Jesper Hanson '10

Major: Social Sciences (Economics, Political Science), Minors in Mathematics and Statistics. 

Further education: MSc Economics (University of Amsterdam), MSc Economics for Development (Univeristy of Oxford) and PhD Economics (University of Amsterdam). 

Current occupation: Advisor to the Executive Director of the Dutch-Belgina constituency at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC, USA. 

What do you like most about your current job? I really enjoy the missions to the countries in our constituency, such as Georgia and Moldova, which both have lending programs with the IMF. During these missions I am in close contact with the country authorities and I join them during program negotiations with the IMF country teams. Back in Washington we represent them when their policies are discussed in the IMF board.

How did University College Utrecht prepare you for your life after the college? The small and interactive classes and the emphasis on presentations and essays challenge you to form your own opinion and think critically, which are important skills as a policy advisor.

What is your best memory of University College Utrecht? I really enjoyed the campus experience, with many friends living nearby. A two night stay at the homestead of a Maasai family in Kenya as part of the UCU in East Africa programme made a lasting impression.

Do you have any advice for current and future students? Don’t be afraid to fail. A campus full of ambitious and intelligent students is part of what makes the college such an interesting place. At the same time, it’s good to realise that although people normally don’t publish their CV of failures, it’s very common that things don't go as planned. In my case, I quit the research master I started after the University College because I was overwhelmed by the level of the courses. I felt very bad about it at the time. But looking back, it worked out much better for me to take another route.