Women in Economics

What piece of advice would you give to future William and Mary women?

If I could offer one piece of advice to future women of William and Mary it would be the following: find opportunities to challenge yourself! Take courses that push you outside of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure doesn’t define you and you will learn a lot about yourself in situations when you are challenged.

You mentioned in your first interview the role model you had when deciding to go into teaching in high ed. Could you retell the story about the importance of this woman in your life?

I was lucky enough to have a strong mentor as an undergraduate. A new female economics professor started at my college when I was a senior and I served as her teaching assistant. She really inspired me. Working for her was the first time I could picture myself going to graduate school and pursuing a career in economics. During your time at William & Mary, I encourage you to reach out to mentors who inspire you. Ask questions, get their perspectives, and ask for advice!

What has been the greatest challenge for you as a female professor at William and Mary?

The greatest challenge (and opportunity) for me, as a female professor at W&M, is to serve as a role model and to try and inspire other females to consider pursuing an economics major. Historically, economics has been a more male dominated field and I would like to encourage female students to consider opportunities in economics.