would happen next?’”

On her own initiative, she began to investigate New England unemployment rates with Professor of Economics Edinaldo Tebaldi, Ph.D., and has used what she’s found to challenge key economic models. A grant from Bryant's Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies is helping her expand her research on employment across the country.

The research she’s doing, she knows, will help her stand out after graduation. “Working with an economist gave me a new perspective on the process of economic research,” says Sheldon. “It’s a real differentiator.”

But mostly, she hopes that what she finds can be used to aid others. That was the result of a recent project she undertook with Professor of Economics Allison Kaminaga, Ph.D., that examined how land and home titling empower women in Africa. The project will be presented at the 2020 World Bank Land and Poverty Conference. “I took Professor Kaminaga’s Economic Development class and my eyes were opened to the challenges that women face in developing countries,” says Sheldon. “I knew I could help these women by contributing to the research.”

Real World Experience