UH Hilo students to participate in SF Federal Reserve Bank symposium

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
Contact:
Alyson Kakugawa-Leong, (808) 974-7642
Director, Media Relations, University Relations
Posted: Mar 18, 2011

On April 14, seventeen students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will meet with professionals from the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank in a symposium hosted by the economics department of UH Manoa.

Students in ECON 394 were awarded competitive grants based on the class examining the changes in the Federal Reserve policy and presenting their findings to professionals from the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank and other participants from universities throughout the state.

Led by Dr. David Hammes, UH Hilo professor of economics, the UH Hilo group includes majors in economics, business administration, accounting, communication and sociology. The students, forming three groups, will represent the views of three members of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee—the policy-making body within the Federal Reserve System.

Ten of the students will have their travel funded by a Diversity and Equity Initiative grant administered through UH System's Office of Student Equity Excellence and Diversity (SEED). Seven of the students will be financially supported by Ambassador Scholarships through UH Hilo's student government, UH Hilo Student Association (UHHSA). Ground transportation in Honolulu will be supported by UH Hilo's Center for Economic Education.

“This is the second time this event has been held in Hawaiʻi,” Hammes said. “We sent two teams to the previous event in 2008 and the students expressed that this was the highlight of their economics education. We are extremely fortunate and grateful to have such substantial support this year from SEED and UHHSA." 

“Their support allows us to take twice as many students as we did in the past. I am extremely impressed with this year's students, their understanding of the inner workings of the Federal Reserve, and their industry and creativity in arranging the financial support,” he added.