Jonathan Evans – Alumnus Spotlight

Senior Middle Market Underwriter, The Hartford

Hometown: Clinton, MS
BA in Economics, minor in Political Science (2016)
LinkedIn

Why and when did you decide to study economics at UM? 
I decided to study economics my freshman year at UM. As I contemplated which major to choose, I considered various topics that interested me, including public policy, urban development, and business/finance. I realized that all these areas relied heavily on economics, and that economics is the foundation of a number of fields.

What were some significant experiences or fond memories of your time at UM? 
There are so many fond memories and experiences. Some that stand out are the 2013 football home win against Alabama, the exceptional live music at Proud Larry’s, my senior Honors College thesis on factors that influence student choice of major – both the research/writing process and defense, and of course the incredible array of restaurants in Oxford.

Please describe your career path since graduation from UM. 
After graduating from UM, I began a career in the insurance industry by accepting a position as a commercial underwriter for mid-sized and large commercial entities. In my current role, my primary responsibilities are to market to brokers to understand the risks they’re tasked to place coverage for, work with them to determine which risks are acceptable to insure, and negotiate how these policies should be structured.

What is the value of studying economics in today’s world?
Economics is valuable in today’s world because it provides a framework for understanding how firms and individuals make choices and respond to incentives. Whether looking at a decision an individual is faced with or what affects the economy as a whole, economics helps us understand these forces. The use of math-based models to frame these processes also develops the ability to think critically. These skills are increasingly important as we have access to larger amounts of data than ever before.