Research
Economics majors have various opportunities to conduct original research, whether it be for individual classes, Research Honors, independent research projects, or summer research opportunities.
Student Research
Each senior Economics major completes an independent research project. The research papers by our 2020 seniors include:
“Plant Closure and Poverty in Bloomington”
“Gender Differences in Undergraduate Economics Majors and its Subsequent Effects on Female Wages Earnings Premiums on College Majors”
“Second-Generation Mexican Immigrants: How Do Their Poverty Rates Compare to the First-Generation and U.S. Natives?”
“Effects of the Great Recession: College Graduates Entering the Labor Market”
“Educational Expenditure in Relation to Crime”
“Analysis on a War Without Fire”
“The Effect Human-Capital Variables have on the Earnings of Polish Immigrant and Native-Born Full Time Employed Workers”
“Illinois Out Migration: Who is leaving the State?”
“The Delaying of Marriage”
“Unemployment in Southern Europe & its Impact on the GDP Growth of the European Union”
“The Intersectionality of Socioeconomic Status, Socioeconomic Status, Air Pollution Exposure, and Negative Health Outcomes in Chicago”
“Racial Discrimination and Homeownership Rates in Chicago and Bloomington/Normal”
“The Effects of Job Polarization on Manufacturing”
“Earnings Premiums on College Majors”
Our students' Research Honors Projects represent exemplary work in economics at Illinois Wesleyan University. View the Economics Research Honors Collection.
Samples of economics students' research and the journals they edit can be accessed from the Economics Department's Digital Commons Dashboard.
Summer Research Opportunities
The Mark A. Israel '91 Endowed Summer Research Fund in Economics funds one competitively selected student each summer to conduct independent research in close collaboration with a member of the economics faculty. These research papers are available on Digital Commons.
The Eckley Summer Scholars and Artists Program is a competitive university-wide program that supports summer research and/or creative activity for five students each year, enabling them to stay on campus over the summer to work under the direction of faculty mentors.
Research Conferences
Many Economics majors present their research at the John Wesley Powell Research Conference, and also at other venues.
- The Midwest Economics Association Annual Meeting and the Missouri Valley Economic Association Annual Conference are chances for economics students at Illinois Wesleyan to present their research projects to a wider and more professional audience.
- The John Wesley Powell Research Conference is a university-wide student research conference that provides individuals with an opportunity to communicate the results of their research projects to those at Illinois Wesleyan University and the greater academic community. It serves as an opportunity for IWU economics students to showcase the research they have done for Senior Project (ECON 401), Advanced Research Seminar (ECON 490), and/or Research Honors.
