Why Wooster?

Economics

› Wooster economics majors have a distinctive edge over students from other economics departments because of their exposure to independent research. Most economics programs that allow or encourage student research only do so for a select group of honor students.Wooster requires independent research of all its students. Doing independent research for a whole year allows a student to choose a particular topic to explore in depth. It allows them to develop considerable expertise in addressing real-world issues. Students work with a faculty adviser and since all faculty in our department have Ph.D.’s, students have access to seasoned professionals who impart current analytical and quantitative knowledge. Independent research also teaches life skills such as time management, the ability to write and convey ideas, as well as the ability to work with peers. These are important qualities that many employers seek.

› Student research goes beyond library shelves. In the past two years, students have presented their work at professional economic conferences such as the Eastern Economic Conference and the annual conference for the International Society of Ecological Economics. Students have also been published in undergraduate journals such as Issues in Political Economy. Recently, the RAND Corporation published a student’s Independent Study on their research website.

› Students are encouraged to study abroad, enlarge and apply their ideas and learning beyond the classroom. Economics majors have studied abroad at the prestigious London School of Economics in addition to established programs in Uganda, Spain, Ethiopia and Australia. They apply their learning outside the classroom by participating in service learning programs, internships, or by being selected for the department’s innovative and unique program on Social Entrepreneurship. Students are also invited to manage the Morgan Venture Capital Fund. The Fund makes loans to non-profit organizations to support forprofit ventures. Students can also participate in a department sponsored internship either locally or through the Philadelphia Center. In addition, they take charge of their own education by participating in activities sponsored by the student-run economics club or the Jenny Investment Club creating a strong community of intellectuals. These experiences give them the opportunity to explore economics outside the classroom and also improve their chances for future employment and candidacy at premier graduate schools.

› Students studying economics do so in Burton D. Morgan Hall. Dedicated in 2002, the four-story, $11 million facility provides optimum learning space. From classrooms equipped with the latest technology to large study areas, Morgan Hall enhances all phases of the educational process.

Business Economics

› Wooster’s business economics major offers the necessary courses in accounting, finance, marketing, and management to make a student attractive to a first-time employer. As people rise in a business organization, however, they make less use of detailed technical information and more use of general and fundamental knowledge. The solid liberal arts education that Wooster offers teaches students to learn from experience, to reason well, and to evaluate evidence in a meaningful way.

› Majors can intern with selected firms in a variety of locations for a period of 22 weeks at the end of the junior year. Recent projects have included financial analysis and calculations in support of a bank’s program to re-sell loans in the secondary financial markets; strategic analysis of a firm’s strengths and local market conditions in preparation for expanded activities in Europe and Asia; and a transfer pricing study as part of a firm’s continuous value improvement process.

› Another distinctive feature of Wooster’s business economics program is the Jenny Investment Club, which gives students an opportunity to manage a $1,000,000 stock and bond portfolio. Since its inception, the club has provided close to $250,000 to Wooster’s scholarship fund.

› Begun in 2005 with a grant from the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, The College of Wooster’s Program in Social Entrepreneurship seeks to help nonprofit (charitable) organizations in the local community develop for-profit ventures in support of their social missions. Students obtain internship credit while facilitating the development of business plans for these ventures and presenting them to our venture capital fund for funding consideration. The venture capital fund is modeled on the student-managed Jenny Investment Club which has existed at the College since 1955.

› The business economics department is located in Morgan Hall. Dedicated in 2002, the four-story, $11 million facility provides optimum learning space, from classrooms equipped with the latest technology to large study areas.

Life After Wooster

Economics

Graduates of the economics program at Wooster are well prepared to pursue a variety of careers. Students have found employment in the financial services sector, the consulting sector, international organizations and government. Institutions include the IMF, Progressive Insurance, First Energy Corporation, Merrill Lynch and the State of Ohio’s Office of Management and Budget among others. Wooster also has a high percentage of students that attend prestigious graduate programs such as MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Duke, Georgetown and The Ohio State University. Wooster ranks 3rd in the nation in the number of Ph.D. degrees earned by its graduates.

Business Economics

Most majors enter business directly after graduation. Examples of first-time positions held by recent graduates include financial analyst with Chemical Bank; audit consultant with Anderson Consulting in Geneva, Switzerland; analyst with Wharton Econometrics; portfolio analyst with McDonald & Company Securities; and products analyst with Ibbotson Associates.

Approximately 50 percent attend graduate or professional schools, such as the Michigan, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Dartmouth, and Stanford. Most obtain M.B.A. degrees, but law and other professional degrees are not uncommon.Wooster is the only school in Ohio to be selected as an Early Leaders Partner with the William E. Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. This program provides expedited admission for our students and the possibility of financial aid.

Distinguished alumni, such as the group vice president of the William Wrigley Company, the senior vice president of Tenneco, the president of Bendix Finance Corporation, and the chairman and CEO of Goodyear Tire & Rubber, are evidence of Wooster’s long-term success in preparing students for careers in business.