Madison Gibson – April 2021
Get to know our most recent Amazing Economics Student! You can always see previous students by clicking the "More Amazing Students" link below.
Texas A&M Department of Economics Amazing Student
April 2021
Name:
Madison Gibson
Hometown:
San Antonio, TX
High School:
Homeschool
Degree objective:
B.S. in Economics
Expected graduation:
May 2021
University highlights, awards, scholarships:
Dean’s List, Member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Recipient of Neal Hahn Memorial Scholarship
Clubs/Organizations I am (was) a part of:
Vice President of the Texas A&M Economics Society (T.A.M.E.S)
Current employment:
I am a cashier at my hometown H-E-B during holidays and breaks.
Family ties to Texas A&M:
My sister attended Texas A&M University and graduated in 2019.
I chose to attend Texas A&M because…
Whenever I visited my older sister at Texas A&M, it was clear that A&M takes pride in honoring its traditions and its values. I grew up in a military family, so attending Texas A&M alongside my sister felt like moving to another home.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
One of my favorite things to do on campus is to sit by the pond behind the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. I remember the first time I walked around that pond was the evening of my first officer interview for the Texas A&M Economics Society! Going to that fishing pond has always provided me a lot of peace, so I enjoy anytime I get to visit.
When I have free time, I like…
Whenever I have free time, you can always find me rock climbing at the Rec Center. My friend Marta first introduced me to the sport during our freshman year, and we have made a habit of going every week since!
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
The craziest thing I’ve done is climb through the Paint Mines Interpretive Park in Colorado. These rock formations look painted because the rocks are composed of clay which is the result of oxidized iron. The rocks are very loose and chalk-like, so climbing to high areas is pretty scary.
My favorite place to study is…
My favorite place to study was the Liberal Arts and Humanities building (LAAH). On each floor, the hallways begin and end with floor-to-ceiling windows. I would always study at a table by one of these windows, and I would have an unbeatable view of campus.
My favorite ECON professor is…
My favorite ECON professor is Dr. Jonathan Meer. I was enrolled in Dr. Meer’s online ECON 202 class my freshman year, and one day I went to his office hours to discuss class material. At the time, I was considering changing my major, but I wasn’t exactly sure where I fit. After our conversation, Dr. Meer encouraged me to pursue economics as a major. He connected me with an ECON advisor the next day, and I changed majors the following semester!
My favorite part of being an Economics student is…
My favorite part of being an ECON student is the peer camaraderie. Being a part of the Texas A&M Economics Society was the greatest blessing because I met so many lifelong friends through that organization. I am also constantly impressed by the kindness and receptiveness of the ECON faculty and staff. Their dedication to student success is both impressive and encouraging.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
I would love to share an afternoon with Dolly Parton. Just like her, I was proudly born in Tennessee. Almost all of my family is from the south, so her music and her charity work are well-known in my home. I would love to just sit with her and learn some lessons of positivity and philanthropy.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
If I knew I could not fail, I would open my own winery in the Texas Hill Country. I even have a name picked out – Liberty Ranch. Liberty is the name of my beloved, albeit stubborn, miniature dachshund.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
If money was not a consideration, I would love to travel with my family to the Wine Regions of France. I am minoring in Horticulture, and I am currently taking a class devoted to the production and consumption of wine. The vineyards themselves look picturesque, and I’m sure the wine tastes pretty good too.
What is your passion and how are you committed to pursuing it?
My passion is to motivate other people and encourage them towards their fullest potential. Being an economics student, I have learned a lot of methods to optimize performance. I’m currently enrolled in Personnel Economics, and we just learned about the financial values of employee motivation. If I can be a part of helping people find value in their work, then I will consider myself very successful.
After graduation, I plan to…
After graduation, I am going to move back to San Antonio with my sister.
The one Texas A&M experience I will always remember is…
The one Texas A&M experience I will always remember is my sister Sumter’s ring day. Her Ring Day was moved from the Former Student center to Kyle Field because of some crazy weather. Sumter smiled as brightly as her new ring, my mom snapped pictures of the whole event, my dad was able to visit home during his year-long deployment, and I was just finishing a very hectic freshman year of college. Standing with my sister, my mom, and my dad all huddled together in Kyle Field was the greatest rainy day of my life.