W&L Student Accepted into American Economic Association Summer Training Program Janae Darby ’25 will participate in the prestigious program this summer at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Janae Darby ‘25Washington and Lee University student Janae Darby ’25 has been accepted into the American Economic Association Summer Training Program (AEASP) hosted by the Howard University Department of Economics in collaboration with the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race and the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.
The prestigious program includes two months of intensive instruction from Howard University faculty and fellows, in addition to enriching real-world experiences unique to the nation’s capital. Program members receive training in microeconomics, math, econometrics and research methods intended to prepare students for future participation in doctoral programs in economics or related disciplines. Participants will receive three academic credits per class and can earn up to 12 college credits.
A native of Stafford, Virginia, Darby will receive an all-inclusive package that covers the program tuition, fees, living expenses, transportation, books and associated excursion costs. She will also receive a stipend totaling $3,250 upon successful completion of the program.
“I’m appreciative of the breadth of economic electives that Washington and Lee offers,” said Darby, an economics major with minors in Middle Eastern and South Asian studies and poverty and human capability studies. “Being able to take Economics of War and Peace with Professor Shikha Silwal and Development Economics with Professor Jamie Casey has helped me connect how graphs on macroeconomic variables affect people’s everyday lives. These classes have been pivotal to my decision to pursue further education. Ultimately, I want to use my research to help alleviate poverty through policy.”
Darby expects to take a gap year before applying to economics Ph.D. programs. Her interests lie in international economics and labor economics as they relate to immigration.
“I am so grateful to be able to participate in a program that has so many successful Ph.D.-awarded alumni,” added Darby. “This summer should provide me with a lot of clarity on whether an economics Ph.D. is the right path for me. I would like to thank Dr. Chantal Smith for bringing this opportunity to my attention and for her continuous support of my goals. I would also like to thank Professor Silwal and Professor Hugo Blunch for being great mentors and providing recommendations throughout my academic journey.”
First instituted in 1974, the AEA Summer Training Program has increased diversity in economics by preparing talented undergraduates for doctoral programs in economics and related disciplines. AEASP enables students to develop and solidify technical skills in preparation for the rigors of graduate studies. As many as 20% of doctorate degrees awarded to minorities in economics over the past 20 years are graduates of the program.
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