AEASP 2025 Faculty Omari Swinton

Dr. Omari H. Swinton is a professor in the Economics department at Howard University, where he teaches introductory, intermediate, and urban economics.  He is currently the Director of Graduate Studies and Chair.  His research interests include labor economics and education.  He has papers examining the teenage labor market, the benefits from attending HBCU's, and the returns to a college education.

AEASP 2025 Faculty

AEASP 2025 Scholar Ann Yang

Ann Yang is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where she majored in economics and minored in applied statistics and mathematics. As an undergraduate student, Ann worked as a research assistant at the University of Michigan's Development Economics Lab and as an instructional writing fellow for the University's introductory microeconomics course. Outside of academics, Ann enjoys engaging in her student organizations which aim to promote small Asian-owned businesses in Ann Arbor.

AEASP 2025 Scholar Melina Valencia

Melina Valencia is an undergraduate at the College of the Holy Cross, majoring in Economics and minoring in Religious Studies. As a first-generation college student, she is interested in using economic research to address real-world issues. She worked on an econometric research project titled *Health Expenditures and Life Expectancy Across the 50 U.S. States*, which deepened her interest in public policy and data-driven research.

AEASP 2025 Scholar Raven Shaw

Raven Shaw is an Honors Economics major, Political Science and Mathematics double minor from San Francisco, CA. Raven seeks to work within the government or NGOs, using her research to develop and implement public policies that drive equitable economic reform, particularly for marginalized communities. She aims to contribute to the conversation on reimagining Black economic resiliency and be part of the movement that merges innovation, wealth, and sustainability to transform Black communities worldwide.

AEASP 2025 Scholar Stanislav Shaposhnikov

Stanislav Shaposhnikov is a recent graduate of San Francisco State University, where he earned a Master's in Quantitative Economics through the Scholars Program. His culminating research project examined the impact of financial literacy on financial resilience among students at SFSU and Howard University, an experience that contributed to his decision to pursue a Ph.D. to further develop his research skills. He is currently expanding this work as a coauthor working with Dr. Kakar (SFSU), Dr. Daniels (Howard University), and Kelsey Brown (U.S. Census Bureau).

AEASP 2025 Scholar Kevin Ruiz

I am a senior at MSU Denver, majoring in Mathematics and Economics, with a minor in Philosophy. I am passionate about pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics, focusing on labor economics and immigration policy. Currently, I am writing my senior thesis, which explores the key drivers of undocumented immigration, analyzing the relationship between visa processing times and migration patterns. I previously gained valuable experience working with the Bureau of Economic Analysis through the American Economic Association (AEA) Summer Program, where I developed strong analytical and research skills.

AEASP 2025 Scholar Terrence Rouse

Olu Rouse (he/him) is a February One Scholar and honors student at the illustrious North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. He is majoring in Economics and Political Science. He intends to pursue a PhD in Economics and use his education and career to combine fiscal policy and racial justice to create an American society that is equitable and inclusive. Olu was the 2024-2025 President of the Aggie Economic Association at North Carolina A&T State University.

AEASP 2025 Scholar Jayden Rivera

Jayden Rivera is a class of 2025 Economics and Mathematics graduate of Central Connecticut State University. His research interests include game theory, urban economics, and differential geometry. Jayden is excited to learn more about advanced mathematical methods for risk and their applications in economics and finance. He also looks forward to leveraging advanced methods in econometrics with newly available unstructured data to push models further, and make them more available to municipalities and firms.

AEASP 2025 Scholar Alejandra Reyes-Perez

Alejandra Jaylene Reyes-Perez is a junior at the University of Southern California (USC), getting her bachelor's degree in Economics with minors in Mathematical Finance and Applied Analytics. As a first-generation Latina from the San Fernando Valley, she's passionate about using economic policy to advance healthcare equity and financial inclusion. Her experience at the USC Price School of Public Policy and the Los Angeles Behavioral Economics Laboratory has fueled her interest in healthcare, technology, public policy, and macroeconomic policy.