New York State of Mind
Ohio Wesleyan’s Economics Management Fellows visited Wall Street during their recent trip to New York City. Shown left to right are: (back row) Paul Murphey ’13, Erik Pramschufer ’13, Cuong Vu Nguyen ’13, and economics professor Andrew Meyer; (front row) Hung Le Nguyen ’13, economics professor Alice Simon, Ben Wallingford ’11, Anthony McGuire ’13, Alexander Alonzo ’13, Keyi Xie ’13, and Galen Muterspaugh ’13.
Ohio Wesleyan University’s Woltemade Center recently sent its second class of Economics Management Fellows to New York City for a real-life look at what they have studied in the classroom.
“[The goal of the trip was] to expose students to all of the areas within the department so that they can see how classroom experience translates into the real world and to see how OWU got the alumni where they are on their career paths,” says economics professor Alice Simon, one of two chaperones for the trip.
The students left for the Big Apple on Commencement Sunday and toured the NBC Studios in Rockefeller Plaza before beginning their visits to various corporate sites. They began with a special tour of the Federal Reserve Bank and then visited the New York Stock Exchange, Castle Harlan Inc., Goodman Media, Daiwa Capital Markets America Inc., Christie’s Gallery, Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), and Marsh & McLennan Companies.
At each stop, students met OWU alumni and learned about how their businesses operate and how OWU helped them establish themselves as professionals.
“The students learned how connected OWU is around the world and that alumni of all ages fondly remember OWU for the life lessons taught to them,” Simon says.
First-year student Alexander Alonzo says, “I had no idea there were so many OWU alumni in New York City, and the fact that we could reach out to them was amazing.”
The group also had moments to fully experience the other side of NYC. The Fellows met with Paul Asencio ’92, senior vice president of corporate sales & services for the New York Mets. After their meeting, the Fellows watched the Mets vs. Washington Nationals baseball game from box seats while enjoying Asencio’s company. In addition, the Fellows experienced the Broadway showing of Wicked and were given free time to explore Central Park and Times Square.
The Economics Management Fellows (EMF) Program recruits top incoming first-year students who have shown enthusiasm for economics and high potential to succeed. The program began in the 2008-2009 academic year and has fostered top students in the economics department. The program offers a special course exclusively for Fellows, a $500 book allowance for each of the first three semesters, and special meetings, lectures, and networking opportunities with alumni and other guests of Ohio Wesleyan.
“[The EMF Program] served the world of economics on a platter and allowed me to pick and choose what I want and didn’t want,” Alonzo says.