Economics Scholarships & Awards – Graduate
Dissertation Fellowship
Lackson Mudenda
Lackson D. Mudenda is a 4th year Ph.D. student in economics and part of the PAC@REDI research team as a graduate researcher. His fields of interest are development economics, public economics, international economics, and macroeconomics. Specifically, he is interested in research related to inequality, child poverty, and development.
For his dissertation, Lackson is working on understanding the labor force participation in Zambia, access to safe drinking water and clean cooking fuels in Ethiopia, and the impact of universal education in Uganda. He also has industry experience having served at the Bank of Zambia as an intern and the Zambia Revenue Authority as a Tax Inspector for almost five years.
Lackson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Zambia, a master’s degree in economics from Umeå University in Sweden, and a Master of Business Administration from Copperbelt University in Zambia. In his free time, he loves to play chess, read books, and watch motorsport.
Dissertation Fellowship
Michelan Wilson
Michelan Wilson is a 5th year Ph.D. candidate with research focus in natural resource economics. Specifically, Wilson’s research focuses on the valuation of ecosystem services. She is currently a research assistant on a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which focuses on modelling the consequences of terrestrial activities and climate change for freshwater and coastal marine biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Wilson is from Jamaica, where she completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Economics.
Graduate Research Assistantship
Sayorn Chin
Sayorn Chin is a 5th year Ph.D. student and Graduate Teaching Instructor in economics, as well as a Data Scientist at Mountain Data Group.
Sayorn is working on the economics of health for his dissertation and is interested in understanding the welfare effects of public policy programs. He is particularly interested in the intersection of public policy and population health. His research combines rigorous economic theory, econometric and statistical tools, natural language processing algorithms, rich micro data and large-scale simulations.
Sayorn earned a Master of Arts in Economics from CSU in 2019 and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics from Colorado College in 2017.
As recipient of a competitive Graduate Research Assistantship for 2022-2023, Sayorn will collaborate with Assistant Professor Ray Miller to study the effect of Medicaid coverage during pregnancy on long-term outcomes and wellbeing of mothers.
Graduate Research Assistantship
Luke Maddock
Luke Maddock is a 1st year Ph.D. student interested in public, regional, and urban economics. His current research deals with examining government funding towards homeless assistance services and how it affects different demographic populations. Maddock previously studied at Marquette University and Carthage College for his Master of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees, respectively.
As a recipient of a competitive Graduate Research Assistantship for 2022-2023, Luke will collaborate with Professor Anita Pena to study the effectiveness of homeless assistance programs on chronic homelessness.
Outstanding Graduate Researcher
Angela Cindy Emefa Mensah
Angela Cindy Emefa Mensah is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in economics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from the University of Cape Coast and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in economics from the University of Ghana. She previously worked as a research assistant in the United Nations University’s World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) office at the University of Ghana. She is a member of the African Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (AFAERE) and Unic Network for Climate Action.
Angela’s research interests are in the areas of economic inequality, income and wealth distribution, natural resource and environmental economics, applied microeconomics, and econometric analysis. She has published in the Journal of Climate and Development, Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, and Environmental and Resource Economics. She is currently collaborating with University Distinguished Professor Edward Barbier on a UN-WIDER project and has a forthcoming publication on “Environmental Health Risks, Welfare and GDP.”
Outstanding Graduate Teacher
Fatih Kırşanlı
Fatih Kırşanlı is a 5th year Ph.D. candidate with concentrations in macroeconomics, political economy, and institutional economics. He is also a researcher at Ayaan Institute. In his dissertation, Fatih focuses on corruption and its impacts on macroeconomic variables in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). He has been a Graduate Teaching Instructor (GTI) since summer 2020. Fatih is expected to graduate in Summer 2022.
L.S. & Chuen-Mei Fan Graduate Economics Scholarship
Jeremy Garrison
Jeremy Garrison is a 2nd year Ph.D. student with a focus on political economy and the environment. Specifically, he’s interested in issues of the commons, community, and preference and identity formation and its effect on economic behavior. He holds bachelor’s degrees in environmental policy and mathematics from the University of Tulsa. He is passionate about learning, teaching, creative writing, playing music, and exploring the world.
L.S. & Chuen-Mei Fan Graduate Economics Scholarship
Vinicius Cicero
Vinicius Cicero is a 2nd year Ph.D. student interested in macroeconomics in general. In particular, he is interested in issues related to uneven development, with a focus on trade relations and capital flows between countries or regions, and the implications for balance-of-payments constrained economic growth and structural change. Vinicius holds both master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Economic Theory from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil.
Terry Ozawa Graduate Economics Fellowship
Bhavya Sinha
Bhavya Sinha is a Ph.D. student in economics with fields in political economy and development economics. Her doctoral research focuses on labor and finance in global production networks and she has presented early work on Special Economic Zones at conferences with the AHE, the WSSA, and the YSI Asia Convening. Bhavya credits her work to her learning communities from Ambedkar University Delhi, University of Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Colorado State University.
Terry Ozawa Graduate Economics Fellowship
Satyaki Dasgupta
Satyaki Dasgupta is a 2nd year Ph.D. student and Graduate Teaching Assistant. He completed a master’s degree in economics at Jadavpur University in Kolkata, He also has a Master of Philosophy from the Centre for Development Studies in Kerala.
Satyaki’s interests lie in political economy, labor, gender, and development in the context of developing economies. Last fall, he presented a paper titled “Sexual Harassment in Higher Educational Institutions: A Theoretical Understanding based on a Survey in India” at the Western States Graduate Workshop.
ΟΔΕ Best Graduate Paper
Paula Leone Samuda
Paula-Leone Samuda is a 1st year Ph.D. student with interest in development economics, international trade and finance and feminist studies. Paula-Leone holds a Master of Arts from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Science from the University of the West Indies. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing, and spending time with her sisters.
Paula was selected for this award based on an essay written on the work of Say, Marshall, and Keynes for ECON 505 History of Economic Thought.
Economics Scholarships & Awards – Undergraduate
Outstanding Graduate Student
Arisa Thongngam
Arisa Thongngam is a senior and international student from Thailand majoring in economics with minors in mathematics and statistics. When she graduates from CSU this spring, she will be continuing to pursue a master’s degree in economics. Arisa has an older sister and younger brother, and in her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, sleeping, and taking walks in nature.
ΟΔΕ Outstanding Undergraduate Economics Paper
Lauren Vilims
Lauren Vilims is a 4th-year undergraduate student studying economics and finance. With interests in the healthcare industry, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in health economics after graduation.
Lauren is currently working with Dr. Ray Miller and a team of grad students on a research paper through the Poverty Action Center (PAC@REDI). She has loved learning more about the economic research process. In her free time, she enjoys climbing 14ers, swimming, and spending time with her family in Evergreen, Colorado.
Lauren was selected for this award based on her ECON 335 (Introduction to Econometrics) paper, “How Does the Exposure and Access to Marijuana Affect the Percentage of High School Students Who Regularly Use Marijuana?”
Ben W. Garcia Economics Scholarship
Michelle Malenfant
Michelle Malenfant is a junior double majoring in economics and art history with a minor in philosophy.
A lover of the liberal arts, Michelle spent most of her early years working at her father’s art gallery in her hometown of Dallas, Texas. Though her primary interests are in art, she decided to study economics to get a strong foundation in the workings of the business; through her courses, Michelle has developed an understanding of how interconnected the two fields are, informed by philosophy.
After graduation, she hopes to continue her journey in higher education and further explore the relationships between art, economics, and philosophy. She is grateful for her parents’ help in pursuing a multifaceted course of study at CSU, as well as her supportive family, friends, and professors, and scholarship benefactor Ben Garcia for helping students like her make their dreams possible.
Ben W. Garcia Economics Scholarship
Aidan Knaus
Aidan is a junior honors student double majoring in economics and political science with a minor in Spanish. His favorite season is spring, but he wishes he didn’t have seasonal allergies. His favorite book is The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. Post-graduation, Aidan hopes to complete a tour in the Peace Corps and then go to law school.
Alok Mehta Memorial Scholarship
Osvaldo Cabrera-Campos
Osvaldo Cabrera-Campos is a sophomore from Denver, CO majoring in economics with minors in Japanese and applied data science. He was attracted to economics because it incorporates math and social science to affect the greater world.
When he graduates, Osvaldo wants to bring change by helping nonprofit organizations better allocate their resources and bringing attention to immigrant communities that have been historically underserved by the financial community.
Alok Mehta and Ed A. Hewett Memorial Scholarships
Juan Morales
Juan Morales is a fourth-year student majoring in economics with a minor in global studies.
Originally from a military family, Juan moved around frequently growing up, living in small towns and on military bases. He says both of his parents are from very small towns, but he gained a wider invaluable perspective from traveling so much. Juan’s grandparents were migrant workers, bar owners, cooks, and worked other jobs to pay the bills, which in part inspired Juan to pursue an education out of admiration for their ingenuity and determination.
He says, “With a history of viewing firsthand the economic reality of many diverse working-class people, I am determined to try and help communities in whatever capacity I can. A long-term goal of mine is to help found a worker cooperative with community-based activism at the core of the business model.”
Today, Juan is living in south Texas with his family, including a young son, while he takes classes through CSU Online.
Ed A. Hewett Memorial Scholarship
Luke Marshall
Luke Marshall is a junior from Fort Collins, CO majoring in economics.
ΟΔΕ (Omicron Delta Epsilon) Inductees
To be invited to become a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, a graduate student must maintain an overall GPA of 3.5. An undergraduate student must be an economics major or minor with an overall GPA and of 3.0 or higher and have completed 12 credits of core economics theory courses with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
Jake Becker
Jake Becker graduated in fall 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in statistics.
Uriel Bonilla
Uri Bonilla is a first-generation senior majoring in economics with minors in statistics and Spanish. Originally from Denver, Uri comes from a big family with two older sisters, two younger brothers, and two dogs. In his free time, he loves to hang out with friends, play piano, listen to a variety of music genres, and travel. When he graduates in May, Uri will begin working as a Pricing Analyst for an airline; he plans to eventually pursue a master’s degree in economics or a related field.
Braden Bontempo
Braden Bontempo graduated in fall 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in real estate.
Samantha Bryan
Samantha Bryan is a senior majoring in agricultural business. She will begin her master’s degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics at CSU in fall 2022.
Mariam Graoui
Mariam Graoui is a senior double majoring in economics and journalism.
Emily Hrovat
Emily Hrovat is a 4th year Ph.D. student in economics with interests in political economy, feminist economics, and applied microeconomics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the College of Wooster.
Jessica Kennedy
Jessica Kennedy is a senior majoring in economics with a minor in business.
Aidan Knaus
Aidan is a junior honors student double majoring in economics and political science with a minor in Spanish. His favorite season is spring, but he wishes he didn’t have seasonal allergies. His favorite book is The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. Post-graduation, Aidan hopes to complete a tour in the Peace Corps and then go to law school.
Anh Ngoc Nguyen
Anh Ngoc Nguyen (Nguyễn Ngọc Ánh) is a senior majoring in economics with a minor in business administration. Anh is an international student from Hanoi, Vietnam who is participating in CSU’s 3+1 program with the Foreign Trade University (FTU). In the last year, she worked as a research intern at CSU’s Poverty Action Center (PAC@REDI) with faculty Anita Pena and Niroj Bhattarai. She says, “I believe that economics is the root of everything and learning economics can help me understand many aspects of human development.” When she graduates this spring, Anh plans to stay in the United States and earn her master’s degree in business.
Henrique Magalhaes Rio
Henrique Magalhaes Rio is a senior and international student from Brazil double majoring in economics and data science with a minor in statistics.
Brian Silver
Brian Silver is a senior economics major with minors in legal studies and business. He chose to study economics to learn how markets work and understand why firms and governments make the decisions that they do. When he graduates this spring, Brian will begin pursuing a Masters of Science in Business Analytics at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He plans to pursue a career as a data scientist or data analyst in the private sector where he can help provide efficient solutions to complex business problems.
Vlad Toma Suciu
Vlad Toma Suciu graduated in fall 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in business.
Alina Trimble
Alina Trimble is a senior majoring in economics with a minor in business through CSU Online. She lives in Garden City, Idaho.
Lauren Vilims
Lauren Vilims is a 4th-year undergraduate student studying economics and finance. With interests in the healthcare industry, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in health economics after graduation. Lauren is currently working with Dr. Ray Miller and a team of grad students on a research paper through the Poverty Action Center (PAC@REDI). She has loved learning more about the economic research process. In her free time, she enjoys climbing 14ers, swimming, and spending time with her family in Evergreen, Colorado.