Pamela Yoon Award in Economics

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My name is Aurora De Luca, and I am a 4th-year student at SFU and the Vice-president of the SFU Economics Student Society. I will be graduating in December 2024 with a Joint Honour in Economics and Business, with concentrations in Economic Data Analysis and Finance. 

I originally started as a Business student but took my first Economics class and fell in love with how Economics influences one’s perspective and understanding of the world. In particular, the concentration in Economic Data Analysis offered by the department deepened my passion for Econometrics and its applications in a data-driven world. The application of mathematics, statistical inference, and economic theory perfectly complemented my passion for quantitative finance and investment analysis.

Upon graduation, I will start working as an Associate Consultant at Mastercard, where I previously interned in an environment where I can advance my quantitative and communication skills. Outside of school, you are most likely to see me walking around Vancouver or hiking with my dog!

I thank the Economics department, not only for their continuous support throughout my academic journey but also for fostering an exceptional and inclusive community within the economics student body. This environment has enabled me to connect with amazing and inspiring individuals.

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My name is Colten Northrop, and I am a 4th-year Economics student-athlete planning to complete my studies in the Summer 2023 term. Describing my academic journey and post-graduation plans would not be possible without mentioning the impact that being part of the SFU men’s basketball team had on me. I was initially recruited and decided to attend SFU primarily for athletic reasons, specifically competing in the GNAC (NCAA Collegiate Basketball League). Regardless, I was aware of the academic reputation SFU has worldwide and was always committed to pursuing an ambitious professional career post-academia. 

Frankly, I had no clue what economics was when I entered the program. I was sport and business-oriented and heard the value of an Economics degree in the labour force. However, over four years, a passion formed for economics as I began to visualize the applicability of taking economic theory/concepts and applying them to real-world situations. I highly recommend taking the Data Analytics concentration available within the program. The technical ability to analyze data is significant for any career and even life, especially for those looking into a Finance career. 

I enjoy being proactive with my time: hiking, swimming, reading, and entrepreneurial opportunities. My competitive nature was a great fit for the strategic theory taught in class. Additionally, I had the opportunity to work at Baker Tilly Corporate Finance in my second year alongside zealous and diligent professionals in the M&A industry that confirmed my interest in Finance. 

I am to graduate in the Fall 2023 cohort and start my career in Finance/Accounting. I plan on working toward a chartered designation after I gain relevant career experience. I want to show special appreciation to my basketball coach, Steve Hanson, who has helped me tremendously on my journey, and to the economic department, specifically Azam Bhatti, who has been an outstanding counsellor for the last four years.

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I’m currently in my 4th year at SFU and will be graduating with a Joint Major in Business and Economics, with concentrations in Data Analysis and Finance. I originally started in Criminology but took Econ 103 as an elective in my first year. I loved it and immediately switched to Economics!

I love being able to analyze real-world scenarios from a more quantitative perspective. I’ve always been extremely interested/involved in politics and studying economics has enhanced my knowledge and given me a more in-depth perspective. For example, learning how the BC Utilities Commission sets prices or analyzing the BC carbon tax has been eye-opening. Studying Economics has given me real experience analyzing specific cases, while also changing the way I think about the world in non-economic scenarios. For example, I read “Soccernomics” and it completely changed the way I view/play the sport.

After I graduate in April 2024, I’m planning to continue working at First West Credit Union, with the specific goal of working as a Financial Analyst. I’m currently finishing the CSC and will be enrolling in the CFA in 2024.

In my free time, I play soccer year-round, motorcycle in the summer and ski in the winter. I also enjoy working on my truck, off-roading/camping, and hiking. I’m also extremely politically engaged both federally and locally, so spend a lot of time making sure I’m well-informed and up-to-date.

I'm grateful to SFU for introducing me to Economics and kickstarting my career!

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I joined SFU in September 2019 after finishing high school in Italy, and I am about to complete my third year in the program of Economics. I decided to pursue this major because I am a very curious person and felt like Economics could help me gain a better understanding of what drives people’s behavior given the circumstances and constraints they face. After enrolling in many different economics classes, from microeconomics and macroeconomics to economic development, I developed a strong interest for the field of finance. In particular, I have been fascinated by the theory behind exchange rate determination and the impact it can have on a country’s international trade policies. After my graduation, I plan to pursue a career in the field of internal auditing; for now, I have recently accepted a Co-op position at a Vancouver-based cyber security company and hope to gain skills to grow personally and professionally.

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I started my journey at Simon Fraser University in September 2018 and am just about to finish my undergraduate degree with a major in Economics and a minor in Business Administration. I am a goal-oriented individual who truly believes in two things: that all knowledge is power and that if you love what you do, you'll do it well. From the beginning of my undergraduate career, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in corporate finance. Consequently, I developed a natural liking for the subject of economics as it studies the fundamentals of how the world works. The concept of macroeconomics and financial market policies particularly piqued my interest as they taught me real-world decision-making skills. From a practical perspective, I learned to understand market fluctuations, research company growth, and analyze organizational trends for overarching profit maximization. These were all things I enjoyed learning about and helped me apply the knowledge from my degree to real-time use. With this, I knew I wanted a career focussing on these subject areas as I continued my journey, both academically and professionally. Additionally, I hope to use my experience and teach others the value of education and financial control. My dream is to open a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young children about why education and financial responsibility work simultaneously in creating bright futures and supporting economic sustainability, especially in their local communities. Collectively, I hope this initiative illuminates the idea of positive economic growth worldwide. For me, I want to see the world I live in thrive, and the passion I carry in everything I do pushes me to always strive for ambitious goals as a result.

My name is Mason Taykandy, and I joined Simon Fraser University in the Fall semester of 2016. Upon graduation, I hope to pursue a career in the area of thematic investment analysis, or perhaps in macroeconomic policy analysis. Since being accepted into the Economics Honors Program at Simon Fraser University, I have had the opportunity to gain extensive knowledge of the economy from an individual’s perspective, as well as from a collective perspective. Enrolling in various courses pertaining to Macroeconomics is what really sparked my interest in Finance. Specifically, being aware of how different macroeconomic policies impact certain industries, how macroeconomic forces impact individual firms, and which theories or technical analysis tools are useful in painting a clear image of what exactly is dictating certain trends in various business sectors. My hobbies include political economics, portfolio management, hockey, and hip-hop culture. In the future, I would love to pursue a career in politics and empower as many people as I possibly can!