1. While writing your paper, what did you learn about the research process?

Through writing the Pride Paper I learned quite a bit about the what the research process
is and what it entails. Using verified sources and digging out every bit of information I could find
was no easy process. Research is a difficult process that requires many hours of focus and
searching. Searching is what research really is because once the right source is found the paper
flows from the brain to page with little effort but until that point it is tedious and time consuming
process.

2. How was the research related to your mentor hours?

The research portion of the product was somewhat related to my mentor hours. My
mentor talked to me a good deal about colleges and graduate school education which he
considered to be necessary. Through the research I was well informed about my options and was
able to coherently discuss this with my mentor. My mentor and I also briefly discussed economic
doctrine and philosophy which I was even more prepared for thanks to the research paper.

3. Summarize the mentor hours that you completed.

During my first meeting with my mentor we discussed my project and the steps I would
take to complete it. We also discussed the paper Dr. Goodfriend had me print me out and its
relation to my project. In the course of the second meeting Dr. Goodfriend and myself discuss
over the phone the mathematical concept of logistical regression and also how to calculate the
Altman scores. In our third meeting we discuss recent political developments in Italy and also
how to format my academic paper. In our last meeting Dr. Goodfriend and myself go over what I
have finished of the product, he gives me some last pointers, and I thank him for his time.

4. How did working with your mentor affect your understanding of the topic area and /or the
professional world?
My mentor was able to demonstrate to me what I had researched about what an
economist actually does. Through product development, which was directly correlated to the
work an economist typically does, I was able to understand first hand what an economist does.
My mentor was also able to explain to me previous projects he has done while working as an
economist for the Department of Transportation. We talked extensively on the research process
and how much research and analysis economists are expected to perform regularly.

b.
If your mentor contributed to the development of the product, how were they involved?
My mentor was heavily involved with the development of my product. He was able to help me
build and develop my research into a paper which was important for my success. As someone
who has never written an academic paper I was not familiar at all with the process and was very
grateful for the guidance my mentor was able to provide. Another aspect of my product my
mentor was able to help me with was understanding mathematical concepts that were above my
current level of expertise. This was especially helpful for the calculations I had to perform.
5. How did creating a product and completing the hours challenge you personally?
The product was more challenging than I initially intended to be and ended up stretching
me far more than I thought it would. I ended up completing a 23 page research paper along
(including numerous calculations) with a presentation of my results. As I progressed through the
stages of building the components of my product I was genuinely surprised at what I actually had
to complete. The task of completing endless amounts of research, then assembling that research
into a paper combined with complicated calculations was a task so daunting I thought of
changing my product a number of times. This product to way more economic know how and
research ability than I had thought it would require and stretched my mental capacity to its limits.
Large amounts of creativity were also needed and abstract was an essential tool when for writing
the paper and completing the math.

6. Do you feel prepared academically and emotionally for the presentation?

Yes I feel prepared both academically and emotionally for the upcoming presentation. I
believe I am well versed enough in my topic and subject material to speak for at least the
designated amount of time. Though I am still currently rehearsing my slides and the specifics of
what to say on each slide, I am more than confident that this process will be short and easy.
Whether this is due to the fact that speaking in front of people comes naturally to me or to the
amount of preparation the school has given me, I cannot say. All I know is that I am ready to
present in front of the judges.

7. How did the entire process stretch you as a learner and as an individual?
This process stretched me as an individual because it forced to become more organized
both physically and mentally. Normally when I do large projects I have a tough time keeping
things in the right places and keeping track of everything that I have done. This time around that
was not an option and luckily I was aware of that from the outset. I began all my work in one
single folder and kept all of my papers neatly sorted on my desk. Mentally, I was more organized
through the use of outlines on almost every part of my project. This was a highly unusually
behavior for me but it paid off as I was able to piece my ideas together with more precision and
fluidity.

8. Other than time management, describe an obstacle you encountered and how you overcame it.
Two major obstacles I encountered were understanding complex mathematical concepts
and conducting research for both my paper and my product. The math of my product was
something I underestimated from the beginning and struggled with until the end. My mentor was
a big help in explaining the parts I had trouble with, but a lot of it I had to end up teaching
myself. Conducting the research for both papers was an arduous task that I hated for the pride
paper but somewhat enjoyed for my product, both however were obstacles. Finding appropriate
and useful sources is a challenge especially for such narrow subjects. These obstacles were
overcome by dedicating myself to their resolution and focusing intently on what I was looking
for.

9. What life skills did you acquire and how will they help you in the future?
 I acquired two very useful skills during the creation of my product: the ability to organize
and apply ideas and concepts, and the ability to do extensive research. Both these skills will be
extremely useful to me in my future schooling and then in my career. These are skills that
economists use on a daily basis for work and outside projects. These skills will also most
certainly come in handy while I continue to further my education. The ability to be able to
conduct research not only comes in handy during course pertaining to economics but also almost
every other subject area. Writing research papers is a constant throughout the higher education
experience and I am glad I got extensive experience without throughout high school.

10. If you had to go back and do parts of the project again, what would you do differently?
If I could go back and do the project over again I would choose a different topic to do my
product on. Although I enjoyed researching the Italian Banking Crisis I would have much rather
done my academic paper and presentation on an issue concerning globalization and the
developing world. I also would have tried to make my product worthy to be published an
academic paper. Other than those two things I am very happy with what I accomplished and how
I accomplished it.

11. Based on the entire Pride Project experience, do you plan to pursue this field as a career or
college area of study? If so, why? If not, why? Please be specific.
I do still intend to pursue this career in the future. Although it was difficult I had a good
time conducting the research and learning more about complex economic and legal issues within
the Eurozone. I enjoy solving problems and economics gives me a productive outlet for this
pleasure. Economics also allows me to help people while I solve problems to of favorite things to
do. I look forward to pursuing a career in the field of economics in the future having now seen
what a job in the field might actually look like.