Alumni Spotlight

Rebecca Glass (’19) graduated with an Economics major with minors in Dance, Chemistry, and Biology. Considering she had not taken an economics course prior to her undergraduate career, she never imagined wanting to pursue economics at Wake Forest. However, after she took the Introduction to Economics course with Dr. Whaples, she was enthralled with the field and its extensive scope. In addition to economics satisfying her desire to engage in a study that uses analytical problem solving to study human behavior and activity, she considers the faculty in the department to have made a lasting impression upon her. As a premedical student, she believes her choice to become an Economics major has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, academic decisions she has made. She looks forward to applying her economic insight as a practicing physician in the future. On campus, she was a member of Momentum Crew, Alpha Epsilon Delta (a premedical honor society), Take the Fight, Kappa Delta sorority, a tutor for the Student Athletic Department, and was involved in a research studying dietary mitigation of psychosocial stress effects on Cardiovascular Disease risk in female primates under Dr. Thomas Register.

Vicky Wu (‘18) graduated with a double major in English and Economics. She’s always been drawn to economic theories and market trends with the conservation and allocation of scarce resources. Her interest was further solidified through Dr. Flanagan’s Intermediate Microeconomics class along with Dr. Richardson’s course on Economic Growth and Development. Her desire to explore diverse economic fields that overlap with the current campus climate led to the development of Women in Economics Club, of which she was Vice President, and her role as a research assistant on a project that analyzes convicted criminal trials in districts across Minnesota. Vicky is currently a marketing and account management intern in London for Mystery, Ltd, a design agency that specializes in the food and beverage industry. On campus, she was the new member coordinator for Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and the secretary/treasurer for Order of Omega, a Greek honor society.

Shazia Siddiqui (’18) graduated with a Mathematical Economics major with a minor in Psychology. She knew she wanted to pursue a degree in economics after seeing how the subject could explain the intricacies of the world in classes with Dr. Griffith and Dr. Flanagan, and studying math gave her a more concrete understanding of these ideas. Her passion for the subject led her to be a founding member of the Women in Economics Club, of which she was President. She was also a research assistant on the Jury Sunshine Project, which uses economic theory to understand the jury selection process. On campus, she was the Executive Vice President of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and was a PREPARE facilitator. She is currently in the process of applying to law school.

Jack Laughlin (Fall ’17) graduated with an Economics major, and German minor. After beginning Wake Forest as a pre-med student, he shifted his focus to economics after an impactful semester abroad in Vienna. Upon his return, Jack started the major with Dr. Whaples, whose teaching, character, and daily quizzes encouraged him to continue learning about global markets. In a combination of his love for living abroad and economics, Jack attended the London School of Economics for the summer of 2016, where he both survived Micro I & Macro I and lived through the Brexit referendum. Currently, Jack is a summer analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where he works in Asset Management in New York City. On campus, Jack was a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a student carillonneur, and a leader in Dining Dilemmas, a medical ethics discussion seminar.

Thomas Poston (’18) graduated with a double major in Economics and Politics & International Affairs with a minor in Environmental Studies. He chose to study Economics to improve his understanding of and ability to make smart and effective policy – particularly energy and environmental policy, for which he has exceptional enthusiasm. He witnessed the importance of economics to this field firsthand during his internship with the Environmental Defense Fund. Thomas also has a strong interest in international relations, which drove him to spend a semester in Strasbourg, France, studying European economic policy and interning at the Council of Europe. Dr. Dalton’s International Trade class further convinced him that IR and economics are inextricable. Outside of his studies, Thomas was a President’s Aide and co-captain of the Center for Leadership and Character’s Ethics and Leadership Debate Team. He also enjoyed performing spoken-word poetry and singing in the Wake Forest concert choir.

Rachel Molitor (’18) graduated with a double major in Economics and Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She knew she wanted to pursue economics at Wake after having too much fun studying for AP Macro and Micro in high school. Even though she is a premedical student, she continues to enjoy her economics classes most of all. On campus, she was a member of the Wake Forest Dance Company, public speaking chair in Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and a peer tutor through the campus Learning Assistance Center. She also worked as a research assistant in the Gerontology Department at Wake Forest Baptist Health, volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and performed physiology research in the Wake Forest Biology Department. Rachel spent a summer studying abroad in Tours, France. She enjoys finding excuses to discuss application of economics to daily life and overuses the phrase “this is why economists should run the world”. She is currently an Associate Consultant at Allscripts, and plans to attend medical school a couple years after graduation to become a hand surgeon or geriatrician.

Brandon Hawkins (’18) graduated with a double major in Economics and Philosophy. Her interest in social justice issues motivated her to study economics. She figured that a solid foundation in the field would give her the tools to excel at an NGO or government organization where she could work to promote greater social justice. Taking Econometrics with Dr. Griffith solidified Brandon’s desire to major in economics because it showed Brandon the applicable nature of economics. During the summer of 2016, Brandon interned at the Akilah Institute. The Akilah Institute is an NGO that provides women in Rwanda with access to higher education so they can become financially independent and spur the growth of the Rwandan economy. Brandon spent her summer working in their Development office located in Brooklyn, NY. After her incredible experience with the Akilah Institute, Brandon spent her Junior year abroad studying Economics and Philosophy at the University of Oxford. Beyond her interest in Economics, Brandon was a fundraising co-chair for DESK, a community service event, a Young Life leader, and a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

Ella Andrew (’18) graduated with an Economics and Psychology double major and a minor in Theater.  Ella is interested in the intersection between Psychology and Economics, and decided to major after taking Dr. McFalls’s Intermediate Microeconomics class where she was first introduced to the concept of Behavioral Economics.  It was truly the faculty of the Economics department that encouraged her to major, from classes with Dr. Heckelman, Dr. McFall and Dr. MacDonald or “Prof MacD” as he asked to be called.  With an additional interest in the arts, Ella studied away in New York City for Fall 2016 and explored the businesses behind arts organizations. On campus Ella was a tour guide, a Student Adviser, involved in the theater organization and a member of Kappa Delta sorority.

Lilly Gaeto (’18) graduated with an Economics major and a Political Science minor. She initially took the Introduction to Economics course with Dr. Heckelman to fulfill a divisional requirement, but she quickly discovered her passion for the subject. She became fascinated with the way economic policy can affect politics and government operations. Taking Intermediate Macroeconomics with Dr. Mazumder reinforced her decision to pursue a degree as well as a career in Economics. Lilly was also a member of the Wake Forest Fed Challenge Team, when it was in its second year at Wake Forest. The team’s season begins in October and involves researching and presenting policy recommendations to judges as if they were the Federal Open Market Committee. Lilly also worked on an independent study project under the direction of Dr. Mazumder. The project focused on the reliability of market and labor predictions made by members of the FOMC in public speeches. Beyond her study of Economics, Lilly was a member of the Student Advising Leadership Council, served as an Ambassador in Admissions, was the Scholarship Chair of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, and was involved in RUF campus ministry. She spent a summer studying comparative politics throughout Europe with the Wake Forest EuroTour while simultaneously cheering on the Chicago Cubs!

Hunter Hale (’18) graduated with a double major in Mathematical Statistics and Economics.  He began to consider studying economics prior to coming to Wake Forest and discovered a deeper interest for it after taking an introductory course with Dr Heckelman and Intermediate Macroeconomics with Dr. Wood.  Soon after taking courses at Wake Forest he began to enjoy the wide-ranging application of economics and put them into practice outside of the classroom.  As a member of one of Wake Forest’s COMAP teams, he introduced an economic perspective that, combined with his teammates’ science backgrounds, helped them earn the distinction of meritorious winner for their model of water scarcity.  He also participated as a member of Wake Forest’s Fed Challenge Team where he and his teammates examined monetary policy in further depth.  Due to his experiences within and outside of the classroom, he is particularly interested in monetary policy, environmental economics, and the economics of healthcare. After graduation, Hunter plans to pursue graduate studies in statistics, and later, a career as a statistician in the pharmaceutical industry or in a field of economic analysis.

Caroline McMinn (’17) graduated with an Economics and Sociology double major. She took intro to Economics in the fall of her sophomore year with Dr. McFall and ended up declaring the major before the end of the semester. Since then, she has taken a variety of courses with Dr. Griffith, Dr. Heckleman and Dr. MacDonald. Her favorite course thus far has been Econometrics with Dr. Griffith. Studying abroad in London during the fall of her junior year allowed Caroline to branch out within the discipline of Economics by taking classes in Behavioral Economics and Developmental Economics through Syracuse University London. Caroline is particularly interested in the overlap that Sociology and Economics have as subject areas and how the combination of social and economic forces can predict human decision making. Since May 2015, Caroline has been an intern at Johnson & Johnson, working in Global benefits where she has revised corporate policies in addition to researching and proposing several new employee benefits to help attract and retain key talent around the world. On campus, Caroline was a member of the Delta Zeta sorority, the Women in Economics club and a campus kitchen volunteer.

Anna Wingler (’17) graduated with a Mathematical Economics major with a minor in Statistics. She began studying engineering at Virginia Tech, but decided to switch to economics after a Microeconomics class her sophomore year. She transferred to Wake and decided on Mathematical Economics because of her interest in math, statistics, and how they relate to the economy. Her favorite classes have been Microeconomics I with Dr. McFall and Macroeconomics with Dr. Dalton. During the summer of 2016, Anna worked with Aladdin Travel, Brite Engineering Consultants, and assisted Dr. Sovero with her research on grade inflation. On campus she was a member of the Women in Economics club and Golden Key Honor Society.

Zhiyu (Zoe) Li (’17) graduated with a double major in Economics and Accounting. She discovered her passion for economics in middle school, when she realized economic theories can explain so many phenomena in daily life. All of the classes Zoe has taken so far (Professor Chen, Professor Dalton, Professor Griffith, and Professor Burkett) solidified her interest for the subject. Zoe has studied in five different countries. At Wake, she was in Alpha Kappa Psi, Wake Forest Student Fund, and Habitat for Humanity. She worked as a student official for Intramural Sports, a Student Analyst for the Bridge, and an Economics and Chinese Tutor for Learning Assistant Center. She also took the opportunity to volunteer in different cities across America during spring break. After another year at Wake Forest for the MSA program, she will be working for Deloitte in tax consulting.

Jeff Zwick (’17) graduated with a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Global Trade & Commerce Studies. He first became interested in Economics freshman year during his introductory course with Dr. MacDonald. He enjoyed a couple of Economics courses in particular while at Wake Forest including Dr. Chen’s Intermediate Macroeconomics II and Dr. Richardson’s Economic Growth and Development. Jeff studied abroad twice as an undergraduate. First, during Spring 2015 at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Economic and Political Studies, and second in Freiburg, Germany during Spring 2016 in an intensive program on the European Union. On campus, he was a member of Wake Forest’s Fed Challenge Team and a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, the business fraternity. Jeff is currently working in consulting at the Berkley Research Group, in its healthcare practice.

David Johnson (’17) graduated with an Economics major with minors in Chemistry and Health Policy and Administration. As a premedical student, he has always understood the value of business in the medical field. Taking Microeconomics I with Dr. Flanagan immediately piqued his interest in economics, and the intersection of economics and medicine was further solidified after taking Health and Economics with Dr. Richardson. During the summer of 2015, David was awarded the ACC-IAC Collaborative Research Fellowship to conduct biomedical research at the University of Pittsburgh, where he grew and analyzed Chinese Hamster ovary cells to determine the effect of myoglobin on oxygen consumption rates. During the summer of 2016 David was in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He conducted research in the Department of Drug Discovery, analyzing the effects of chemotherapy drugs and their ability to potentially treat hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer. On campus, David was a Resident Adviser, Tutor for the Learning Assistance Center, Treasurer of Alpha Epsilon Delta Premedical Honor Society, member of Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemistry Honor Society and Member of Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Honor Society. David is currently attending the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, VA with the intention of serving rural and under-served populations as a physician.

Paulomi Banerjee (’17) graduated with a Mathematical Economics major with minors in Statistics and Neuroscience. She initially became interested in economics after taking Professor McDonald’s intro course and her love for the subject was further peaked when she took intermediate macro and micro with Professor Dalton and Professor McFall, respectively. Having loved math since she was a young girl, Paulomi realized how much more she enjoyed it in the context of economics and hopes to pursue graduate studies in a field that bridges the two subjects. On campus, Paulomi was a member of Deacon Dhamaal (the Indian dance team) and Kappa Beta Gamma Sorority. She studied abroad in Cambridge and was excited to learn about economics from an international perspective.

Sarah Rudasill (’17) graduated with an economics major and minors in chemistry and health policy and administration. While at Wake Forest, Sarah conducted research with the Anna Julia Cooper Center on Gender, Race, and Politics in the South, exploring the economic impact of a Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act on HIV-positive men and women in the southern United States. She devoted the summer of 2015 to working at the Economic Policy Research Institute, a think tank in Cape Town, South Africa, where she developed impact evaluations for U.N. child and maternal health programs. She also studied abroad at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Economic and Political Studies in Fall 2015. Sarah is currently attending the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine as a David Geffen Scholar. She intends to pursue an academic career in a surgical specialty.

Lisa Shafer (’17) graduated with an economics major with a minor in statistics. Her interest for the field of economics was piqued in a high school Microeconomics class, but the decision to major was confirmed once she delved deeper into Macroeconomcis with Professor Mazumder. Lisa is very interested in the broad-reaching applications of economics, emphasized both by the variety of economic elective courses and the compelling areas of research in which the faculty members of the department are involved. Much of their work serves as an inspiration for her. As a firm pragmatist, she believes that the first step to initiating beneficial change in society is to understand the economic logistics of how it can be done. Having decided her major early, Lisa has also been able to investigate and understand further the vital statistics and data collection required for economic research. On campus she was also a PREPARE advocate, member of Kappa Delta Sorority, and volunteer for Campus Kitchen.

Hannah Gable (’16) graduated with a double major in Economics and Spanish. She decided to major in Economics after her Intro to Econ class freshman year with Dr. Hammond. Hannah was particularly interested in how the field of economics could be applied to various academic disciplines as well as real world problems. While in college, Hannah interned with a nonprofit in New York City and a consulting firm in Washington D.C. and loved being able to use her economics background at both organizations. She really enjoyed all her economics courses at Wake, especially those with Dr. McFall, Dr. Griffith and Dr. Chen. After graduation Hannah started with Deloitte Consulting as a Federal Analyst.

Ben Helms (’16) graduated with a double major in Economics and Politics and International Affairs. Ben pursued economics as a major because he liked the theoretical framework it gave for complex problems. He is also interested in the intersection of economics and political science, hence his second major. Ben’s senior thesis in Politics and International Affairs won the Carl Moses Award for Excellence in Research, which honors an outstanding senior seminar paper. He also studied abroad in Cambridge, UK. On campus, he was a member and business manager of Chi Rho, Wake Forest’s all-male Christian a Cappella group and worked for the Wake Forest Athletic Communications department. Ben will begin a PhD in Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia after graduation.

Hannah Sheffield (’16) graduated with an Economics major and a Mathematical Statistics minor. She first became interested in Economics in her Introduction to Economics course with Dr. Macdonald.  In the summer of 2014, Hannah received an Undergraduate Student Stipend for Participation in International Conference from the Provost Office of Global Affairs. With the stipend she traveled to Istanbul, Turkey for a week and participated in the Academic Council on the United Nations System 2014 Annual Meeting and the International Studies Association 2014 Human Rights and Change conference. At both conferences, she learned of many forms of human rights research from quantitative to qualitative as well as many disciplines. Hannah graduated with Honors in economics and completed her honors thesis examining contraceptive use patterns among US teens under Dr. Christina Dalton and Dr. Veronica Sovero. She is currently working at The Brattle Group, an economic consulting firm, in Washington DC. She is a research analyst that specializes in their Utility Practice Area and feels that this job utilizes many skills from my economics and statistics courses. After her time at Brattle, she hopes to attend a graduate program that utilizes my quantitative skills and love for Economics. 

Adam Yudelman (’16)  graduated with a degree in Mathematical Economics with minors in Computer Science and Statistics. His interest in economics originates from a First Year Seminar class named Economics in Sports, taught by Dr. Todd McFall, for it bridged Adam’s passions of sports and analysis. Adam is grateful for finding an Economics department that encouraged him to work outside the classroom and learn beyond the textbook. While at Wake, Adam is most proud of helping create the Sports Analytics Club and being a member of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity. After graduation, Adam is beginning his career in sports as a Baseball Analytics Intern with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Annie Hull (’16) graduated with a degree in Economics and a minor in sociology. Annie discovered economics in Professor McFall’s “Intro to Economics” class and by the end of the semester knew that she had found her major. She is fascinated and challenged by how what she learns inside the classroom is applied outside it. She thinks Economics is fun and was excited to spend two years learning from supportive professors. On campus Annie was a member of Chi Omega sorority,  a Make A Wish Wish Grantor and was involved with Students Helping Honduras.

Lauren Formica (’16) an economics graduate with minors in International Studies, Environmental Studies, and Global Trade and Commerce. She fell in love with the subject after taking her introductory economics class in the fall of her freshman year. After becoming hooked on the material, she pursued two independent studies with two professors which centered on historical economics. She declared her major early because she so enjoyed the fantastic faculty who went out of their way to help her pursue her goals, the engaging material and the applicability of the subject to all aspects of life. She studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark and travelled to Nepal in the summer of 2015 in order to pursue economic research. Lauren is a founding member of the Society of Economics Students and served as the President in her senior year. She also served on the BB&T Center for the Study of Capitalism Student Advisory Council. During her time at Wake Forest, she became active in service through the Forsyth Humane Society in Winston-Salem, the Volunteer Service Corps, and Leadership Laureates. In the future, she hopes to work for a think tank as well as pursue a graduate degree.

Zachary Thomas (’16) is a Mathematical Economics graduate with minors in Statistics and  Art History. Prior to arriving at Wake, Zachary viewed economics, and later mathematics, as essential to rigorously examining phenomenon from a deep-seated interest in public policy, and he hasn’t looked back since. As a student in the Economics department, Zachary has been thoroughly impressed with the level of engagement he has received from his professors and mentors, in particular with Dr. John Dalton, Dr. Frederick Chen, Dr. Justin Burkett and Dr. Robert Whaples, the last of which he meets with twice a week for Quiz Bowl practice. Zachary has a soft spot for education, completing a summer research project that took him to Slovenia analyzing the impact of MOOCs on higher education, and tentatively plans to pursue a career in data science following graduation. Outside of class, he is also involved with the South Asian Student Association and the Roosevelt Institute. Zachary is immensely grateful for the opportunities this department has afforded him and looks forward to what life has in store. Following graduation Zachary will be moving to San Francisco to pursue work as a data scientist. Go Deacs!

Chanel Shulman (’16) graduated with a double major in economics and psychology. She first became interested in economics after taking Professor Heckelman’s introductory economics course her freshman year. Professor Dalton’s Economics of Health and Medicine course further renewed her interest in the subject. Chanel has found economics to be a very useful tool in everyday life, especially for the comprehension of economic policies, healthcare policies, and general politics. On campus, Chanel was very involved with Hillel, the Jewish student organization, having served as President. She was also very devoted to interfaith initiatives on campus, particularly through her membership in the Interfaith theme house, and served as Campus Outreach Coordinator for the Baptist Student Union. After graduation, Chanel is interested in either entering the field of human resources or another field that is an intersection of psychology and economics.

Corina Wixon (’15) graduated with a B.S. in Economics and a minor in Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise. Initially attracted to Economics by the diversity of topics, she chose to pursue the major after enjoying Dr. Griffith’s Econometrics class. Throughout her time at Wake Forest, classes such as Dr. Hammond’s Chicago Economics, Dr. Dalton’s Economics of Health and Medicine and Dr. Griffith’s Economics of Higher Education continued to be the most enjoyed courses. Culminating in a senior year thesis, Economics was her most rewarding college experience, thanks to the dedicated and talented faculty. Corina is pursuing a career in Healthcare business. She begins at Patientco, a startup firm dedicated to hospital efficiency through improved patient interactions. She hopes that through this career path, she can combine her love of economics, her penchant for healthcare and her entrepreneurship background.

Katie Herron (’15) graduated with a double major in economics and psychology. She first became interested in economics after taking Professor McFall’s intro course, and her Macroeconomics course with Professor Dalton solidified her appreciation of the subject. One of the highlights of her academic career was being able to do research for Dr. John Dalton over multiple semesters, which helped her learn from an incredible mentor beyond the classroom. She has studied abroad in India, worked as a tech recruiter at a startup in Los Angeles, served as the philanthropy chair for Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon Honors Society. She is currently working for Deloitte Consulting in Washington D.C. as a strategy and operations analyst. In the next five years, she hopes to attend graduate school for either business or economics.

Kelsey Mullin (’15) was a double major in economics and Spanish. She first became interested in economics while taking Dr. Whaples’ 150 class and realized she looked forward to taking the daily quizzes. Kelsey studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain where she became interested in global business. She wrote her thesis with the support of Dr. Griffith and Dr. Whaples in collaboration with the advancement office to study donation trends of young Wake Forest alumni and their likelihood to give back to their alma mater. She is working for EY in their International Tax department in Atlanta. She is extremely grateful for the encouragement and assistance of the economics department during her four years at Wake and looks forward to using what she has learned in the real world.

Meg Green (’15): Like many Economics majors at Wake Forest, I received my first dose of Economics in an Intro course with Dr. McFall. As an already-declared Political Science major with a minor in Latin American Studies, my economics professors encouraged me to view political and social situations with more of an analytical eye— considering decision-making as a multifaceted interaction between parties that could be predicted and understood through economic theory and models. Utilizing the skills obtained in Dr. Burkett’s Microeconomics course, Dr. Dalton’s International Trade and Macroeconomics courses, Dr. Griffith’s Econometrics, and Dr. McFall’s Principles course, I was able to fuse my interests into one academic package that has been both exciting and invaluable. After graduation, I will be attending the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies in Washington D.C. as a candidate for the Masters of International Economics and Finance where I hope to deepen my quantitative knowledge of economics and econometrics to study Social Movements and International Trade relations in/with Latin American countries.

Misa Batcheller (’15) graduated with a B.A. in Economics and minors in Entrepreneurship & Social Enterprise and Psychology. She decided to major in economics due to the versatility of the major in the job market as well as the strong analytical background it provides. She has already begun to see the value of her decision to major in the field of economics. Her economics classes at Wake Forest have provided her with high exposure to excel, the ability to perform in-depth research and analysis, and advanced critical thinking skills, that have proven to be marketable in the job search process. Following graduation, she will be working as an analyst for the economics group at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, NC, where she will be reporting and analyzing market trends.

Nick Adams (’15) graduated with a double major in Economics and Politics and International Affairs. He chose to major in Economics because of its applicability in all aspects of life and after reading the Freakonomics series, which Nick found interesting due to its peculiar way of solving problems and explaining phenomena. His decision was only reinforced by the great professors he came to know during his time, specifically Professor Griffith, Professor McFall, Professor Flanagan and Professor Burkett who all encouraged Nick to explore his passion for economics through his childhood passions of baseball and law. Outside of Economics, Nick was an executive for the Club Baseball Team, a Resident Advisor and Middle School baseball coach in Winston-Salem. In June 2015, Nick started his career with an apprenticeship at Atlantic Merchant Capital Investors and is excited to begin his work in the Fall of 2015 at Nuvasive in southern California.

Anthony Bleyer, Jr (’15): Originally, I chose to major in Economics with the hope of pursuing a career in finance. However, I quickly learned that Economics addresses so many issues other than stocks and bonds. As I worked through the requirements for a major in economics, health care became my passion. I saw a real need for health care workers with tools to not only treat patients but also to assist in delivering care and developing effective policy. As a result, my lifelong goal is to deliver high quality care not only through patient care but also through the development of sound policy on the regional, national, and international levels. I will be attending Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the fall and will be continuing my research on issues where healthcare and economics intersect, specifically the lack of living kidney donors and the effects of irregular access to general care.

Jordan Garside (’14) graduated with a double major in Economics and Religion with a minor in History. He is currently pursuing a masters in the management program in the Business School. “I decided to major in Economics after I took Econ 150 with Professor McFall. He not only made the material enjoyable and easy to understand, but he also helped me see the value of an education in Economics. A deeper understanding of Econ has enabled me to better understand the world around me – whether it be complex policies issues or simply just trying to understand human decision-making. In retrospect, I am confident that I could not have chosen a better subject to study, and the primary reason for that is the great faculty that comprise the Econ Department. When I am not studying, I am most likely doing some activity related to football. Being a student-athlete has made my experience at Wake unbelievably rewarding, and I am extremely thankful to have had that opportunity. For my career, I anticipate myself entering into public service or working for a non-profit organization, and given these career aspirations, I am confident that my degree in Econ will prove to be invaluable.”

Andrew Ellis (’13) majored in Economics because Dr. McFall showed his intro class how relevant the subject was to everyday life by drawing economic connections to Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” as well as salaries in the NBA. Overall, the subject taught Andrew how to think critically about the world and has driven him to the field of education. Andrew is currently teaching 7th grade math and social studies in Texas through Teach for America and he hopes to get a masters in economics or public policy to continue studying ways we can improve the public education system. At Wake, Andrew studied abroad in Nepal, worked for Residence Life and Housing, and was a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.

Amanda Satterwhite (’13) chose a major in Economics after a couple of intro courses demonstrated to her the value of the subject in understanding politics and international affairs, an area she was keenly interested in. Among her favorite courses in the department were American Economic History with Dr. MacDonald, International Finance with Dr. Mazumder, and working on a senior honors thesis with Dr. Griffith, Dr. Heckelman and Dr. Garces, who patiently helped her understand the value of statistical analysis in studying the growth of developing nations. Currently, Amanda is working in Tanzania as a Project Coordinator with 2Seeds Network, overseeing an agricultural development project to promote food and income security for rural Tanzanians. Upon her return to the U.S. she hopes to continue working in the arena of international development, perhaps with a government contractor.

Janna Raley (’13) graduated with a major in Economics and a minor in Environmental Studies. She now works for BBC Research & Consulting in Denver, Colorado where she does natural resource economics consulting. The economic department’s diverse course offerings and opportunities, including completing an honors thesis, allowed Janna to integrate her major and minor, and ultimately find a job directly related to both.

Mary Beth Harbour (’13) chose a major in Economics because of its value and versatility in the job market. As a sophomore declaring a major, she was not sure what type of career she wanted to pursue after graduation, but felt strongly that a major in Economics would open the door to many different opportunities. Her favorite classes were classes that challenged her, like Microeconomics II with Dr. Chen, or classes that used economic theory to analyze current issues, like The Economics of Higher Education with Dr. Griffith and The Economics of Health & Medicine with Dr. Lawlor. As a student at Wake Forest, Mary Beth served as a resident advisor and a member of the German Honors Society. Mary Beth currently works as an implementation analyst at Allscripts, a healthcare IT company, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Wilkie Barrack (’13) chose to major in Mathematical Economics because of his great experiences in Intro to Economics with Dr. Whaples and Calculus I with Dr, Robinson of the math department. Despite being unsure of what type of profession he wanted to pursue at the time of his major declaration, Wilkie was confident that the interdepartmental major would help him develop critical thinking and analytical skills necessary for many different professional careers. After an internship with a Financial Advisor following his sophomore year, Wilkie decided to pursue a career in the financial sector. Wilkie’s favorite classes were those that helped him develop a better understanding of the relationship between macroeconomics and financial markets, such as Professor Mazumder’s International Finance class and Professor Wood’s Financial Markets class. Wilkie also thoroughly enjoyed the elective classes that prompted him to think creatively, such as Professor McFall’s Law and Economics. Wilkie currently works as a Credit Analyst with Wells Fargo in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Andrew Callahan (’13) majored in Economics for its diverse utility and value in today’s job market. While attending Wake, Andrew participated in two rigorous summer internships with financial firms in New York with the goal of joining the financial sector. However, after attending Professor Heckelman’s Public Choice Economics Class and his experience serving as the President of the Interfraternity Council, Andrew changed direction and moved to Washington D.C. soon after graduation. He felt strongly motivated by a passion for politics and public policy and began an internship for a Member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives. Now a Legislative Aide, Andrew’s Economics degree from Wake has prepared him to manage an extensive legislative portfolio comprised of commerce, labor, healthcare, and justice policy issues. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys golf, basketball, and hiking.

Sammy Bandy (’13) graduated with a BA in Economics and went on to complete a Global MBA at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, OH.  He and a couple of classmates have taken on a global venture clothing company called “DRAGO allure”.  They have a unique brand that is founded on efforts to help various social causes, currently children’s education.  Drago allure (www.dragoallure.com) acts as a channel for social change while being an intellectual and fashionable brand.  Their goal is to have a positive impact on communities across the world.  20% of proceeds from products they sell is used to make positive contributions to underserved primary schools around the world. Their contributions are tangible items that schools need and have requested.  To date they have given clothes, educational games, toys, and school supplies.

Amy Sweeney (’99) is the Director of the Division of Regulation for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy.  She joined Fossil Energy in 2015 after nearly 14 years with DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) where she most recently led a team that produced the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report and other monthly and annual statistics on U.S. natural gas supply and demand.  Prior to her time at EIA, Amy worked in statistical areas of the U.S. Department of Commerce including the Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis.  In FE, Amy’s role is to lead a multidisciplinary team charged with regulating the import and export of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), under the Natural Gas Act.  Amy is married to a fellow Wake Forest alum, Sean Sweeney (JD ‘99).   Amy and Sean have two daughters in elementary school. 

Christopher Delhey (’85)  Following graduation from Wake Forest Christopher pursued a career as a reinsurance broker and was trained in London. He has worked in the reinsurance field in Chicago since 1986 and is currently a Senior Managing Director at Aon Benfield, the world’s largest reinsurance brokerage firm. Beyond the day to day work and consultation Christopher does for his clients, he is also a member of Aon Benfield’s new business/sales team and is the leader of the Mutual Insurance Company Practice Group.

Rob Frackelton (’08) Since graduating Rob has taught in two independent schools and currently teaches Economics at Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, FL. He teaches Principles of Economics, Honors Macroeconomics and Honors Microeconomics.

Erin (Moseley) Istvan (’06) is a mathematical economics graduate and previous winner of the Prize for Excellence in Economics. Her degree in economics provided a strong foundation for success in the fields of finance and business. Following Wake Forest graduation, she joined Wachovia Corporation (now Wells Fargo) where she worked in corporate development and loan restructuring roles. In 2010, she pursued her MBA from Harvard Business School and joined investment banking firm Lincoln International thereafter. She currently works for Chicago-based Madison Capital Funding, which provides financing to middle market private equity-backed firms.

Bryan Edwards (’11) graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Economics with Honors and German. He chose to major in Economics because of the diverse curriculum provided by the department as well as the attractiveness of the degree in the job market. His decision was only reinforced by the great professors he came to know during his time, specifically Professor Griffith and Professor Mazumder. Outside of Economics, Bryan was the President of the Entrepreneurship Society and a member of the Board of Investigators and Advisors. In July 2011, Bryan started his career with General Electric as a member of their Financial Management Program (FMP), where he spent time in Atlanta, upstate New York, and Augsburg, Germany. In January 2014 Bryan moved to New York City to join Deloitte Consulting’s Strategy and Operations practice as a management consultant.

Garrett Edel (’10) graduated in Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Mathematical Economics. As a Math-Econ major, he especially enjoyed the challenging major-specific classes such as Optimization Theory and the Seminar in Mathematical Economics. Outside of the department, he was a tutor at the Wake Forest Writing Center, held leadership positions in his fraternity, and studied abroad in Cork, Ireland. After graduation, he started working at Bain & Company — a management consulting firm — in the Atlanta office as an Associate Consultant. In the summer of 2013, he left Bain as a Senior Associate Consultant to join Babiators – a startup making children’s products – as the VP of Special Projects and Analysis. In his spare time he’s often reading or playing fingerstyle acoustic guitar.

Sang-Hyuk Kwon (’12) After graduating with a double major in Economics and English with a minor in Philosophy, I briefly interned Yuanta Securities’ M&A team, after which I began my mandatory service in the Korean Army. I passed a competitive examination to join as an interpreter, during which I applied and was selected to join the Korean contingent as one of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)’s peacekeepers. A civil war broke out during my deployment, but I was able to return home safely and be honorably discharged. Post-Army, I interned at Accenture Strategy, worked as a Junior Analyst at Samsung Securities’ M&A team, and received an offer to work as an analyst at Crescendo Equity Partners, a Korean private equity firm with Peter Thiel’s backing. Due to my strong desire to pursue a career helping private sectors develop in frontier markets, I will be leaving Crescendo to start school at MIT Sloan’s Master of Finance program. My long-term goals involve working for the IFC or the Acumen Fund and advising or executing investments with the purpose of fomenting development.

David Frisvold (’98)   After graduating with a major in Mathematical Economics, he briefly worked for the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta and New York. He then earned a PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University in 2006, completed a fellowship at the University of Michigan, and was an economics professor at Emory University. He is now an economics professor at the University of Iowa and his research interests include health economics and the economics of education. His experiences at Wake and the opportunities to take classes from dedicated instructors who are passionate about economics have had a persistent influence on the classes that he teaches today.

Chris Gottfried (’04) graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2009 with a JD and MBA. Currently he is a manager at KPMG, working as a consultant in the Financial Risk Management group, focusing on regulatory and operational risk for large financial institutions. He also  maintains a small, part-time law practice that primarily serves minority owned businesses and individuals with limited access to affordable legal services.  He and his wife, also a Wake alum, live in Winston-Salem with their four year old daughter.

Shannon Bothwell (’98) attended the Yale Law School immediately after leaving Wake Forest, and returned home to South Florida to practice law in 2001. Her career so far has been quite varied – she has worked at multiple large, international law firms, a federally chartered bank, and as a business principal in a startup business facilitating financing for green retrofits of existing buildings. She has also had the privilege of serving six years on the university’s Alumni Council.

Elmore R. Alexander (’74) has been Dean and Professor of Management in the Louis Ricciardi College of Business at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts for the past two years.  Previously, he was business school dean and professor at Marist College and Philadelphia U.  Earlier in his career, he held faculty and administrative positions at Johns Hopkins U., American U. and the University of Memphis.  

Elmore has recently served as president of two regional organizations for business school deans.  In 2015-16, he is president of the Northeast Business Deans’ Association; and he was president of the Mid-Atlantic Association for Colleges of Business Administration in 2014-2105.

Elmore is married to Pamela Carlson Alexander (B.A., Psychology, 1974), a Senior Researcher at Outcome Referrals, Inc., a firm that develops evidence based practice models for counseling, psychotherapy, and social welfare.  She specializes in research on family violence.  The Alexanders’ son, Eric, and daughter-in-law, Anna Williams, are doctoral students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and will be looking for faculty positions at small liberal arts colleges in the next couple of years.

Vanessa Van (’11) graduated with a double major in Economics and Political Science.  She enjoyed the analytical nature of both subjects and her background has provided a strong foundation for success in the field of management consulting. Vanessa focuses on technology enablement in the technology, media, and telecommunications industry. She is currently a manager at KPMG Advisory.