BA in Economics

Jason Reis, 1993

Jason Reis

What work are you doing now?

I have accumulated 20 years of analytical experience focused on defense and intelligence issues for a variety of government agencies including the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Simulation Analysis Center, the United States Navy, the United States Customs Service, the Federal Reserve System, and other organizations.

What do you like about it?

I truly enjoy the amazing professionals that I have worked with over the last 20 years. Starting my career in New York City and then coming back to the Washington, D.C., area has been a great opportunity to do interesting work with extraordinary people. Also, I have been fortunate to have been able to choose jobs and assignments that I am passionate about. I think that finding work that is meaningful to you is critical to success.

How did your degree in the college prepare you to do this work?

I like the fact that I get to use the skills that I developed at George Mason every day in my professional life. Economic analysis and, specifically, econometrics were a great foundation for me. Micro and macro economic principles are also useful to understand not just economics but politics, data analysis, and decision-making.

What advice would you give current students about developing their careers?

I would encourage them to develop their resumes early in their college careers. Take full advantage of all the leadership, internship, and networking opportunities that are at Mason. Nearly every job I have received, I found out about through someone I knew.