Elird Haxhiu

Class of 2016

Major: Economics

Minors: Mathematics, Political Science

Currently: 2nd year at the University of Michigan, PhD Economics program

Future plans: research and teaching, assistant professor

I learned a great deal from my time at Utah, especially the economics and mathematics departments. The professors engaged me in critical thinking and took time to discuss ideas beyond the coursework. This is especially true of Peter Philips; he was my professor in a labor economics class, my senior/honors thesis adviser, and the principal researcher on a project for which I was a research assistant. It was UROP that brought us together (the grant helped finance my senior thesis) and fostered our subsequent collaboration. Without his help and guidance, I would not be where I am today. I will never forget the time and space he gave me to grow during our various projects together, and would consider myself very fortunate to one day become half the educator and researcher Peter is today.