Comp Exam Study Resources

MA Students who are studying for their comprehensive exams now have a number of tools at their disposal. First, the department has created a Comprehensive Exam Study Guide, which gives sample questions and answers. The guide can currently be found at:

http://nw08.american.edu/~reynolds/CompGuide.htm

Second, we have developed two online tools to encourage virtual group studying.

(1) The first is a listserve entitled econ-ma-comp-L. Listservs are the traditional Internet mailing lists; students could use the listserve to post questions to the members of the list, while answers would also go to interested subscribers. To subscribe to this mailing list, send an e-mail to listserv@listserv.american.edu with the following text in the body:

subscribe econ-ma-comp-L

(2) The second is a wikipage that students can use to collaborate on problems. The address of the page is http://au-econ-comptime.wikispaces.com/. The page includes some directions on the page use.

I would also be happy to reserve rooms for students to study together in on campus at the request of students. Feel free to contact me if you are interested.

Good luck!

Comp Registration

You must apply to take your comprehensive exam by April 27 in order to be guaranteed an exam in June. Late applications will not be accepted. Once applications are received, we will be able to determine the exact dates of each exam. New this year: applications should be submitted via email to econ@american.edu using the following electronic form:

http://www.american.edu/cas/economics/pdf/uploa/ComprehensiveExamsApplication.pdf.

Also please note that there is no longer a fee required with the application for the exam(s) and there are no more paper forms. Be sure to check the box(es) on the form for the exam(s) you wish to take.

Exams will be given between Monday, June 6th and Friday, June 10th, 2011 (exact dates of each exam to be announced later). You must be in the exam room (location TBA) no later than 10:00 am on the day of your exam. You will have until 2:30 pm to complete your exams. (Going over the time limit is not allowed.) Anyone requesting special accommodations for a learning disability MUST make the request through Academic Support Services (but also register with the department by checking the appropriate box on the electronic application form).

In general, comprehensives should be taken as soon as possible after you have completed the required courses for each exam. Rules for comps (including time limits and numbers of permitted attempts) are found at

http://www.american.edu/cas/economics/ma-exams.cfm

for MA students.

If you have any administrative questions about the application process, please call (202) 885-3770.

Job Opportunity

One of our distinguished alumni passed along the following job opportunity--she is being reassigned to a new position in the company. If you would like to speak to her about the position feel free to contact me for more information. Interested students can apply directly through the website:

http://www.cantbeattheexperience.com/en/cms/Home/default.aspx


Company Name: Altria Client Services
Position Title: Sr. Analyst, Policy Analysis & Legislative Research
Job Grade: 12
Requisition Number: 12247BR

Job Description: The mission of Altria Group, Inc. is to own and develop financially disciplined businesses that are leaders in responsibly providing adult tobacco and wine consumers with superior branded products. Altria Group is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, the largest cigarette manufacturer in the United States, as well as U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and John Middleton – recently acquired companies that offer leading brands in the growing moist smokeless tobacco and machine-made cigar categories.

Altria Client Services’ role is to provide high quality services to the Altria family of companies. We are currently seeking a highly qualified Sr. Analyst, Policy Analysis & Legislative Research to join our Government Affairs department in Washington DC.

The successful candidate will assist with developing and maintaining fiscal tools, models, talking points, and databases to create material support for legislative campaigns regarding excise tax, corporate tax, and pension legislation.

Specific accountabilities include:

• Managing the tracking of legislation of importance to Philip Morris USA, US Smokeless Tobacco Company, Altria Client Services, Inc., John Middleton, Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and Altria Group, Inc. and preparing summaries and presentations as needed;
  
• Working with internal and external Information Services personnel and consultants to maintain the Government Affairs legislative tracking website
  
• Working directly with external consultants and interfacing with third party groups that have an emphasis on tax policy, legislative outlook, and state fiscal situations/practices
  
• Attending Congressional hearings, developing presentations, performing legislative analysis, conducting research and composes hearing reports
  
• Partnering with Manager, Policy Analysis and Legislative Research to provide Government Affairs liaison services to ALCS departments including Marketing Information, Investor Relations, Sales & Distribution and Communications
  
• Working with relevant internal departments (e.g. the Legal and Compliance Departments) to ensure that all documents are properly handled and distributed both internally and externally
  
• Managing the daily workload of Government Affairs interns and the intern budget process
  

Specific Skills Qualifications include:

• A Master's degree in Economics, Business or related field, plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience with the government, a public policy group, trade association or corporation
  
• Strong background in economics,to assimilate and integrate large amounts of information and find creative solutions to complex problems
  
• Proven proficiency with standard econometric and spreadsheet programs
  
• Strong knowledge of legislative processes
  
• Superior analytical, written and presentation skills
  
• Self-motivated and able to develop and follow work plans
  
• Ability to conduct research, assess and utilize information in a strategic fashion
  
• Maturity, excellent judgment and keen attention to detail
  
• The ability to work well under pressure and manage simultaneous projects
  

At Altria Client Services’, we recognize that our people are the reason we achieve our business goals. We believe in developing the leadership potential of our employees by providing them with opportunities for training, development and advancement.

In addition to the opportunity to apply and develop your skills toward key business objectives, we offer an excellent compensation package including a competitive base salary, comprehensive health/vision/dental insurance, participation in our incentive compensation and deferred profit sharing programs, as well as a relocation assistance package.

NOTE* Altria Client Services Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or other legally protected characteristic.

Sub-Function: Government Affairs
Physical Location: Altria Washington DC Office
City: Washington, DC

Fullbright Information

The University is kicking off the 2011 Fullbright Recruiting Season with an information session on Friday, March 18 from 1-2 pm in McKinley 155. The Fulbright Grant funds independent research and English-language teaching assistantships for one academic year in over 140 nations. Recipients receive a stipend,
round-trip travel, and health insurance. Graduate students interested can find more information on the flyer here.

International Trade Commission Internship

The United State International Trade Commission, Office of Economics is recruiting undergraduate and graduate students for our Summer Internship Program. Applications will be accepted from current students who are United States citizens no later than March 30, 2011.

Click here for more information.

Free Conference on the Global Economy

The George Washington University School of Business presents Crossroads:
The Interplay of Business, Government, and the Global Economy


March 31 and April 1, 2011
Jack Morton Auditorium
805 21st Street NW


The symposium will explore the delicate balance of business growth and the public’s well-being within the context of an international economy that is defined by widely varying markets, cultures, and people. Panels will investigate what shared responsibilities, if any, exist between governments and the global business community and whether markets exist in a vacuum or within a larger social context.


Registration:
Please click here to register.
For more information on the event, please visit www.gwsbcrossroads.com


Featured Speakers
Keynote: Justin Yifu Lin, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Development Economics, World Bank

Timothy Williams, Washington Director, INTERPOL (U.S. National Central Bureau)

Steven Pearlstein, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist, Washington Post

Rob Mosbacher, former President/CEO, Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Nelson Carbonell, President/Chairman, Snowbird Capital

Danny Leipziger, Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management(PREM)/Head of the PREM Network, World Bank, Professor of International Business, The George Washington University School of Business

Doug Guthrie, Dean, The George Washington University School of Business

Sudhir Venkatesh, Professor of Sociology, Columbia University, author of Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor

Keith Reinhard, Founder/President, Business for Diplomatic Action, Chairman, DDB Worldwide

Liesl Riddle, Professor of International Business and Associate Dean of MBA Programs, The George Washington University School of Business

Dilip Ratha, Senior Economist and Manager, World Bank

William Handorf, Vice President of the Board of Directors, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Professor of Finance and Real Estate, The George Washington University School of Business


Daniel Runde, Director for Project on Prosperity and Development and William A. Schreyer Chair in Global Analysis, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Barbara Span, Vice President of Public Affairs, Western Union

Eric-Vincent Guichard, Chairman/CEO, GRAVITAS Capital Advisors

Ntoh Etta, Director of Strategic Projects, NetworkSolutions LLC

…and more to come!

Follow us on Twitter – @GWSBCrossroads