Economics and International Affairs (EIA)

This program focuses on the most pressing issues facing our global, interdependent, and multicultural environment.

Ambassadors

Blurb / Gallery Set

Cindy Lin

EIA | 1st Year | Tucker High School
Minor: Chinese
 
What activities are you involved in on campus?
I am an active member of the FSA (Filipino Student Association), and I participate in events hosted by CSA (Chinese Student Association).
 
What internship, job, research, study abroad, or other academic experiences do you have?
I currently work as a student assistant at the Office of Special Scholarships. I work with all scholars (Stamps Presidents, Gold and Tech Promise Scholars), but I mainly focus on assisting Tech Promise, as I am a Tech Promise Scholar and love to help those within my own scholarship!
 
What do you like best about your major?
I love the analytical nature of it using critical thinking and problem solving to view the issues facing the world today. The combination of International Affairs with Economics has versatility and broad applications in the real world, allowing me to chose a path for myself while still being well prepared. 
 
What do you love about liberal arts at Georgia Tech?
I love the community within liberal arts at Georgia Tech. Although it is small, the students, professors, and other staff are all so welcoming and willing to help. It is also easier to build connections with a smaller college. The analysis-driven coursework within all liberal arts majors at Georgia Tech also sets us up to become the problem solvers and critical thinkers of tomorrow (and today!)

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Oliver Gray

EIA | 2nd Year | Midtown High School
 
What activities are you involved in on campus?
Treasurer for the Organization for Social Activism, member of ORGT’s whitewater kayaking group, member of International Affairs Student Organization
 
What internship, job, research, study abroad, or other academic experiences do you have?
Montevideo and Buenos Aires Summer Program
 
What do you like best about your major?
I truly appreciate the fact that I can walk into class and witness the direct influence of current events on the professor's curriculum. The fields of economics and international affairs are especially remarkable in this regard, as they remain incredibly dynamic, with new challenges and questions emerging constantly for us to explore in the classroom.
 
What do you love about liberal arts at Georgia Tech?
The distinction of having a Bachelors of Science highlights the unique opportunity that Ivan Allen College students have to integrate rigorous STEM skills with the social sciences and push the boundaries of these fields. I love that graduating from Ivan Allen College not only grants you an exceptional degree but also equips you with a skill set that extends far beyond the confines of traditional liberal arts programs. These skills are highly applicable in a wide range of professional domains. Moreover, you have the privilege of acquiring these skills in one of the greatest cities in the world.

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Anthony Xu

EIA | 4th Year | Bergen County Academies
 
What activities are you involved in on campus?
I'm currently an undergraduate researcher for the Technologies & International Development Lab, and a member of the Soccer, Community, Innovation, & Politics VIP. I also serve on the executive board of the Alexander Hamilton Society at Georgia Tech.
 
What internship, job, research, study abroad, or other academic experiences do you have?
Before being readmitted to Tech, I spent three years living and working in China, teaching English and interning for a multinational pharmaceutical advocacy group in Shanghai. I also currently work for the INTA office in Habersham, helping organize financial documentation. In terms of research, my work for the T&ID Lab has focused primarily on the socioeconomic, political, and cultural structures that drive innovation. l also visited Culebra, Puerto Rico, and studied abroad in Spain and Portugal to learn more about global sustainability and development challenges, and to do field work for an ongoing research project!
 
What do you like best about your major?
As a former Biomedical Engineering major who could not have enjoyed the coursework any less, I'm beyond happy that EIA covers not only the areas I'm interested in, but also helps apply them to the realm of international relations and the real world (where, hopefully, I'll be employed one day!). There's also ample opportunity for research and international experience, something I knew I wanted to do ever since I came back. The major just fits me so well, and the classes keeps me challenged and engaged. What else could I ask for?
 
What do you love about liberal arts at Georgia Tech?
Being a liberal arts student at an advanced technical institute allows for a tailored education that gives you technical expertise and experience even while you pursue a liberal arts degree. Even the liberal arts courses are designed such that they take into account modern technological means, and students are able to better apply their educations after they graduate and enter the workforce. My own non-major cluster is in computer science, which helps me distinguish myself from other universities’ liberal arts majors, and lets me pursue my education in a way that fits my personal interests, rather than in a way the university prescribes. 

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Ruben Taits

EIA | 1st Year | Morristown Beard School
 
What activities are you involved in on campus?
The Alexander Hamilton Society, Economics Club, Model NATO, and Intramural Soccer.
 
What internship, job, research, study abroad, or other academic experiences do you have?

Princeton Capitol Advisors Investment Analyst (May 2023-June 2023)
Astra MD: Medical Office Assistant Volunteer (November 2022-present).

What do you like best about your major?
As an EIA major, I can learn about international policies on how supply chains are structured and use my knowledge of Economics to find the most cost-effective solutions that can genuinely help and make a difference. In addition, I do not have to focus strictly on Economics or International Affairs, which allows for a flexibility that I believe is not as common in other majors that gives me an opportunity to see which part of both subjects I want to pursue.
 
What do you love about liberal arts at Georgia Tech?
One of the main reasons I chose Georgia Tech was because even as a Liberal arts major, you graduate with a Bachelor of Science which opens up the door to almost any field you would like to work in. In addition, you don't just have to focus on your major-specific courses. For example, even though it is a requirement, taking a class in Computer Science potentially opens up a new interest for some people, but it allows you to get an insight into one of the most used fields in today's world. Similarly, there is a class for almost anything you are interested in, such as the soccer and Global Politics class that travels abroad to countries in Europe and South America. In addition, professors here at Tech who are a part of Ivan Allen are some of the most interesting people I've talked to. Having the ability to reach these types of distinguished people in their field is something you could not find anywhere else.

Contact Ruben