From Eden Prairie to Ankara: Undergraduate Around the World

In this interview, Clara Bartnik (BA ‘20) reflects on her time at the U of M and shares some advice for students. Clara pursued her interest in international affairs by studying Economics while minoring in Spanish and Teaching English as a Second language.

Why choose to be an economics major?

While in high school, I took some classes about Middle Eastern politics and realized I had an interest in the Middle East and specifically Turkey.

During my freshman year at the U of M, I explored classes in Global Studies and Political Science, but I decided to become Economics major because economics felt relevant to so many fields. Public health, psychology, international relations, finance, economics applied to all of these different fields. Majoring in economics provided more options while at the same time teaching me mathematical and analytical skills that could benefit my future career prospects.

Find Economics in the world: What advice would you give to students looking to explore the major?

Economic thinking applies in many contexts, so I’d suggest that economics students read the news and listen to things like The Economist podcast or Planet Money in order to see how your classroom experience ties into real life. Bridge the gap between theory and the everyday.

 Also, I wish I had done more informational interviews or talked to alumni and upperclassmen to gather more information about careers that interest me.

Make the most academic autonomy: What classroom experiences were the most rewarding?

My favorite undergraduate class was Economic Development. This class gave me an opportunity to explore a topic that interests me, language policy in China, while also sharpening my skills in R, learning how to develop a thesis and think critically about issues I wanted to pursue.

Chase Opportunity Around the Globe: What is your favorite memory from being a student at the U of M?

My summer studying abroad as a part of the Critical Language Scholarship Program made for a memorable summer. I spent my summer learning Turkish in Azerbaijan. I hadn’t studied Turkish before and this was the first time I would be studying a new language in a foreign country. I had the support of a cohort of American students, and I lived with a fantastic host family. My host sister also studied economics and could speak pretty good English. I navigated many cultural differences, everything from adjusting to more communal living to different concepts of punctuality. I learned about how American I really am.

Continue Exploring After Graduation: What are your plans for after you graduate?

As I was nearing my graduation date, I wanted to explore scholarships to work or study abroad more. I applied for and received both a Boren Scholarship and a Fulbright Scholarship. I decided to accept the Fulbright Scholarship. So, after graduation, I went to Turkey. I am thankful for my previous language experience in Azerbaijan. I would probably still be at the airport in Turkey if I didn’t know some Turkish. Although the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges. I learned so much during my time in Turkey. After returning from Turkey in June, I have started to look for full time work. I am exploring career opportunities related to the international education and economic development fields.