Member Testimonials

“From helping me to hone the skills needed to succeed in a graduate program to helping me explore and discern whether I wanted to pursue graduate school, CARE was instrumental in my preparation for graduate studies in economics. CARE provided a community of peers who shared my interests and also helped me to build relationships with professors who provided invaluable encouragement and guidance. CARE research seminars offered insights into many different avenues of economic research and helped to kindle my own interest in economics. Taking ECON 302H, ECON 304H, and ECON 306H, as well as additional math classes, gave me a taste of graduate economics work and prepared me well for graduate classes in the Penn State Economics integrated undergraduate-graduate program (another opportunity I learned about through CARE!). Dr. Roberts helped to connect me with summer research assistant opportunities at Penn State, which gave me a chance to experience the economics research process firsthand. I would not be where I am today without CARE!”

“I joined CARE as a freshman, knowing I wanted a PhD in economics, but not knowing how to get one. The faculty at CARE were extremely supportive, advising me on which courses I should take, and which technical skills I should try to develop. CARE seminars were my first glimpse at research in economics, with faculty both within and outside of Penn State coming to present, and were invaluable in shaping my research interests. CARE connected me to a variety of research opportunities, helping me get internal grants to do research at Penn State, as well as an internship at the Federal Reserve. I found out about Penn State’s “IUG” program through CARE, which allowed me to stay for an extra year and get my master’s degree. I can’t imagine my experience at Penn State being nearly as fulfilling without CARE, and I’m extremely grateful to all the faculty members who helped guide me. Plus there’s pizza!”

"I joined CARE as a freshman and it was a great resource throughout my time at Penn State. The idea of economics research interested me, but I never knew what research looked like until I attended CARE's undergraduate seminars. The opportunity to hear the research being done in the department and interact with professors was really interesting for me. The honors economics courses that I could take through CARE were great -- I felt well-prepared for the graduate courses I took later. One of the best parts about CARE was being able to meet students with similar interests. I received invaluable guidance about how to navigate internship, research assistant and graduate school applications from other CARE members. I would highly recommend coming to a meeting if you're interested at all in economics research or graduate school."

I've had a wonderful time in the CARE program. CARE seminars and guest lectures have solidified my interest in economics and taught me about its diverse applications - from health economics to data science to international markets. The program connected me with Penn State faculty for guidance on my future education and career plans and has been incredibly helpful in planning my future. Even if you’re unsure about pursuing economics after undergrad, joining the CARE program will broaden your understanding of economics and facilitate connections to help you succeed on whatever path you choose.

“I was lucky enough to learn about CARE in my first year of Penn State through one of my econ professors. This gave me the opportunity to plan my academic career around the advice given to me by other CARE members, Dr. Roberts, and other faculty. I was also fortunate enough to interact with multiple professors in our department through faculty seminars held by Dr. Roberts. We get to learn about their research process and their experiences in grad school. This fits perfectly with the program’s model because it is designed to prepare prospective students for graduate training in economics and connect students with other students that have the same goals as you. There are too many great things about CARE for me to pick a favorite, but I would have to say that talking to other CARE students would be my favorite. If it wasn’t for CARE, I would have not learned about the economic department’s IUG program, the math courses needed to prepare me for Grad school, and admittance to the advanced intermediate econ courses (especially helpful if you are not a Schreyer student).”

If you are considering graduate school in economics or if you want to connect with other students interested in economic research, CARE is an invaluable resource. Prior to joining CARE, I did not plan to take any 400-level math courses or honors economics courses. However, with encouragement from Dr. Roberts and other CARE members, I enrolled in ECON 302H (Honors Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis) and ultimately pursued a math minor. This is one example of the many ways in which CARE has “steered” me in the right direction during my undergraduate experience at Penn State. My track record in mathematics and advanced economics courses definitely helped me get into PhD programs straight out of undergrad, yet I may not have prioritized such courses without guidance from CARE. Additionally, CARE encouraged me to pursue research opportunities, engage with visiting professors as well as current faculty members, and connect with other CARE members. Insights from other students in CARE were not limited to the graduate school application process (although that was surely helpful!), but also included feedback on specific internships and general post-graduation opportunities. As an alumni of CARE, I am grateful for the unique support, guidance, and community that CARE provided for me while at Penn State. I highly recommend reaching out to Dr. Roberts or attending a CARE meeting ASAP in your undergraduate career if you have any interest in pursuing a graduate degree in economics or if you would like to connect with other economics students interested in research.