Mark is a junior studying business administration and economics at Towson University. He is also an intern for the university’s Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI), where he is tasked with data collection and analysis, providing written and edited reports to clients, and integrating economic research into state-wide projects to effectively assess and identify areas of job growth. “One unexpected skill that I have learned while working at RESI is the frequent usage of Chicago-style citation formatting. Prior to joining RESI, I was accustomed to using APA and MLA formatting styles. However, since joining RESI, I have used Chicago-style formatting for every document that requires online research for a given task,” said Mark.

RESI provides an array of economic and policy analysis services to better serve Maryland and other states in the region, especially in relation to increased employment and economic growth. Throughout his time with RESI, Mark has been part of various projects. “One of the most interesting projects I have worked on was for the Maryland Association of Counties. The task was to evaluate how the physical and mental health benefits provided by parks and recreational facilities contribute to economic growth. It was fascinating to quantify how the two benefits impacted the value of regional real estate and job growth,” said Mark.

Mark’s advice for other students looking to gain real-world experience during college? “Advice I would offer students looking to gain experience in my line of work would to simply demonstrate an insatiable desire to be periodically challenged with your work—I believe that there is a direct correlation between being excited about facing new challenges in professional projects, and the results that are generated as a byproduct of making the work more meaningful to you.

While Mark’s future goals admittedly change every few years, he is dedicated to obtaining a master’s degree in international development studies. He is also interested in traveling to third-world countries, providing mission work, especially to underprivileged youth. Eventually, Mark would like to work in economic development, focusing on the frameworks of developing nations.

 

Fun Stuff about Mark

  • What are two apps you can’t live without? Bloomberg News and the Bible app
  • If your life was a movie, what would the theme song be? Mad Rush by Philip Glass. My brother heard it playing by a locally talented pianist last fall while walking through Washington Square Park; the song illuminated a significant amount of clarity in my life.
  • What would your superhero power be? If I had one superhero power, it would be to fly to any place on earth, while enduring compromising weather conditions. I’ve always wanted to visit every biome on earth, but there aren’t many flights that fly out to the icy biome of Antarctica.
  • What is a fun fact most people don’t know about you? I play squash very competitively! During the fall semester, I would train an average of 4 days a week with a good friend at the Meadow Mill Athletic Club.