Economics and Business
Economics & Business on the Block
Featured Alumni
Sayorn Chin
Pronouns: he/him
Graduation year: 2017
Hometown: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Currently living in: Easton, PA
Current occupation: Assistant Professor of Economics (Tenure-Track), Lafayette College
What was your experience at CC like as an Economics major?
During my undergraduate years at CC, where I majored in Mathematical Economics, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenging courses developed by world-class professors who took their responsibilities seriously. From my experience, they considered it an honor to help shape my intellectual curiosity, not just by conveying subject matter but also by fostering a keen sense of critical thinking. I fondly remember Dr. Kat Miller-Stevens's Social Entrepreneurship class, which was both rewarding and challenging. In this course, I had the opportunity to collaborate with other students to develop social entrepreneurship start-up ideas that address relevant social issues we face today. This experience allowed me to incorporate theoretical frameworks from economics and other social science disciplines to critically understand the nature of the problems we aimed to solve. Additionally, industry experts visited our class to share their experiences, further connecting our study of economics to the real world.
Lilly Chen
Pronouns: she/her
Graduation year: 2019
Hometown: Hillsborough, NJ
Currently living in: Philadelphia, PA
Current occupation: Startup founder
What was your experience at CC like as an Economics major?
I loved being a Math Econ major at CC. My favorite class was an upper level behavioral economics class where we conceived, executed, and published a paper with an original thesis as a team. It was the quintessential experience because I learned so much about myself, how I work with others, and how to get a project across the finish line.
Saigopal Rangaraj
Pronouns: he/him
Graduation year: 2023
Hometown: Gaborone, Botswana & Mumbai, India
Currently living in: Denver, CO
Current occupation: Associate Consultant, Bain & Company
What was your experience at CC like as a Mathematical Economics major?
I enjoyed majoring in Mathematical Economics as I could take theoretical courses as well as others that were more applied. This mix allowed me to learn many different skills while also being able to pace myself and explore the fantastic opportunities CC provided outside of the classroom. These opportunities included various grants that helped me explore things like religious decline in the Caribbean, art auctions in LA, and voting patterns in the U.K. I also studied abroad at the London School of Economics, worked on a startup, and took advantage of various volunteer positions and research opportunities with the State of The Rockies. My time at CC was greatly influenced by the people I engaged with, the classes I took, and the immense wealth of knowledge I engaged with inside and outside the classroom.
Cassandra Benson
Pronouns: she/her
Graduation year: 2012
Hometown: Pocatello, ID
Currently living in: Colorado Springs, CO
Current occupation: Assistant Professor of Economics at the United States Air Force Academy
What was your experience at CC like as an Economics major?
The economics major was an amazing experience for me. The CC faculty and my peers in the Economics department created a community that was welcoming and supportive. I’m quite introverted and I often struggled to speak up in class. But that never deterred the faculty from making sure I was included and recognized. Kristina Acri would hold office hours in the morning before class so I could ‘participate’ one-on-one. In the summer before my senior year, Dan Johnson saw me walking back from the library and offered me a summer research position on the spot. Esther Redmount helped me turn my thesis into an academic paper for peer review. Kevin Rask championed me going to graduate school to study the economics of education. And Nancy Heinecke kept me awake with my daily mid-morning candy. The faculty were always present and ready to help me achieve my goals. I think the Economics major enabled me to define who I am and what I want to achieve. I can unequivocally say, my experience in the major was overwhelmingly positive.
Explore Our Programs
The Economics & Business Department offers four majors including Economics, International Political Economy, Mathematical Economics, and Business, Economics, and Society. After graduation, our majors often work in the business, nonprofit, or government sectors or they move on to graduate school, earning master’s degrees and PhDs in disciplines such as Business Administration or Economics and Public Policy. Our courses focus on theoretical and foundational skills as well as experiential learning with guest speakers and off-campus opportunities where students can apply their knowledge in real-world settings.
Contact Us
Nancy Heinecke
Academic Administrative Assistant
nheinecke@coloradocollege.edu
(719) 389 – 6407
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Department of Economics and Business
14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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