Donald Stack '15
“What’s next?” The question is a familiar, if not terrifying, thought for most college seniors. But, inevitably, it requires an answer. So, like many other soon-to-be graduates, Donald Stack went to his advisor for help with the looming question.
“My undergraduate advisor pushed me towards grad school. I didn’t really think that was the di-rection that I wanted to go, but I decided to look into it.”
Donald googled “master’s in economics” and found his future.
“I had no prior knowledge of the UAlbany program until it came up in my search. My undergrad-uate studies focused a lot in metrics and statistics, so Albany’s concentration in economic fore-casting was very appealing to me. Ultimately, it’s why I chose the program.”
Donald found the Master’s of Arts in Economics program to be extremely rigorous with signifi-cant forecasting activity particularly focused in the public sector. Taking full advantage of the university’s location in the New York State capital, he interned at the Worker’s Compensation Board and later found employment at the Division of Budget. He first heard about the job open-ing from his Public Sector Forecasting professor, a former unit chief at DOB.
“I developed a good rapport with both the full-time faculty and professional adjuncts. The classes take you from theoretical concepts to practical, real-world examples of what’s happening in the workplace.”
Additionally, Donald felt the program’s small class sizes and opportunity for group work were good preparation for the future.
“Everyone needed to work as a team, and passing the class was a group effort. We learned how to work across borders and achieve common goals. This is a valuable skill I have definitely put to use on the job.”
Two years after his initial google search, Donald completed his master’s degree and successfully answered his future.
“The program met all of my expectations and I really appreciated being in Albany where there is a lot of economic activity. I’m glad I made the choices I did.”
