5 questions with Quentin: Meet an applied economics alumnus

Five Questions with Quentin

Quentin IkutaSchodde
Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics, 2019
Business Systems Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Describe your current job. What does it look like on a weekly basis?
My current job involves analysis, process improvement, compliance, logical security, communication, and business continuity coordination. Working as a business systems analyst for the information security department at the Federal Reserve (the Bank) is unique because the Bank has their very own security standards that information security employees must understand and be able to put into practice. Weekly, I do anything from developing Tableau dashboards for reporting, communicating with various departments regarding security matters, performing logical and physical access reviews, preparing reviews for the district, coordinating business continuity communications and updates as the pandemic evolves, and also handling ad hoc projects as they come to my desk.

What made you choose the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and your major?
I chose CFANS and applied economics after beginning at Carlson in finance and management information systems. I took a few intro to economics courses and realized my passion for the subject. Economics provides an interesting and broad lens from which to view the world, and that is is both useful and insightful. I knew that a degree in applied economics would give me a flexible foundation upon which I may build my life.

What was the best or most rewarding part about being an applied economics student?
I enjoyed my time as an applied economics student because of the professors and teaching assistants. Both faculty and graduate students were always helpful and available to answer my questions. In particular, Rodney Smith encouraged my self discovery by guiding my thinking rather than simply leading me toward a particular answer. Additionally, the support I received from Gary Cooper was outstanding when I was making the switch from Carlson to CFANS. One evening, about two days into the fall semester, Gary spent hours late into the evening understanding my aspirations and helping me figure out my path.

How did your experiences in the major help you in your career?
Problem solving is the number one skill that I use every day. I learned how to problem solve in a smart and effective manner by learning economics.

Were you awarded any scholarships? If so, talk a bit about what they mean to you and why. 
I was awarded a diversity grant from the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) to study abroad in Montespertoli, Italy my junior year. During that time, I learned about sustainable agriculture, food, and justice. That semester abroad changed my perspective and outlook on life and was indispensable to my growth and development. Additionally, I was able to attend a paid-for 2018 USDA Agricultural Outlook conference in Arlington, Virginia with a few other students and the department head, Frances Homans. I met quite a few interesting people at the conference and learned more about the agricultural industry as a whole.

Thanks for sharing more about your experience in our college and beyond, Quentin. We are CFANS proud of you!