“Economics allowed me to gain a better understanding of how the world works.” —Henry Storm
Graduation is a time of excitement, and sometimes anxiety as students look to answer the question, “What will I do now?” For senior Henry Storm, the future only looks bright as a series of internships have positioned him for a strong start in the automotive and technology field.
“Getting a stellar internship that has set me up for a great career was one of my most important accomplishments, and I could not have done that without the experiences that I’ve had while at CSU” Henry said.
Henry, who is from Littleton, CO, will graduate this spring with a degree in economics and a minor in business administration. Over the last four years, he has been heavily involved on campus in Model United Nations, DECA, and the Economics Student Leadership Council (ESLC).
“Henry is a thoughtful young economist who draws on his lived experience in evaluating economic theory and practice. He is particularly good at highlighting how American ideas and policies are perceived by people in other countries,” said Associate Professor Anders Fremstad.
While taking classes, Henry has worked as an acquisitions specialist for Kelley Blue Book and Planet Automotive Group in Golden, CO, and he is currently finishing a product management internship with Cox Automotive. He will transition into a full-time role at Cox upon graduating.
“I would like give a huge thank you to the professors who have helped make my time and experience at CSU a great one. To Dr. Fremstad, Dr. Jo Burgess Barbier, and [Associate Professor of Philosophy] Dr. Moti Gorin, thank you! You all have had a huge impact on my education, and I truly appreciate all the hard work and effort you put into ensuring learning is fun, meaningful, and engaging,” said Henry.
In His Own Words
What inspired you to pursue a degree in economics?
What had inspired me to pursue a degree in economics was that I had wanted a well-rounded education that would expose me to as many things as possible. Choosing to major in economics allowed me to gain a better understanding of how the world works. This turned out to be a great approach, and I think it has served me well!
What were your most important experiences or accomplishments at CSU?
Some of the most important experiences while at CSU came from getting involved on campus. In my case, that meant joining Model UN, the Economics Student Leadership Council (ESLC), Greek Life, and participating in my classes as much as possible. All these experiences were really important in shaping my time here, and I am very happy to have been able to participate in all these areas.
What advice would you give future economics majors?
Stay in touch with professors who you were able to connect with and learn from. This is so important because oftentimes there are great opportunities available for those who stay involved and keep in touch. On top of that, I’ve had projects where being able to chat with and ask questions of a previous professor has been instrumentally helpful. I would also advise students to seek out internships/jobs both inside and outside of economics. Getting a degree in economics allows you to be well-balanced in so many career areas and can help you excel in a variety of places. Because of that, there are so many paths to choose from, and it’s important to explore as many as possible.
What are your 3 “must-take” economics courses?
ECON 235 Working with Data: Working with data was an extremely useful class because the Excel skills that I learned were instrumental to other classes and were generally a great skill to have for life.
ECON 327 Law and Economics: Law and Economics was another favorite because it combined two of my favorite areas when it comes to academics. I had initially thought I’d like to go into law at some point, so this class seemed to be a great introduction, especially with the blend of economics in the class. While I’ve since decided to not pursue the law school path, taking that class was excellent in that I learned so much and it was a very engaging class.
ECON 240 Issues in Environmental Economics: Taking ECON 240 is a must because our global environment is under a serious threat from climate change. As a result, economics becomes even more important to make meaningful changes in the world. Learning what some of our options are from an economics perspective is very valuable and something that I encourage everyone to look in to.
What is your next step?
The next step for me will be travelling to Europe for three weeks before heading into my job as a Product Manager for Cox Automotive. I’m very excited to be working in the tech industry as a Product Manager, and I can’t wait to see where my career goes!