American Economic Association Summer Program

Almost 50 years ago, the American Economic Association established the American Economic Association Summer Program (AEASP) to improve the pipeline of underrepresented groups into the profession. AEASP is managed by the National Science Foundation and the American Economic Association, which determines who will host the AEASP every five years. MSU won and has hosted the program during its last cycle. 

The MSU AEASP team performed exceptionally at every level during this time. The team pulled together a broad coalition of sponsors and support to put together a compelling application, winning the opportunity to host AEASP in a field populated by some of the most prestigious economics departments in the country. The team recruited participants from around the country to be sure that the program would meet its primary objective: increase diversity in the field of economics by preparing talented undergraduates for doctoral programs in economics.

Because of the team’s efforts, over 100 individuals from underrepresented groups are now prepared to obtain a Ph.D. in economics. Also, the team prepared 177 individuals from underrepresented groups for graduate study in economics. The potential effect of these students cannot be understated— it will change the face of a profession that is in desperate need of such a change.

By bringing the AEASP to MSU, the team provided many faculty members and graduate students the opportunity to better understand and contribute to remedying the diversity problems in economics. For these accomplishments, the American Economic Association Summer Program is awarded the Excellence in Diversity award.