Sarah Johnson

This was opportunity to stretch myself-- to break out of my comfort zone and build not only my technical capabilities as an economics student, but also my abilities to adapt and to observe. Spending this past summer in Pune, India working for Forbes Marshall has re-ignited my passion for the challenges and rewards that come from living and working abroad, and re-affirmed my desire to do so after graduation (as well as before). The economics research I carried out for Forbes Marshall on a number of international markets increased my knowledge of those markets, but more importantly, it increased my understanding of how economics can be applied in a "real world" setting-- which makes all the difference in motivating me in my studies. At the same time, I got to flex my creative muscles with some design and marketing work. As an economics student with a passion for social justice and international development, working for a company (as opposed to an NGO, as I have done in the past) in India, and more generally, reaffirmed my belief that "social good" has many forms, and comes from many sources. Forbes Marshall is a company that has a firm focus on community, and a wide variety of CSR programs. I am passionate about the intersection between business and social good, and this summer gave me the opportunity to see the relationship between the two in action. I have built skills and passions that I will use throughout my life.