Liberty Initiative | NEW HAVEN ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE LABORATORY

The Liberty Initiative

The Liberty Initiative is a student outcomes-focused forum for a select group of “Liberty Scholars” to engage in real-world research and consulting projects, earn money, and network with top professionals and businesses. The program is guided by four goals:

Transformative Education – Completion of major research projects on key social economic issues for publication in respected journals and live presentation to top Washington think tanks.
Experiential Learning – Broadened skills training and networking opportunities via real-world (paid) consulting and multidisciplinary research.
Thought Leadership – Executing guest speaker, reading group, and discussion events.
Building the Future – Mentoring the next generation of Liberty Scholars.

Transformative Education – Actionable and critical research combined with career development.

Experiential Learning – Consulting & research for real-world/for-profit corporations (deadline-driven and directly compensated).

A Market Structure Assessment project for a NY-based private equity firm involved two of our students in developing the background information and financial analyses, contributing to – and learning about – strategic acquisitions and capital deployment.

For two global marketing companies, one of our Liberty Scholars developed background research on multiple industries in preparing these corporations to include in their 2020 strategic planning and board-level presentations.

Thought Leadership – Executing guest speaker, reading group, and discussion events.

Student Outcomes: Where are they now?

Graduation: May 2019

Concentration: B. S. in National Security, Minors in Economics and Russian Studies

Currently: Senior Litigation Paralegal at Motley Rice law Firm in DC, supporting Linda Singer (former Attorney General of the District of
Columbia) on multi-district opioid litigation.

“The Liberty Initiative gave me the research skills and resources to become both a better researcher and a better project manager.”

Graduation: May 2020

Concentration: B. A. in Economics, Minor in Behavioral Economics

Currently: Full time manager at O, R & L Commercial Real Estate in Branford; grew out of internship last year.

“I was able to use my Liberty Initiative experience as a ‘bullet point’ on my résumé and in interviews. It sparked a good conversation with my eventual employer, who was impressed with the program.”

Graduation: Jan 2020

Concentration: B. S. in Political Science

Currently: Full-time support analyst at a law firm in Hartford; grew out of internships at State Treasurer’s Office and local Congresswoman’s office.

“Our work at the Liberty Initiative gave me insight into how to do research in the real world…how to apply what we learned in class to real life research efforts.”

Graduation: May 2020

Concentration: B. A. in Economics, Minor in Behavioral Economics

Currently: Pursuing MBA at University of New Haven.

“An invaluable opportunity that allowed me inside access to real world business. Experiential education at its finest.”