The Department of Economics honors our top graduating seniors during an awards reception held at the close of each spring semester. All graduating Economics majors are automatically considered for these awards.
This award is presented to students with a major in economics who have demonstrated the capacity to achieve educational and professional goals, the motivation to achieve these goals, and the initiative to seek opportunities to further their progress. In selecting the recipient(s), the Department of Economics considers overall grade-point average, grade-point average in economics classes, and the nature of the student's economics program.
2023 - Matthew DiRisio, Calder Moore, Sarah Pilewski, Jay Stansberry
2022 - Gregory Marchal, Michael St Jean, Tanner Thering, Providence Weatherwax
2021 - Alison Ferer, Cooper Luce, Jack Mueller, Philip Valtadoros
2020 - Jacob Loukota, Catherina Regis, Kaitlyn Stocker, Chelsea Wein
2019 - Harris Bunker, Anna Esenther, Alexis Smith, Whitney Zhou
2018 - Laura Boisten, Zachary Kuloszewski, Yahya Talab, Jack Weyhrich
2017 - Kim Gannon, Thomas Grubb, Matthew Suandi
2016 - Barbara Kotei, Xavier Brumwell, Cody Schulz, Christine Steigelman
2015 - Ethan Davis, Xuanyu (Iris) Fu, Brian Scott
2014 - Allison Bratzel, Katrina Suchoski, Michelle Orlando
2013 - Andy Chou, Kelly King, Kyle Safran, Benjamin Schneedecker
2012 - Jessica Liu, Jacob Walker, Yipeng Zhao
2011 - Michael Leonard, Chae Mamayek, Asra Shaik
2010 - Joseph Orsini, Mikhail Revyakin, Jennifer Seager
2009 - Jennifer L. Flood, Alyssa K. Hazelwood, Matthew J. Murray
2008 - Andrew Jay Britt, Natalie B. Lenski, Ging Cee Ng
2007 - Greeshma Enukonda, Clark Llamzon, Brittany Naber
2006 - Loren Emerson Croskey, Ryan Christopher Hover, James Lewis Wolter
2005 - Gregory John Larson
2004 - Andrew Wyatt Beauchamp, Sandra Louise Vasher
2003 - Alicia M. Kostosky, Sarah Lorion
2002 - Jeremy Magruder
2001 - Todd A. Gormley
2000 - Jacob Tiedt
1999 - Russell A. Ormiston
1998 - Frederick M. Hood
1997 - Timothy A. Schmidt
1996 - Aaron Hantman
1995 - David Dicicco
1994 - Daniel E. Owens
1993 - Zachary Ruderman
1992 - Brian J. Sullivan
1991 - Jana Deschler
1990 - Benjamin G. Dennis, Phillip W. Henderson, Susanna P. Nelson
1989 - Michael Engel, Andrea Ranval
1988 - Gary P. Thelen
1987 - Connel R. Fullenkamp, Lok Yin Seto
Sophie Handley
Sophie Handley is a recipient of the Carlin Award and has also been selected as the Department of Economics’ 2024 Outstanding Senior. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and also received the Board of Trustees Scholarship. During her time at MSU, she participated in tutoring others in econometrics,a member of the department’s Diversity, Equity and InclusionCommittee and was a member of the College Fed Challenge team.
Next year, she plans to begin her career and work toward advancing her studies.
“I will work for PNC as a bank operations analyst and take classes at the University of Pittsburgh to prepare for a Ph.D. in economics,” she said.
Stephanie Tolly
Stephanie Tolly is a recipient of the Carlin Award and has also received the MSU Board of Trustees Scholarship Award, the Peter M McPherson Scholarship Award and the MSUFCU Endowment Study Abroad Scholarship, and she was a Featherstone Award nominee. Additionally, she is a member of the Econ Scholarship Program and Phi Chi Theta, and she is also paddle chair.
Highlights from her time at MSU include her study abroad program in Belize and her new business innovation internship at Steelcase. Tolly also hosts her own podcast (link to podcast and name here.)
“I’m going to be taking the LSAT shortly, then spending most of the summer with my older sister in Europe,” she said. “I’ll then start my job as a data analyst in August and work for a year before going to law school.”
This award is presented to undergraduate students who are pursuing degrees in Economics.
2023 - Allan Kiambuthi, Elizabeth Pauley, Caroline Nielsen
2022 - Mars Mason, Anna McCliment, Josephine Pelton, Perry Truscon
2021 - Matthew Donahue, Maura Glynn, Daniel Moore, Elizabeth Price
2020 - Adnan Barazi, Ryan Sears
2019 - Ashton Pallottini, Chas Pelton, Lauren Swartz, Anna Weixel
2018 - Bailey Johnson, Kade Katrak, Tyler Miksanek
2017 - Patrick Flynn, David Wehrly, Haixia Zhu
2016 - Nicholas Brycz, Joel Drazin, Jesse Nagel
2015 - Kelly Christopherson, Derrick Mason, Katerina Powers
2014 - Yifu Huang, Ben Malburg, Jacob Vogler
2013 - Brianna Acker, Ryan Gimarc
2012 - Mattan Alalouf, Patteera Hengboriboonpong, Daniel Nadratowski, Zachary Sullivan
2011 - Robert Munk, Jay Thaker
2010 - Andrew Elzinga, Samuel Stuckey
2009 - Jeffrey C. Craig, Scott C. Hendrickson
David Koster
David Koster is a recipient of the McGregor Scholarship.During his time at MSU, he was captain of the debate team, a cru leader, the professional development chair of Kappa Alpha Pi, a research assistant, and a member of an intermural soccer team. He received the All-American Debate Award from the Cross Examination Debate Association, received the Summa Cum Laude Debate Scholar distinction twice, and he was a Truman Scholar Nominee, a Board of Trustees Scholar and an Econ Scholar.
After graduation, he will attend Scalia Law School in Arlington, VA, to study anti-trust law.
Aria Muchhal
Aria Muchhal is a recipient of the McGregor Scholarship. During her time at MSU, she was a member of the department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, an Econ Scholar the Vice President of Women and Minorities in Economics, a professorial assistant at Liang Laboratory, and a mentor for Spartan Consulting Academy.She was awarded the Alumni Distinguished Scholar, the 2021 PURI Grant Award, and first-placefor her research at the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum.
Ethan Fick
Ethan Fick is a recipient the McGregor Scholarship. During his time at MSU, he was involved in military service preparation as an enlisted member, and later reserve officer training corps cadet in the Michigan Army National Guard. He was also an economics undergraduate learning assistant and the economics senior representative on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council, all while working 32 hours a week at Meijer in Okemos.
Most notably, he received a military challenge coin from Governor Whitmer while conducting training in Latvia as apart of NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After graduating, Fick plans to be a research assistant for a year before beginning graduate school to obtain a Ph.D. in economics. He hopes to become a professor and researcher. Furthermore, he will be commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and plans on completing 20 years of service.
This award recognizes the Department's most outstanding graduating senior, as selected by the Undergraduate Instruction Committee. The recipient must be a Spring or Summer graduate with primary degree in Economics. The Outstanding Senior leads the processional for Economics at Spring commencement.
Sophie Handley is a recipient of the Carlin Award and has also been selected as the Department of Economics’ 2024 Outstanding Senior. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and also received the Board of Trustees Scholarship. During her time at MSU, she participated in tutoring others in econometrics,a member of the department’s Diversity, Equity and InclusionCommittee and was a member of the College Fed Challenge team.
2023 - Jay Stansberry
2022 - Gregory Marchal
2021 - Jack Mueller
2020 - Ryan Sears
2019 - Anna Esenther
2018 - Laura Boisten
2017 - Kim Gannon
2016 - Barbara Kotei
2015 - Ethan Davis
2014 - Allison Bratzel
2013 - Benjamin Schneedecker
2012 - Yipeng Zhao
2011 - Chae Mamayek
2010 - Joseph Orsini
2009 - Aylysh Gallagher
2008 - Natalie B. Lenski
2007 - Kevin Beard
2006 - Ryan Christopher Hover
2005 - Gregory John Larson
2004 - Andrew Wyatt Beauchamp
This award honors former MSU Economics professors Charles P. “Lash” Larrowe and Walter Adams. Recipients of this award are recognized for exceptional accomplishments in the classroom or in mentored scholarship or research activities. (This award was formerly titled the All-University Award for Excellence.)
2022 - Samantha Powers
2021 - Nicholas DiTommaso
2020 - Ian McGuire
2019 - Edvard (Ellie) Tingstad
2018 - Mitchell Abood
2017 - Jarret Hoffman
2016 - Steven Crowe
2015 - Brian Swets
2014 - Derek Tisler
2013 - Lauren Bretz
2012 - Brendan Prost
2011 - Michael Leonard
2010 - Joseph Orsini
2009 - Aylysh Gallagher
2008 - Megan Block
2007 - Kevin Beard
2006 - Andrew Britt
2005 - Andrew Chavanak
2004 - James Wolter
2003 - Jillian Maxey
2002 - Andrew Beauchamp
Maren Nicolaysen is the recipient of the Larrowe and Adams Award, and she is also a member of the MSU Econ Scholars. During her time at MSU, she was president of the Women’s Council, an international law and natural resources research assistant in James Madison College and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, executive secretary of MSU CORES & COPS Coalition, and she was chair of the MSU Gender Advisory Committee to Student Life and Engagement.
She received many awards including the MSU 2024 Inspiration Student Leader Award, MSU 2024 Women in Student Organization Leadership Award, MSU 2023 Rhodes Scholar Nominee, 2023 Marshall Scholar Nominee and the MSU James Madison College Student Recognition Award.
“I plan to attend the George Washington University in Washington D.C. as a Wolcott Fellow to attain a Master of Public Policy,” she said.
The Ronald C. Fisher Award for Undergraduate Research Excellence honors Professor Fisher’s commitment to empowering undergraduate research and celebrating high-caliber, undergraduate research. Students were chosen on their research that they submitted at the end of their capstone EC 499 course.
Ethan Fick is a recipient the McGregor Scholarship. During his time at MSU, he was involved in military service preparation as an enlisted member, and later reserve officer training corps cadet in the Michigan Army National Guard. He was also an economics undergraduate learning assistant and the economics senior representative on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council, all while working 32 hours a week at Meijer in Okemos.
Most notably, he received a military challenge coin from Governor Whitmer while conducting training in Latvia as apart of NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After graduating, Fick plans to be a research assistant for a year before beginning graduate school to obtain a Ph.D. in economics. He hopes to become a professor and researcher. Furthermore, he will be commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and plans on completing 20 years of service.
Sophie Handley is a recipient of the Carlin Award and has also been selected as the Department of Economics’ 2024 Outstanding Senior. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and also received the Board of Trustees Scholarship. During her time at MSU, she participated in tutoring others in econometrics,a member of the department’s Diversity, Equity and InclusionCommittee and was a member of the College Fed Challenge team.
2024 - New this year.