Congratulations to our 2024 undergraduate award winners

Vladimir Matute

My studies at Simon Fraser University began after I transferred from Douglas College into the Economics program the spring of 2021. I discovered my interest in economics through books, interviews and podcasts that featured experts in the field who used economics models and concepts to explain what they observed in the world. These tools were intuitive, useful and fascinating enough to allow me to convince myself that I should end my 5-year hiatus from school to pursue a formal education in economics. Over the course of my studies, I’ve gained an interest in econometrics and international trade. After finishing my final semester at SFU, I moved to Kingston, Ontario, where I immediately began my economics MA program at Queen’s University.  I hope to complete the program by the end of summer and find consulting or quantitative analyst work for a private firm in Vancouver soon after.

Jerry Eiswerth

When I first began my studies at SFU in the fall of 2020, I wasn’t sure what major would be a good fit. After a year of classes in various disciplines including history and computer science, I took first year micro and macroeconomics courses. I quickly realized that economics was my calling. Being able to put precise names to abstract concepts such as opportunity cost and diminishing marginal utility was like speaking a language I already knew, but never had the words for. Further, I realized that an economist’s toolkit can be used to help and better people’s lives through policy change.

During my time at SFU, I was fortunate enough to be able to work as a research assistant for Dr. Krishna Pendakur, a leading expert who studies poverty and inequality, which fueled my desire to pursue graduate studies in economics and follow in his footsteps. I also credit the economics Honours courses for challenging me in ways that shaped me into a better student. I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported me during this journey. Beginning in September, I will be continuing my education as a Masters student at UBC’s Vancouver School of Economics.

Jerry Eiswerth

When I first began my studies at SFU in the fall of 2020, I wasn’t sure what major would be a good fit. After a year of classes in various disciplines including history and computer science, I took first year micro and macroeconomics courses. I quickly realized that economics was my calling. Being able to put precise names to abstract concepts such as opportunity cost and diminishing marginal utility was like speaking a language I already knew, but never had the words for. Further, I realized that an economist’s toolkit can be used to help and better people’s lives through policy change.

During my time at SFU, I was fortunate enough to be able to work as a research assistant for Dr. Krishna Pendakur, a leading expert who studies poverty and inequality, which fueled my desire to pursue graduate studies in economics and follow in his footsteps. I also credit the economics Honours courses for challenging me in ways that shaped me into a better student. I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported me during this journey. Beginning in September, I will be continuing my education as a Masters student at UBC’s Vancouver School of Economics.