Saying yes to new opportunities
Name: Jamil Mansouri
Hometown: West Lafayette, IN
Major & concentration: Agricultural Economics/Political Science
Minors or certificates: Natural Resource and Environmental Sciences
Why did you come to Purdue: The flexibility of the Agricultural Economics program allowed me to tailor my undergraduate experience to what I wanted to get out of it.
Favorite Purdue tradition: Grand Prix
Top three influences at Purdue:
- Having a positive outlook and bringing a smile to conversations will take you farther than any degree.
- Schedule time for yourself and explore as much as humanly possible; it is the best way to figure out what you like and don’t like.
- Stay present in the activities you are involved in because they go by faster than you can possibly imagine.
Top five memories of your time at Purdue:
- Finishing the first draft of my research paper
- Watching the Purdue vs. UConn NCAA Championship game in Mackey Area
- Officially being on track to graduate a year early
- Traveling to Washington D.C. for AAEA
- Making the Dean’s List my first semester
Places you have been as a Purdue student: Purdue has taken me farther than I could have imagined. I have been able to attend multiple national conferences (AAEA and SAEA, respectively) as well as two vastly different internships: one working for the City of West Lafayette’s parks and recreation department and a summer research program. Both have allowed me to explore vastly different interests that have helped me narrow down my future career path.
Favorite club/organization: Agricultural Economics Quiz Bowl
Favorite student-led event/initiative: Hammer Down Hunger
Favorite Purdue event: Ag Week
Favorite social activity: Getting coffee with friends
Favorite place to study: WALC 2nd floor library
Favorite place on campus: Engineering Fountains
Favorite thing about CoA: The community; as someone who was relatively new to agriculture starting my undergrad, everybody was incredibly welcoming and helped me find my footing.
Favorite thing about your major: How ag economics can be applied to a plethora of different fields
Favorite class: Constitutional Law (POL 461)
Favorite professor: Dr. Brenna Ellison
Coolest project: Looking at food waste patterns by measuring households’ food waste.
Three biggest accomplishments:
- Graduating a full year early
- Participating in SROP
- Being able to present at AAEA
Things on your resume not listed above: I am getting ready to submit a paper for publication at the end of June.
Plans after graduation: I will be stationed in Tonga with the Peace Corps
Advice for underclassmen: Undergraduate research has taught me endless lessons, and I would recommend it to any student who even thinks they might want to try it.
Biggest takeaway from Purdue: I learned to follow my passions as a guidepost, and it has yet to steer me wrong.