Forty Under 40: Allan Hatch

Allan Hatch is busy. He’s a senior graduate assistant at the University of Arkansas and an economics doctorate candidate working to defend a thesis in early 2024. He’s also treasurer of the Graduate and Professional Student Congress and the Black Graduate Student Association.

The Little Rock native brought to Fayetteville a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, a master’s degree in business administration, and a master’s degree in applied economics, all from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

In Little Rock, Hatch developed a desire to use his academic interests to help others. He was part of an after-school program focused on children living below the poverty line. They took young students to museums, toured UALR, provided tutoring help and “many other things,” Hatch said.

“I’ve always been conscious about closing disparities, economic disparities, wealth gaps and education gaps, etcetera,” he explained. “So working with that (after-school program) made me want to do more at a higher level.”

Hatch said his focus now is on “education policy through an economic lens” and using his experience with lower-income communities to address inequities.

“There aren’t a lot of African American economists, so that seemed like a good void to fill, to tap into that,” Hatch explained.

Part of his drive comes from his grandfather.

“He was always a bit of a civil rights advocate, and he had a doctorate in public health,” he said.

But it’s not all serious business with Hatch. He relaxes by cooking, playing kickball and playing classical music on the piano. His first instrument was the drums.

“But I needed to learn something that didn’t make so much noise,” Hatch said with a laugh.