As she plans for her third year at Case Western Reserve University this fall, undergraduate student Lidia Rodriguez doesn’t know what her future holds—but she’s embracing the uncertainty.
Once determined to pursue a biology degree on the pre-med track, Rodriguez found a new direction after enrolling in a course on microeconomics. Though she’d debated dropping the course two weeks in, she stuck with it—a decision that led her to declare an economics major and reconsider her focus on medicine.
“I told myself that if I leave this program feeling more uncertain about my future, then that’s actually a good thing. It means I’ve been introduced to new possibilities I hadn’t considered before [and] that economics is something I want to continue exploring,” she said. “It doesn’t mean I’m dropping the idea of medical school entirely, but I’m now open to the idea of taking a gap year or more before making any final decisions.”
This summer, Rodriguez is getting a better view of the economics landscape through the University of Chicago’s Expanding Discovery in Economics Summer Institute. This nine-week program introduces undergraduate students to research in economics, the programming language Stata, and leading companies in the industry. Presented in a hybrid format, students spend a week each in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, while the rest of the program is completed remotely.
In Washington, D.C., Rodriguez met Ben Bernake, the former chair of the Federal Reserve, and Lisa D. Cook, a Federal Reserve Board Governor. She also heard from researchers at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and JP Morgan Chase. During the week spent at the University of Chicago, she took classes on how to conduct economics research and learned about projects faculty members are conducting.
“I have met so many amazing people in this program. The other participants are great and make the experience even better,” Rodriguez said. “I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested in economics or any related field. So much work has been put into this program to make it what it is, and it is absolutely worth it.”
Learn more about Rodriguez’s experiences in economics.
Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
1. What initially drew you to CWRU?
Coming into CWRU as a pre-med student, I was really drawn to the nearby hospitals and all the opportunities available for students in STEM. It’s kind of funny looking back because while I still appreciate those things, they’re not exactly what I spend most of my time on now. I’ve ended up getting really involved in the economics side of campus and now I feel like I live in the Peter B. Lewis Building!
2. What have you enjoyed most about your studies?
Economics brings together a lot of things I thought I didn’t like, like math, coding and history. But once I started taking more classes, I realized I actually enjoy all those things when they’re connected to real-world problems. Studying economics has helped me learn to appreciate areas I used to avoid, which makes me appreciate the major even more.
3. Have you had any especially rewarding moments during your studies?
I had the opportunity to be a TA for ECON 103 (Macroeconomics) this past spring. I really enjoyed helping students review concepts that I used to find confusing when I was taking the class. It was also just a fun experience overall! I liked holding review sessions and working closely with the professor and other TAs. It helped me deepen my own understanding of the material, and it made me realize that I enjoy teaching!
4. What interested you in the Expanding Discovery in Economics Summer Institute?
I knew I wanted to do something related to economics this summer, but I wasn’t sure what. I wanted to find a program that would give me an exploratory experience in the field. I heard about this program through a member in the Journal of Economics club on campus. I decided to apply because it combined everything I was looking for, both research experience and the chance to explore different career options in economics.
5. What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I really wanted to participate in this program to help me figure out whether I want to pursue economics more seriously in the future. I came to CWRU as a pre-med student planning to major in biology and eventually go straight to medical school. But over the past two years, I’ve discovered a real interest in economics and have genuinely enjoyed studying it.
6. Have you been involved at CWRU through any organizations or research opportunities?
I’m part of PhiDE and Kappa Alpha Theta. I’m also involved in the Journal of Economics, where we do a mini research project each semester that ends in a paper published in the journal. I’m in Women in Economics too, and I’ll be secretary this upcoming semester. In the fall, I’m starting a new research position at Cleveland Clinic as well as hospice volunteering. I’ve really loved being part of these organizations, I’ve met some of my closest friends through them, and they’ve made my time at CWRU so much better.