D’Lanie joined us one week before UMD’s fall semester began, and she will be our undergraduate research assistant, along with Erin Hopkins, until mid-December. We are fortunate to have her with us! You can get to know D’Lanie by reading this week’s blog, where she shares a few things about herself.
Q: Tell us about yourself
I’m from Little Canada, Minnesota, which is just outside St. Paul. I am double majoring in psychology and human resource management at UMD with the goal of pursuing a career in industrial/organizational psychology. During quarantine, I taught myself how to crochet and knit, and I do that a lot in my free time. I’m currently working on a crocheted blanket, which I’ve never attempted before, so I’m excited to see how it turns out!
Q: What inspired you to apply for the research assistant position?
I’ve always been interested in economics, and I took BBER Director Monica Haynes’ Labor Theory class last spring. It was there that I expressed my interest in research, and she encouraged me to apply for the job because it would be a great opportunity to gain experience.
Q: If you could research any local economic development topic, what would it be?
I am really interested in the economic impact of state and county fairs. There was a study done on the impact of the Minnesota State Fair in 2018, but I’d be interested to see the same study done post-pandemic.
Q: How do you see your position at the BBER helping you achieve your goals after college?
This position will give me a lot of hands-on research experience, which will help me in graduate school and in my future career, where I’m hoping to get to do research full time. Working in economic research will also provide me with the understanding of trends and issues in human resources from a different perspective, which is extremely valuable to someone about to enter that field.