Elliot Bainbridge '21

Elliot used the Power of Experience Grant to fund additional expenses that are often associated with internships. The grant provides all incoming Knox students with up to $2,000 to support a qualifying experiential learning opportunity. 

Tell us about your internship.

I worked at the Economist Intelligence Unit, which is a subsidiary of The Economist Group, based in Canary Wharf, London. I worked in the global forecasting division, which specializes in forecasting major economic indicators for the world’s largest economies and how political factors like trade wars might hurt or benefit them. I specifically worked on a project that looked at using alternative data that may not be in traditional economic models to better understand how these indicators interact or affect the economy. If we saw that these indicators were relevant, we would add them to our model.

What is the most valuable thing you learned from your internship?

There were two very valuable and distinct areas that I learned about during my internship. The first was the quantitative side. We were using modern statistical models to better understand how we evaluate noise and missing data in models with 250 other indicators. We also built prototype models that allowed us to use different frequencies of data in one model, which we presented to committees at the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Secondly, I learned the need for great time management, communication, and transparency in order to be a part of a successful team.

Is there a professor or a class that has had a significant impact on your experience?

During my internship, I was primarily involved in developing a global forecasting model. To do this, I used a lot of skills from Professor Forsberg's Linear Models statistics class. Without this knowledge, I do not believe I would have been able to succeed in this internship.

Why did you choose Knox?

I came to Knox mainly to play golf. I met Coach K.C. Harding through a recruitment service in the UK, and thought that the environment was right for me. But I found that the best thing about Knox is definitely the academics. Economics is something that I am really interested in, and the professors keep pushing you to grow both inside and outside of the classroom. 

At Knox, Elliot serves on Honor Board, and works as an Alumni Ambassador and Red Room tutor. He is also on the men’s golf team and is a founding member and president of Investing Club.