Name: Tristan John Nighswander 

Where were you born and where do you call home?  I was born (and call home) Catawba Island in Northern Ohio.

In which graduate program are you enrolled?
I’m enrolled as a PhD student in Economics and I intend to focus my research on Environmental and Labor Economics.

What Community Service Center program(s) are you working with?  Economic Development Administration University Center (EDAUC)

What are you doing for the Community Service Center (CSC)?
I will be working with Dr. Stone and his class of honors economics students to develop research projects that aid local governments, non-profits, and businesses to better understand the short and long term impacts of projects they are considering implementing.

What are some of the outcomes are you hoping to gain when your project ends?
My goal is to help my students further their understanding of the economic modeling process while maintaining our responsibility to our clients.

How does your involvement with the Community Service Center relate to or inform your education?
I study economics because, first and foremost, I am interested in people. I am fascinated by what motivates individuals and communities and what attributes can lead to greater personal and social success. Involvement with the CSC fits perfectly with my goals of viewing real world issues through an academic lens. By staying connected to communities through my involvement with the Community Service Center while continuing my education, I hope to maintain my earnest desire to better the community and world around me.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpower to be?
If I were a super hero, I would want the power to perfectly re-create every sound I’ve ever heard. I know that’s not on the typical list of superpowers, but I’ve always been terrible at impressions and I think pulling off a perfect impersonation of Sean Connery alone would be almost as cool as flying. It would be pretty amazing to be a one-man symphony too… or more realistically to be able to make animal sounds indoors and just confuse people.

Coffee or tea?
Do some people actually choose?

Where can we ‘cyber-stalk’ you?
My Facebook page: Tristan Nighswander