Economics major learns about central banking in APEX fellowship

Ethan Hunt ’26, an economics major and statistical and data sciences minor with an entrepreneurship pathway at The College of Wooster, completed an APEX fellowship at the Central Bank of Belize in Belize City. During his fellowship, Hunt learned about econometric modeling and the foreign exchange sector. He also worked on data management and supported the research and economic analysis department at the bank. Through his internship, Hunt was able to gain experience in a professional environment, which helped him realize the importance of graduate school for economists.  

“This APEX fellowship has clarified my educational and professional goals. I realized a job in economic research is a great fit for me, and if I want to be at the pinnacle of the field, I’ll need to attend graduate school.”
—Ethan Hunt ’26 

Q: How did you learn about the internship opportunity for your APEX Fellowship? 

Hunt: I learned about the opportunity through a contact at the Central Bank. The internship was a good fit because it gave me the opportunity to interact with economists, a profession I’m interested in.  

Q: What interests you most about the work you did? 

Hunt: The most interesting part of the work was learning about different types of econometric modeling and the foreign exchange sector. It was also fun to work on visualizing real economic data for a project I worked on. It was also really interesting to see economic theory holding up, or failing to do so, in the real world. Daily, I worked on data management duties and spoke with economists. 

Q: Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position? 

Hunt: My fellowship mentor was Megan Wereley, associate professor of education. She allowed me to carefully reflect on my position in addition to providing guidance. 

Q: How has the internship helped you to see what’s next for you? 

Hunt: This APEX fellowship has clarified my educational and professional goals. If I wanted to pursue a career as an economist, graduate school isn’t necessary, but it’s important for advancement in the field. 

Posted in Experiential Learning on August 10, 2024.