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Department of Economics
University of Mississippi

Brianna Florian

Brianna Florian headshotProduct Manager, Manhattan Life

Hometown: Tomball, Tx
BA in Economics, minor in Political Science (2020)
LinkedIn Profile

 

Why/when did you decide to study economics at UM?
I studied economics at Ole Miss between the fall of 2017 – May of 2020, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Mississippi with a B.A. in Economics. It was actually my economics teacher in high school that introduced me to the subject, which I fell in love with, and thus chose to major in economics!

What were some significant experiences or fond memories of your time at UM?
Ole Miss is such a special place! Aside from my studies, the friendships I made with people from across the country and even world, are some that I will treasure forever. There is nothing like the Grove during the fall and Swayze field during the spring. My favorite memory and accomplishment was establishing a Delight chapter on campus with my best friend, Katie Melton, creating the first ministry specifically for women walking through the college experience together. The chapter is continuously growing, and I love keeping up with it via social media!

Please describe your career path since graduation from UM.
Since graduation from Ole Miss in 2020, I’ve since moved back to my hometown of Houston, TX, and accepted a Product Analyst role at a private insurance company, where I’m responsible for creating new insurance products, taking them through each step from ideation to launch. Since starting in 2020, I’ve since been promoted to Product Manager, where I oversee our entire Voluntary Benefits business unit and product suite. My educational background with economics has been utilized every day, from market analysis to profit analysis, etc.

What is the value of studying economics in today’s world?
Economics is a very well-rounded subject to study, and a B.A./B.S. are both degrees in high demand for employers in various industries. It’s a great option, especially for students who don’t know what exactly they want to do when they graduate. Economics curriculum will also help prepare for higher-education programs, from obtaining a J.D. to a M.B.A. after undergrad.