Dan Sloan

Why did you choose to attend UM?

A rather odd story to begin with: my older brother just graduated from State this past May, and I thought that I was going to end up following in his footsteps. On the drive down from Illinois to visit him, I decided to take a detour through Oxford to see the other major college town in Mississippi. Its beauty caught my eye, and I knew that I had to apply. The rest is history!

When and how did you choose your major(s)/minor(s)?

I had the privilege to switch majors three times before I finished my freshman year. I came to Ole Miss as a Biomedical Engineering major, but then quickly switched to General Engineering with the intent of applying to Law School after graduation. As much as I liked the math and science, it still didn't feel right. I wanted to work more with people than numbers. As such, I switched to Banking and Finance at the end of my first semester. The following semester, I took my first business classes in January, and, again, it didn't feel quite right. After some more digging, I stumbled upon Economics. It was perfect! It took math and science and applied it to the real world. As I replaced my business classes with economics classes, it only furthered my interest. Economics is the only study that I have been genuinely curious to learn more about, rather than just learn to make grades. As a B.S. in Economics, it's possible to receive an automatic math minor between the major requirements and the additional course requirements, so I jumped at that.

What would you tell a high school student about your major?

The most interesting aspect of Economics, to me, is its intuitive nature. It's almost like watching a movie with a beautifully constructed plot show how all of the pieces and hints dispersed throughout the story fall into place for an overwhelming epiphany. An application of this can be found when a nation is in a recession: recessions typically coincide with high unemployment, which means that people are fighting for jobs. As such, workers are replaceable, so they have to accept lower wages in order to keep their jobs. Less money is better than no money, right? Then, since the firms spend less money on wages, they can spend more on investments, which causes the business to thrive and, on a cumulative level, pull the entire market out of a recession. Of course, this is a model with many variables held constant, but it shows how the little details add up to create a massive effect.

Why is your department a special place?

If I'm being honest, I don't know just yet. I'm relatively new to the major, so I need to learn more about it. I will say this: Economics professors are the most enthusiastic professors that I have met on campus thus far, and it makes the learning environment more engaging.

What are your 3 favorite things about your major/department at UM?

1. Intutitive nature

2. Energetic staff

3. Built in LSAT and law school prep

Can you tell me about a professor or a class you’ve taken that has had the most impact on you?

That would have to be Dr. Scott. He was my professor for Principles of Microeconomics, and he is my favorite professor that I have ever taken. Just as Econ is real life, his class is real life, and he proves this by offering deals with the class content. They spun a competitive, and even cut-throat twist to class, which really kept us thinking and trying to read each other

What has been one of your most memorable or enjoyable moments at UM?

The 20th Anniversary of the Ford Center was a really cool event, and I got to go with two of my best friends. The performances were all incredible, and Morgan Freeman's on-the-fly humor lit up the theatre with laughter.

What do you hope to do after you graduate?

I hope to work for an international philanthropic organization after graduating from law school. Two of my past three internships have been with such an organization, and they have been excellent experiences. On the side, I plan to become an author. I've always loved to write, and I'm already working on a few ideas, though they will probably take longer than I expect.

Apart from school, how do you spend your time in Oxford?

As soon as classes are over, I try to dedicate a minimum of 90 minutes to exercise, the time split between running and the gym. After that, I meet up with my friends and we go with the flow, never having a plan. Most often, we shoot pool, watch movies, and complain about our worst classes. One of my favorite places to go is the Honors College. Apart from studying, it's a great place to run into people you know, and we often have powerpoint nights, where we all make a silly presentation on an intentionally vague topic.

What is your go-to meal in Oxford?

On campus, the McAlister Club wrap is my favorite, but in all of Oxford, Oxford Creamery, though it's more of a treat than a go-to meal.

What are you binge watching or reading right now?

I just wrapped up watching The Last Kingdom, and I would have to say that it is probably the best show I've ever seen.

What are some dream travel destinations?

I've always wanted to go to Cairo, Kyoto, Denmark, Australia, and Argentina, but I'll be lucky to make it to half of them.

What is one thing you wish you knew as an incoming freshman that you'd tell your past self?

In the first few weeks, everyone is looking to make friends, so all you have to do is walk up to them and chat—that's the hardest part.