News Item
Press Release: Pace University Students Conquer the US Debt
Press Release: Pace University Students Conquer the US Debt
Team Places Third in National College Fiscal Challenge Competition
NEW YORK, April 23 2019 – Pace University’s inaugural Fiscal Challenge team won third place in the College Fiscal Challenge in Washington, D.C. Of the top four finalist teams that competed in the nationals, the Pace Team finished behind first and second placed Stanford University and the University of Notre Dame, and bested the University of Chicago, which placed fourth. The Pace Team placed in the top 8% of all of the universities in the competition.
The team of three students, all economics majors in Pace’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences was captained by Brooke Jefferds ‘20, and included Luke Artola ‘20, and Christian Morris ’21. Their winning proposal consisted of changes to taxes, entitlement programs, and defense efficiency, as well as an increase in education for low-income students with potential.
“Being a part of a driven, successful team was an amazing experience that I look forward to being involved with in future years. My team motivated each other daily, continually inspiring one another to be our best, and that resulting in our earning a national ranking in a highly competitive competition,” said Jefferds.
“Watching the Pace Fiscal Challenge Team compete in Washington, D.C., along with the finest universities in the United States, was inspiring and exciting,” said Economics Professor Mark Weinstock. “It made me proud to be part of Pace University's Economics Department where we offer such a topnotch experience for our majors – well beyond anything done simply in a classroom. Students master the skills needed so that they can work as an analyst or a consultant after graduation and make a difference in real world economic policies.”
The team was coached and trained by Weinstock, who was assisted by Economics Professor Sam Baruch. This win, as well as numerous wins of the Pace Federal Reserve Challenge teams, is a testament to the high quality education and superior mentoring offered by the Economics Department at Pace University, where both a B.S. in Business Economics and a B.A. in Economics are STEM designated degrees.
Thirty-five schools participated in the College Fiscal Challenge (including Northeastern University, Northwestern University, Columbia University, Clemson College), a competition that requires the teams to submit and present their plan to set the U.S. Debt-to-GDP ratio on a sustainable path. The teams then answer questions from a panel of professional economists.
The Fiscal Challenge is a registered 501(c)(3) educational non-profit founded in 2013 by Professor Mike Aguilar. The competition has been operating at the collegiate level since its founding, and expanded to high schools in 2016. More than 40 universities have participated nationally and internationally. The mission of the Fiscal Challenge is to enhance students’ understanding of fiscal policy through the use of experiential education. Learn more about the Fiscal Challenge on their website.
About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences: Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.
About Pace University: Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides.
From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. www.pace.edu
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