In fall 2023, John Jackson moved from Punalu'u, Hawai'i to Missouri to study at Mizzou, leaving his full-time position at a regional bank in the pursuit of a future in public service. At Mizzou, he has had the privilege of learning from excellent faculty who have helped him broaden his horizons on possible careers in economics. Many of the faculty at Mizzou have had previous experience in public service, making their advice and insight particularly valuable. During his time on campus, John has also had the opportunity to work under Dr. Eric Parsons as a Peer Learning Assistant, where he has gained valuable teaching experience, and looking ahead, he plans to join the economics 4+1 accelerated master's program this upcoming year.

This summer, John will work as an intern at the FDIC under their Financial Institution Internship (FII) program. The FII program is a competitive and paid internship which lasts until graduation and may lead to a post-graduation employment offer as a Financial Institution Specialist. The program provides hands-on experience evaluating bank operations, risk management strategies, and consumer protection practices. John will also have the opportunity to participate in on-site bank examinations, where he will be able to gain valuable experience learning with seasoned examiners.