Thomas DiCamillo, ’05

Tom worked as an intern for the Bureau of Economic Analysis in Washington, D.C. after his junior year and won the Department’s Flubacher Scholarship for his senior year at La Salle. Following graduation, Tom went to work for a small firm that provides economic consulting services to the aviation industry. He is currently pursuing his MBA degree at La Salle University.

His comments include the following:

In one of my first classes I remember my professor repeating over and over that economics is a way of thinking. As I progressed through my coursework, and now that I write papers for a living, I appreciate that wisdom so much more. It helps me to think logically, rationally, and always include assumptions, but more importantly it has helped me to communicate ideas more effectively through writing (having to explain the way of thinking to the reader).

La Salle has had such a positive impact on my life. I felt at home among my classmates and professors, and I left with great mentors and friends. Certainly, the small size and the personal attention from La Salle’s Economics Dept. is the best environment for encouraging students to achieve their goals. I know that the skills and knowledge I acquired has prepared me for a career path in economics and/or graduate school.

Probably one of the most interesting and most applicable classes that I took at La Salle was Environmental Economics. Nothing I do is related to the environment; however, I have already written papers on topics we studied including theories on Cost-benefit Analysis, Game Theory, and Market Failures. This class was the closest application to policy-related economics, and it has certainly benefited me thus far. Dr. Beth Paulin was one of the most influential professors during my undergraduate career. I had four classes with her including an independent study, and she mentored me while I worked on my Honors Project. It was through her tutelage that I became interested in econometrics and statistical applications. Her extensive knowledge is certainly a benefit to the department because it goes beyond economic theory and gives students the research and analytical tools necessary to succeed.