An economist with a goal
Soccer puts a smile on Jonathan Tebes’ face, but a mention of economics or international development — or better yet, both at once — will keep him talking animatedly for hours. An MIT senior majoring in economics and minoring in public policy with a focus on development economics, Tebes is passionate about using economic theory in practice to alleviate poverty and improve lives.It was on a soccer field — one in his hometown of Hamden, Conn. — that Tebes was introduced at an early age to the face of poverty.“I played soccer with one of my good friends since I was about 8 years old, and he grew up poor in inner-city New Haven,” recounts Tebes, who is now MIT’s varsity soccer captain. “At times his family was homeless, and so my family would take him in. This experience really taught me that when you’re not given as many resources...