Hunter Baehren, a
junior Political Science and Economics major, will be an intern with the Council of Economic Advisers in Washington this semester.
Last summer he studied the effects of the minimum wage, estate taxes, job programs, and Social Security at the London School of Economics. Hence, when he saw that the Council of Economic Advisors in Washington, D.C. had an internship he immediately applied. “Since the CEA has direct influence in implementing and evaluating these types of policies in the United States, I could think of no better place to intern. I heard the news that I was chosen for the internship when I glanced at my email during a statistics class. It’s safe to say that, during the rest of the lecture, my concentration did not recover.”
Hunter’s internship with the CEA will run from early-January through early-May 2016. “I will be aiding economists in analyzing and interpreting economic trends and policies, which we will use to compile reports. Ultimately, these reports advise President Obama on a wide range of economic issues. My specific duties could include performing different types of statistical analysis, performing literature reviews, designing graphical displays, composing memos, and completing general administrative duties.”
Hunter, who is a Robertson scholar, will also take classes through the Sanford School of Public Policy’s Duke in DC program. “While in DC, my coursework will explore the more political side of our Federal government and the current presidential race, so in combination with my internship, I will be able to examine the complexity of many national issues from both political and economic vantage points.”
When we asked Hunter why he decided to major in Political Science and Economics, he told us, “I chose these specific majors due to their complementing skills. My undergraduate Political Science courses have focused on building skills in writing, qualitative analysis, and knowledge of po
litical philosophy. Meanwhile, my undergraduate Economics courses have focused more on statistical analysis, economic trends, and topics of mathematical application. I believe this multidimensional approach has given me a wide range of tools to better understand our complex world and its different issues.”
And what does he hope to learn from his Internship? “I’m hoping to gain statistical experience, analyze current economic issues, and explore a possible career in public service.” Baehren is super excited about this opportunity, but admits that there is a piece of Chapel Hill that he will miss. “Washington DC has no [B]ski’s. I will sorely miss the AK and Aloha.”