Troy Durie '18

Troy Durie

Class Year

’18

Current home

Washington D.C.

Major(s)

Economics

Current Position

Research Economist at the Council of Economic Advisers

Troy Durie graduated from Carthage in 2018 with a degree in economics. He is now a research economist at the Council of Economic Advisers and recently completed graduate school at the University of Chicago, concentrating on quantitative methods of social analysis. 

“The classes [at the University of Chicago] are built around different statistical methods of research,” Mr. Durie said. “I am soon beginning my master’s thesis with members of the economics faculty.”

While at Carthage, Mr. Durie was inspired by his economics professors, deciding what road to take in his career through their support and guidance. He values the relationships he built with his professors, particularly Professor Cassie Lau and Professor Ronald Cronovich, who mentored him in his academics and guided him through the process of applying to graduate school. 

“Carthage sharpened my questioning and critical-thinking skills to understand the story the data and prior research tells, and how to effectively communicate these ideas.”

Troy Durie, ’18

How did Carthage prepare you?

“The research opportunities at Carthage were extremely beneficial to me as a research intern with the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House and will continue to help me through graduate school. These opportunities helped me develop research skills, like conducting literature reviews, and helped my data-analysis skills.”

What opportunities were made possible because of your Carthage experience?

“I went on J-Term study tours to China and Japan. Being in rural China and teaching English to middle schoolers came with a lot of challenges, but was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Japan was more formal, meeting business leaders and hearing lectures from foreign affairs officers. Even with how much we explored on the J-Term tour, Japan is a country worth experiencing multiple times and I plan to go back. Through these trips, I learned about new cultures and experienced different ways of life.”

Tips for current Carthage students?

“The best tip I have for current Carthage students is to be adventurous. There are a lot of opportunities to immerse yourself in a subject, project, or research challenge that you honestly may not understand. Being able to teach yourself quickly and effectively is an important skill that helped me at the Council of Economic Advisers and is helping me in graduate school.


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“Go on J-Term study tours and apply for prestigious graduate schools and jobs. Challenge yourself; Carthage readies you to be competitive and successful.”