The Economics Department, in the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, was awarded a 2023 Departmental Seed Grant for Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion by the American Economic Association (AEA). Professor Shirin Mollah, visiting assistant professor of economics, attended the award ceremony held during the annual conference in San Antonio, Texas.
The grant will be crucial in funding various impactful programs and educational resources to support underrepresented minority (URM) students in economics. These include a mentoring program, research assistantships, workshops, and a flexible academic structure. “Harnessing the power of strong teamwork within our department, we hope to cultivate students as ethical leaders capable of identifying, analyzing, and finding solutions to the most challenging problems in our global society,” said Mollah.
The mentoring program is designed to pair URM undergraduate students with faculty mentors, offering essential guidance, support, and opportunities to navigate academic and career pathways. The research assistant opportunities will provide meaningful roles for students, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in economics, with a particular focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) research. Creating additional educational resources, including instructional videos, interactive activities, and supplemental materials for upper-division courses, is geared toward enhancing students’ comprehension and preparation for real-world applications. Workshops offering insights on navigating graduate school admissions and careers in economics with facilitators and panelists from URM backgrounds will inspire and guide students on their academic journey.
“The overarching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals for the LMU Economics Department encompass fostering a more inclusive environment, amplifying representation and support for underrepresented minority students, and providing resources and opportunities to augment their academic and career success,” said Mollah.
The department has consistently acknowledged the importance of enhancing URM representation and developing specialized programs, such as the mentoring initiative. This grant builds on previous endeavors, including a commitment to DEI in mentoring students, selection of research assistants, and recruitment of faculty (such as through outreach to candidates identified by the Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession (CSMGEP)).
Several faculty members have shown initiative by proactively engaging minority and female students in research and teaching assistant roles. Additionally, there have been efforts to develop Open Educational Resources (OER) aligned with LMU’s social justice mission. These resources aim to provide students with meaningful connections to the materials in economics.
“We are so grateful to the AEA and look forward to seeing these programs in action and their impact on URM students, igniting their full potential and opening doors to diverse and impactful careers in economics,” said Mollah. “Together, we strive to ‘Ignite a Brighter World’ through education, mentorship, and inclusivity.”