Economics/Honors anticipated graduates: Front row, l to r: Emily B.L. Schumacher, Elizabeth Fox, Anna C. Horvath, Allison P. Johnson, and Alice de Oliveira Finisterra. Back row, l to r: Layne S. Hepner, Micaela M. Jebitsch, Ryan E. Little, Katelyn E. Krish, and Dominick K. Ditoro.
The Department of Finance and Economics wishes to recognize the upcoming May 2026 and August 2026 Economics/Honors concentration anticipated graduates. Ten students will have earned this distinction: Dominick K. Ditoro, Alice de Oliveira Finisterra, Elizabeth Fox, Layne S. Hepner, Anna C. Horvath, Micaela M. Jebitsch, Allison P. Johnson, Katelyn E. Krish, Ryan E. Little, and Emily B.L. Schumacher.
“The Honors Economics Program did not change the way I look at information—it changed the way I approach everything I do,” explained Ditoro (BA, economics with a minor in business administration, a minor in finance, and a minor in political science). “The program taught me that the right answer means nothing without evidence to support it. It changed not what I think, but how I work to find out. These values are indispensable in the real world, and I leave this program more prepared because of them.”
Commenting on the coursework required for the Economics/Honors concentration, Jebitsch (BA, economics/honors with a minor in applied statistics and a minor in business administration and BS in mathematics dual degrees) said, “The econometric research I conducted within the Economics Honors program provided an expansive analytical toolkit for my future career. It has opened professional doors for me to present at conferences, network with industry professionals, and become a published author.”
With plans to begin a law school program in the fall, Hepner (BA, economics/honors with a minor in business administration, a minor in philosophy, and a minor in political science) said, “Studying economics has taught me to understand systems and the ways institutions shape people’s lives. Through courses like econometrics, where I worked with data analysis and regression modeling, I learned to think critically and build arguments grounded in evidence rather than assumption. I believe these experiences have prepared me to approach complex problems with the logic and analytical reasoning necessary to succeed in law school.”
Economics majors can choose to add the Economics Honors concentration to their degree plan at any point during their undergraduate program. In order to complete the Economics Honors concentration, students must successfully navigate a designated set of four classes, including Probability and Statistics, Introduction to Econometrics, Advanced Econometrics, and one of several elective advanced classes in a complementary field. Students also must earn a minimum 3.25 overall GPA and a minimum 3.25 GPA within the major. Students qualifying for the Economics/Honors distinction receive an honors medallion featuring Adam Smith, which was crafted by Wendell August Forge when the program was initiated in 2005.
Congratulations to our Economics/Honors graduates!