Students

9 economics students chosen to give, receive mentorship

Through the Undergraduate Economics Instructional Scholars program, students both teach their peers and learn from faculty mentors.

Molly Loonam

2025-09-04

The W. P. Carey Department of Economics is proud to announce this year's Undergraduate Economics Instructional Scholars (UEIS), nine economics students nominated by professors to serve as peer tutors for that faculty member's 300- and 400-level courses during fall 2025 and spring 2026.

The UEIS program offers ASU students online and in-person tutoring services through student learners who have excelled in their studies. Selected scholars have the unique opportunity to mentor fellow students while receiving mentorship from the faculty member who nominated them for the position.

Meet the scholars

Cydney Lowrie (BS Economics/Finance '26)

Question: How did you end up in economics?

Answer: If you had told my younger self that I'd end up in economics, I would have laughed. Growing up, I didn't know what economics was, but I knew it was important and wanted to learn more about it. After my first day of high school AP macroeconomics, I knew it was something I loved and wanted to surround myself with. Knowing only what I learned in that class, I decided to pursue an economics degree and never looked back. Despite being terrified that economics wasn't a good fit for me, I took a leap of faith — and I'm so grateful I did. I've met incredible people, challenged myself to do difficult things, and accomplished more than I thought possible. If I hadn't taken that high school class, I wouldn't be on the path that I'm on now, and I can't imagine where I'd be otherwise.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: I love how challenging it is: Economics is an analytical subject filled with problem-solving. There's never a dull moment, and although it can be difficult at times, I appreciate how it challenges me to adopt different perspectives and think outside the box. I also love how applicable economics is to the real world, as it's something that can be analyzed across history. You can see how the actions of some people may affect the actions of others, or how the actions of a government can impact citizens and industries. These relationships are fascinating to me — it's an interesting way to analyze human behavior.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: I am working toward becoming either a financial planner or a financial advisor because I want to aid people in managing their money wisely while accomplishing as many of their life goals as possible with the money they have. Whether their goals include saving for their dream home, financing their children's education, or planning for retirement, I want to help make dreams a reality. I've always been passionate about helping others, and with my degrees in economics and finance, this career path is the best of both worlds.

Keyan Dehghan (MS Economics '27)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: I enjoyed my high school AP macroeconomics course and originally pursued a minor in political science, so I naturally continued to learn about the subject during my first three years as an undergraduate student. During my junior year, I took a development economics class that I enjoyed, and added political economics as my second major, which I completed last semester.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: The quality of professors and diversity of classes. There is a class for almost every topic I'm interested in, including development economics, behavioral economics, how firms compete against each other, and how and where the government is best suited to intervene in the economy, and more. In the majority of my classes, I found the professors helpful by either teaching the content well and clearly, being available for office hours, or both.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: To continue studying economics and political science while working in public policy research and data analytics before getting my PhD in political science, economics, or political economy. Ultimately, I want to become a professor of political science and economics.

Anthony Moore (BS Economics/Finance '26)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: I started at ASU in the engineering school, where I realized that while I enjoyed math, I didn’t enjoy applying it in a purely physical or material sense. During an introductory economics class, I discovered that I enjoy the types of problems economics tackles: how people make decisions and how opportunity costs shape choices. After conducting an opportunity cost analysis, I decided to switch my major to economics.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: How economics trains me to think in terms of constraints, trade-offs, and maximization. It provides a framework for analyzing decision-making under different environments and conditions. I find this way of thinking useful in countless situations.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: My goal is to become a portfolio manager, either working for a large firm managing institutional portfolios or as a wealth advisor to help individual clients manage their assets and make informed financial decisions.

Achintya Jha (BS Economics/Computer Science '26)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: I started college as a computer science major with little background in economics. As I delved deeper into computer science, I sought a clearer understanding of decision-making and markets, and I added economics as a second major. The combination has been the right balance of structure and application for me.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: The perspective economics offers on how people and systems work. This framework for thinking about choices under uncertainty has been particularly valuable. Beyond the analytical tools, studying economics has made me a more informed person, and I'm better equipped to understand policy decisions, pricing mechanisms, and risk in everyday life.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: I intend to pursue deep learning research and bring that work into real-world decision-making, including areas like financial markets, in a careful and systematic way.

Hendrix McCann (BS Economics/Business Data Analytics '27)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: Coming out of high school, I didn't fully know what I was interested in studying, and I chose economics because it was the broadest topic. However, as I learned more about it, it became less of a random choice and more of a primary interest.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: How quantitative it is. Economics is composed of many rearrangeable parts that, when put together, help put entire economies or social circumstances into perspective.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: In addition to economics, I have a strong interest in foreign relations. After college, I want to work in diplomacy or international trade.

Gillian McSheffrey (BS Economics/Mathematics/Spanish '26)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: I have always been interested in what drives decision-making, and economics provides an interesting and unique perspective on it. When I began studying at ASU, I was interested in how economics helps solve critical issues such as inequality and climate change. Throughout my studies, I have explored how economic tools are used to approach these questions through research and in my economics and math classes.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: The various questions that economic tools can help answer. During an internship in Dublin, I researched environmental economics, and while at the Federal Reserve Board, I assisted in answering questions about inflation and monetary policy. These experiences allowed me to explore interesting research questions that use economic modeling and theory as a basis.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: Throughout my time at ASU and an internship at the Federal Reserve Board, I developed a deep passion for economic research. After earning my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue a PhD in economics.

Andres Fernandez (BA Business '28)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: I enjoy understanding where things come from and exploring the economic differences between countries.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: What interests me most is how different policies lead to varied economic outcomes.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: I hope to contribute to the economics field through research, and in the meantime, I enjoy helping students build their understanding of economics.

Siddharth Mehta (BS Economics '26)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: I was first introduced to economics in eighth grade, and the subject immediately fascinated me with its unique approach to understanding decisions. Interested in exploring it further, I dove into economics competitions the following year through the National Economics Challenge. My team represented Arizona for the following three years, ultimately placing second nationally during my junior year. This journey of competition and learning deepened my love for economics and set me on my current academic path.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: The bridge between using economics to understand decisions and using it to make decisions. This aspect became particularly clear during my econometrics class, where we explored how policymakers can leverage economic data and analysis to inform policy decisions. The practical application of economic theory to real-world problem-solving is exciting.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: I hope to work in strategy roles within the financial services and investment industry. My goal is to combine my education in economics and data science with practical investment and advisory experience to gain a deeper understanding of financial decision-making and capital allocation. I'm particularly interested in areas that blend quantitative analysis with strategic thinking to drive investments.

John Spelson (BS Economics '29)

Q: How did you end up in economics?

A: I’ve always been curious about how markets work and why people and businesses make the decisions they do. I like seeing how small choices shape bigger financial outcomes. Once I realized economics combined that kind of insight with quantitative data and analysis, it felt like the perfect fit for me.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about economics so far in your academic career?

A: How economics changes the way I think. It pushes me to look at incentives, trade-offs, and data more critically. Classes like intermediate macro have been especially rewarding because they give me the tools to actually break down complex trends and understand the what and why of things happening in real markets. I like knowing why things change for better or for worse in real-world markets.

Q: What is your future career aspiration?

A: I want to work in banking and financial markets. I’m drawn to the fast-paced, data-driven environment and the chance to apply what I’ve learned in economics to fields such as investment analysis, risk management, and market strategy. My goal is to build a career where I can help people and businesses make informed financial decisions while monitoring market changes in real time.

Learn more about student resources available through the Economics Tutoring Center.

Economics Student Experience