October 01, 2016

 

Majoring in economics wasn’t initially in the plans for Colby Brindle ’14 when he came to Susquehanna. He started out as a finance major, but after discovering an interest in economics during his first year, he pursued a degree in the subject and graduated with both a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a finance focus and a
Bachelor of Arts in economics.

Today, he is grateful for his decision to turn this interest into one of his primary fields of study.

“Having an economics background and an understanding of the overall macro-economic conditions and factors of the economy helps me look at the bigger picture in my current job,” Brindle says.

He works as a valuation analyst at BlackRock, the largest asset manager in the world. His team is responsible for valuing alternative, illiquid and private investments.

“I’m exposed to everything from energy to technology to real estate. This business area is growing significantly for the company and being on a small team allows me to have many unique opportunities,” he says.

As a student, Brindle was a runner on the cross country and track teams, a member and executive board member of the Phi Mu Delta fraternity and a Global Business
Perspectives coach. He says his involvement outside of the classroom was as big a part of his education as what he learned in the classroom.

“Beyond the classroom, I think the soft skills that Susquehanna graduates leave school with exceed those of graduates from other schools, often making Susquehanna students more marketable for jobs or graduate programs,” he says.