Mizzou Economics graduate Sam Peterson has accepted a full-time position as a research assistant at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC. Sam will work in the Center on Health Policy on topics including the efficiency of health care services, the prescription drug market, and treatment for mental health and addiction. He starts his new position in the Summer of 2025.

When asked how his experience at Mizzou helped him prepare for the job market, Sam pointed to the value of his statistics and econometrics coursework required for the Economics BS degree, internship experiences made possibly by support from the Kinder Institute and Honors College, and research experience he gained by writing a senior thesis under the advisement of Dr. Cory Koedel.

Sam also offered some advice for students looking to follow in his footsteps: “Focus on taking classes where the content would be difficult to self-study, so lean toward math- and theory-heavy courses. You can always learn specific facts and figures later. Also, find opportunities that result in concrete projects, which are great to talk about in job applications and interviews. A lot of the more worthwhile things I did [at Mizzou] required multiple attempts before I got what I wanted out of the experience. In finding research opportunities, applying for jobs, writing code, or taking difficult classes, it is really important to iterate.”

Sam completed a dual degree in Economics (BS, quantitative track) and History (BA), with minors in Political Science, Mathematics, and Constitutional Democracy, this December.