Daniel Kapnick, B.S. 2008

2008 Major: Economics; minor in Environmental Science & Policy; certificate in Markets & Management Studies

How has being an Economics graduate from Duke helped shape you personally and/or professionally?

"Duke Economics helped me understand the bigger picture, how everything fits together. Although I may not have become a central banker, I am a more sophisticated consumer of economic information and can make educated judgments about how that information may impact specific stakeholders (consumers, taxpayers, governments, businesses). We invest in a range of companies, each of which have different and complex relationships to the overall economy (labor supply, consumer sentiment, trade, FX, inflation). Duke Economics has helped me unpack those relationships so we can make informed strategic business decisions."

What advice would you give students in Duke's Economics programs? 

"Be broad in your education, but pick one or two areas of interest to go deep. Broad: Although you may not think a class directly affects your intended career, these are opportunities to provide context and texture to your understanding of the world. Deep: Pick an area that interests you and go down the proverbial rabbit hole. Duke provides the resources and time to go deep into a complex topic and try to figure out what is 'really going on'."