中文
HOME
HOME / EVENTS / Content

Good News from Williams College

October 12, 2015

Good News from Williams College

Jeffrey Wang, from the Class of 2012, a junior in Williams College now, majoring in economics and mathematics, has recently been awarded a Beinecke Scholarship—given to 20 students across America every year, in support of his graduate education.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., May 1, 2015—Jeffrey Wang, a junior at Williams College, has been awarded a Beinecke Scholarship in support of his graduate education. The scholarship grants $4,000 immediately prior to entering graduate school and an additional $30,000 during graduate school. Wang is one of 20 students across the nation to receive the award this year.

An economics and mathematics major, Wang is from Waltham, Mass. He plans to write a thesis in economics during his senior year, and then pursue graduate study in development and macroeconomics. At Williams, he is a member of the Far Ephs Movement a cappella group and the Chinese music ensemble, and he serves as a teaching assistant in economics.

Wang’s interest in economics stems from a childhood spent in rapidly developing Shanghai, China. As he witnessed economic growth in both the provinces of China and the U.S., he noticed some disparities. “Is there a universal formula for economic growth and development?” he wanted to know. “Is it necessary to approach this subject matter differently with respect to each unique society of human beings?”

Wang came to Williams interested in answering these questions, and he has developed an even greater interest in economics during his time here. He worked as a research assistant (RA) to Quamrul Ashraf during the summer of 2014, exploring the timing of Neolithic revolution and long-run economic development.

Wang says his professors have sparked his interest in learning and influenced his decision to pursue economics. “Aside from classroom interactions with professors, I found office hours conversations especially helpful,” he said. “Those are great opportunities to discuss ideas and learn more about the subject, and Williams professors are all very friendly and welcoming. This applies to all departments, not just economics.”

In nominating Wang for the Beinecke, Ashraf said, “Based on Jeffrey’s superlative work for me, both as an RA and an independent study advisee, I became wholeheartedly convinced that Jeffrey would academically thrive in graduate school; and that he bears every promise of enjoying an illustrious academic career of research and teaching in the field of economics, should he decide to pursue such a course.”

Established in 1971 by the Sperry and Hutchinson Company to honor Edwin, Frederick, and Walter Beinecke, the Beinecke scholarship program seeks to encourage highly motivated students to pursue opportunities available to them and to be courageous in the selection of a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. Each year, approximately 100 colleges and universities are invited to nominate a student for a Beinecke Scholarship.

END

Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college’s 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students’ educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions on U.S. applicants are made regardless of a student’s financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.