During the 2004-2005 academic year, four Economics majors wrote their undergraduate thesis projects under the auspices of the Economics Distinction Program. These students proudly presented their original research findings during Mayfest 2005, the University campus-wide celebration of undergraduate creativity and academic achievement.
Those receiving their Economics degree with Distinction in 2005 were:
Nishad Majmudar graduated in May 2005 with majors in newspaper journalism and economics. He also minored in political science. Nishad is a first generation Indian-American; he was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Nishad's thesis project is entitled "Credit Crunched: Does Bank Consolidation Harm the Small Business Borrower?" He is currently a business reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY's daily newspaper.
Brian McNeil graduated in December 2005 with a dual major in Accounting and Economics. Brian spent the summer in Atlanta, where he worked for a major accounting firm. His thesis is entitled, "The College Football Gambling Market: An Empirical Approach." As co-captain of the 2005 Cross Country team at Syracuse, Brian derived much satisfaction from running with his teammates and competing in the Big East. Brian currently works for a major accounting firm.
Paul Swartz graduated in May 2005, with majors in Finance, Economics, and Accounting. At Commencement, he served as a class marshal for the School of Management. His extracurricular activities included the Economics Club advisory board, portfolio manager to the SU investment club, and being a member of Beta Gamma Sigma (Business Honor Society) and Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economic Honor Society). Paul's thesis is entitled "Is More Information Better? FOMC Press Releases and Interest Rate Expectations." Currently, Paul works for a boutique finance firm in Connecticut.
Lorie Yeung graduated in May 2005 with majors in Economics and International Relations and a minor in Marketing. She was born and raised in Hong Kong, until college brought her to the United States. Her thesis topic combined her interests in international economics and Asia. Entitled "Are Girls a Luxury in China," it examines China's family planning policies and the gender imbalance. Lorie now works in finance in New York City.