Meet Jordan R.

"Through my work as a Student Economist on the Research and Analytics Team at PrairiesCan, I get to explore issues that matter to the provinces I’ve always called home. I’m able to use both my skills in economics to interpret and use data, and my skills in political science to consider intersectional identities when writing about the data’s implications in a way that non-expert decision makers can understand. Being in a position that has let me see what non-academic research looks like has changed my perspective on the value of my Honors degree and how I can use my research skills in the workforce.

The biggest struggle I’ve had this term has been figuring out the expectations for my work as a co-op student. I knew I was not going to be producing documents that would be sent to Justin Trudeau, but I wasn’t quite sure how much my contributions mattered or how much they would be used. Professional and vague language in job descriptions also didn’t help, but as I got more comfortable with my team I found out how much they truly value my opinion and my work. At my midterm review, I found out I was exceeding their expectations as they never had had a political science student before and really appreciated my different background. To avoid a stressful experience, my advice for new AWE students is to get comfortable with your work colleagues and don’t be afraid to speak up– even if it's to talk about the small things."

Jordan is finishing her 4th year in Honors Economics and Political Science with certificates in Social Science Research and Global Citizenship. In the future, she hopes to gain her masters in public policy research focusing on measuring intersectional impacts and to rejoin the public service.