Econ Major and Javelin Thrower John Austin Aims for Success

Econ Major and Javelin Thrower John Austin Aims for Success

27 July 2010 12:00AM

Deciding on an undergraduate major is not always simple. Students may start their college studies in one field only to switch into something different. That is the situation in which economics major and track and field team member John Austin found himself in at Duke.

Although he was indecisive about his field of study early on, Austin seemed nothing but certain in his athletic competitions from the beginning. The student athlete broke the school record for javelin throwing and has since bettered his own record several times, most recently to win the Duke Invitational this past April. Austin is the only Duke athlete to earn the NCAA All-America honors as a javelin thrower and was recently named the National Athlete of the Year for Sigma Nu Fraternity.

The student athlete said that choosing Duke for higher learning was a relatively easy decision because of the university’s combination of academics and athletics. However, selecting the right major was not simple.

“I have always been good with numbers and enjoyed my AP econ classes from high school but came to Duke thinking I wanted to be pre-med,” Austin explained. “After I was on campus and had a full semester under my belt, I realized that studying science just was not for me anymore. I began to look around for a different subject to focus on. Econ was it.”

In addition to studying economics, Austin also participated in the Markets and Management certificate program that allows undergraduates to study business, organizations and entrepreneurship to prepare them for careers in banking, consulting and business. Together with his economics major, Austin thinks this training allowed him to achieve the best undergraduate "business" concentration within the liberal arts approach of Duke.

With his ambitious agenda, managing time has been a juggling act for Austin who finished his undergraduate degree last semester and is now beginning a master’s degree.

“The balancing act of econ and track actually forced and helped me to structure my days,” he said. “Like almost every other college student, free time often seems to be wasted. The more my schedule is filled, the better focused I can be on my academics and athletics. A lot of times my schedule ended up with class in the mornings and practice in the afternoons.”

His hard work and focus were evident this past season. Austin was the ACC champion in the javelin. He also won the College Championship Division of the Javelin at the Penn Relays Carnival, the largest and oldest track and field competition in the nation.

“John's work ethic is fantastic. He has faced some injuries throughout his career and has battled back every time only to become a better thrower,” Duke Track and Field Throws Coach B. J. Linnenbrink said. “He works very hard every day at practice with the goal of being the best javelin thrower he can.”

Austin also strives to succeed in the classroom. While not a not a fan of basic economic theory, he does enjoy applied economics and the mathematics involved in his major. Austin said that Econ 143 The Art Market has been his favorite economics class.

Professor De Marchi really forced the students to engage in the material, which happened to be particularly interesting, and he was also passionate in his teaching,” commented Austin about the class instructor. “More than anything his enthusiasm for the course was contagious to some extent.”

Applying what he has learned in his economics major, Austin worked as an intern for part of the summer at MD Global Partners, an investment bank in New York City that focuses on cross border mergers and acquisitions. He returned to Durham in mid-July in order to begin the Master of Management Studies program at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business.

While pursuing his graduate degree, Austin is cleared to compete for the track and field team because he was medically redshirted as a freshman. His serious elbow injury occurred early enough in the season so that he was able to salvage that year of eligibility.

Although to others it might sound too difficult, Austin said that the life of an economics major and student athlete really is enjoyable. He has journeyed quite a distance from his indecision as a freshman and is now focused on tackling his graduate studies while continuing his track and field success.

“The upside is that I have the best of both worlds, academically and athletically.  There really is no downside,” he said. “My advice to other student athletes would be to work hard at all your endeavors while you have the opportunity but also find plenty of time to enjoy Duke outside of academics and athletics.”

Learn more about becoming an economics major.

Read more about Duke's track and field team.

Written by Carlton Koonce