Student Research

Allegheny Students Take Top Prizes in Marketing and Economics at the PSU Behrend-Sigma Xi Conference

By April 26th 2022

Sigma Xi participants, first row from left: Arigun Bayaraa, Professor Gaia Rancati, Khalid Mohamed; second row: Raymond Englert, Nabid Agag, Thi Thao Nguyen

The Penn State Behrend-Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research and Creative Accomplishment Conference provides an opportunity for students to present their research and creative accomplishment results in a public setting. Many students use this regional conference to practice their presentations prior to presenting them in a national or international setting.

Allegheny students having recently completed their senior projects, participated in the Marketing and Economics session in preparation for their upcoming oral defense.  The students presented before a panel of judges made up of academics from a variety of disciplines from western Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The Allegheny College Senior Project

The Allegheny College Senior Project is not a mere report or semester paper, but a significant piece of independent study, research or creative work conducted under the supervision of one or more faculty members. The outcome of a Senior Project is more than a grade or a written document; for the student it often results in a new way of looking at complex problems and inspires an appreciation for the power of ideas that might previously have seemed like abstract concepts in a textbook. Often it can be a pivotal time when a student realizes his or her own abilities and potential. The Senior Project also improves opportunities for graduate school and employment. Learn more

The Department of Business and Economics

At the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics, students may choose to pursue a major in economics or business with each course of study applying the rigor of a strong background in economic theory with the added benefit of interdisciplinary course work that allows students to create a concentration that matches their personal interests. Like many related disciplines in a liberal arts curriculum, Business and Economics emphasizes oral, written, and quantitative methods in courses and seminars.

We offer students a program that requires a balance of theory and application in its curriculum. The offerings are a combination of theory courses, quantitative work, and a number of field courses that are also accessible to non-majors and minors. It is a program designed to provide a liberal educational foundation for citizen and voter, for postgraduate study and careers such as international affairs, law, business, banking and finance, human resources, accounting, marketing, education and public policy. Learn more

 

CBE Experiences with Ray Englert ’22

By August 17th 2021

This summer, rising senior Ray Englert  is working on a research project with Dr. Tim Bianco investigating the regional economy, while concurrently  working with the Director of Student Life planning activities for the upcoming semester.  We asked Ray…

How did you find these two opportunities?

Ray: This summer, I technically have two occupations: research with the Bruce Thompson CBE on the economy of Western Pennsylvania, and planning events with the Director of Student Life (this one is only 2 hours per week). My first job was pretty easy to find as I received an email from my advisor, who I have taken several economics classes with in the past, that was basically asking for students interested in a research project with him. After replying with a resume that included skills relevant to the job, I landed it. My second job was similarly easy, as I was familiar with the supervisor and she contacted me from a list of people looking for help with her project.

What are your duties?

Ray: My first job is a mix of objectives. We started by working on data for social services provided by the government, condensing it into a usable form for a summary of the regional economy. I conducted several interviews with industry leaders and public servants to investigate perspectives of the economy so that I could then identify some significant aspects of the economy I may have missed otherwise. Currently I am looking into a few different topics, namely the region’s demographics and industry/business. As I collect data and produce graphs to display the data, I am aiding in writing a draft of our report that analyzes everything we find. My second job is much more simple, as I serve as an extra person to contact organizations and companies to plan programming for the start of Fall.

Would you recommend these activities to other students?

I decided to do research work on campus this summer instead of working at home because I wanted to add job experience in this field to my resume. So far, the work I have done has been gratifying, and I greatly prefer it to the standard summer job for college students. There is a lot to be said about the experience of working with your peers and Professors on behalf of the College. I look forward to finding where I can implement this work experience in my applications for jobs in the future, as I think it fits my interests well. I would definitely recommend this type of job to other students, with the caveat that they should consider all of their options before committing to a summer on campus. Wages are slightly higher at some other types of seasonal jobs currently, and some internships may be available that pay better or give you the option to not live on campus paying the cost of a room.

Ray Englert is a Business Major with a Minor in Energy & Society,  involved in several areas of the campus community. He is the Facilities Intern for the Office of Residence Life, while also holding the PR/Events position for the Interfraternity Council. Ray serves as the Vice President, Alumni Secretary, and PR Chairman for his Fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. 

Allegheny Students Rock the 2021 Econ Games!

By May 11th 2021

Allegheny College joined 18 colleges and universities participating in the 2021 Econ Games on March 12, 2021.  The Econ Games are an experiential learning experience frequently referred to as “an internship in a day” for participating students. This year, the competition was held virtually the first week in March with additional networking and development opportunities throughout February. Assistant Professor of Economics and Faculty Advisor, Dr. Kathryn Bender  led the way recruiting students from all majors to participate in this data analytics and research event designed to help students solve real-world problems.

Dr. Kathryn Bender

Students were challenged by a corporate sponsor to help them solve a business problem. This year’s data collaborator was the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the theme was “Public Policy.” The event sponsors included StataCorp, Northern Kentucky University Center for Economic Education, and the University of Kentucky Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise.  At the end of the final day, the students presented their results. Students also heard presentations from industry leaders about how they use economics and data analysis at their firm. The event included opportunities for students to build lasting personal and professional connections with peers and businesses in the region.

Dr. Bender commented, “I think the important lesson from this experience is that students learned what professional economists do in the real world.  They had to not only analyze a complex data set, but they needed to draw conclusions from the data, then link the conclusions to policy implications. This effort required students to draw from all of the classes they have taken while at Allegheny to compete.”

Three Allegheny teams took on the challenge:

Quigleys StataGators Investigators
Sarah Schmidt
George Ackerman
Megan Dennis
Clarissa Miller
Wonjoon Cho		 Morgan Douglas
Kyrie Doniz
Kaleel Van Voorhees		 Adriana Solis
Zachary Ioli
Kevin Lee
Noah Tart
Maya Ginter-Frankovitch

For more information or to express interest in future participation or sponsorship, email Professor Kathryn Bender, faculty advisor, kbender@allegheny.edu.

Research Reveals Crawford County Tooling & Machine Industry Optimism

By October 31st 2019

Allegheny Economics Research Team from left: Dr. Onyeiwu, Gillian Greene '20 and Matthew Massucci '20
Allegheny Economics Research Team from left: Dr. Onyeiwu, Gillian Greene ’20 and Matthew Massucci ’20

A summer research project led by Dr. Stephen Onyeiwu, Professor of Economics, conducted with students Gillian Greene ’20 and Matthew Massucci ’20 entitled, “Trends in the Tooling and Machining Industry of Crawford County, PA”* investigated the state of the industry through a comprehensive survey of 28 Crawford County manufacturers involved in the Tooling & Machining (T&M) industry.  Due to the unique history of the tool & die industry in the Meadville area**, Dr. Onyeiwu originally embarked upon this longitudinal study soon after arriving at Allegheny College in 2002.

This summer’s survey, published in August 2019, revealed that technological change and automation enabled northwest Pennsylvania manufacturers in Crawford County to experience growth for the past five years.  Local manufacturers see the industry as being stable for the next 10 years, though they see increasing opportunities in the medical equipment and device industry.

“Based on our previous surveys, we were pleasantly surprised to find the industry in such robust health,” commented Dr. Onyeiwu.  He continued, “We were equally pleased to learn that recent tariffs have not been detrimental to local shops, and that foreign competition is no longer considered the same formidable threat that it has been in the past.”

Why are Crawford County Tool Shops Doing so Well?

The research suggests there are seven important reasons:

  • Rising Costs– The cost differences between area tool shops and foreign competitors like China have narrowed, mainly due to rising costs in the foreign countries.
  • Quick Turn Around – Most tool shops said that turnaround time is critical for competitiveness, and have specialized to meet customer demand.
  • Quality Advantage – Crawford County shops have continued to maintain their reputation for high quality standards.
  • Product and Market Diversification – Crawford County shops have diversified their customer base in terms of the number of customers, as well as the range of products manufactured.
  • Cluster Effects – Tool shops in Crawford County operate in a cluster, the largest of which is located in the Meadville area. The benefits of clusters come by way of an agglomeration of traditional economies including access to skills, materials, services, markets, capital and economic development agencies within a geographic area.
  • Training Centers for Toolmakers – Although Crawford County is still facing skill shortages, it has training centers for toolmakers, including the Precision Machining Institute (PMI) and the Crawford County Career and Technical Center.
  • Weakening of Foreign Competition – while the survey did not produce a consensus of opinion, quality and delivery stood out as the reasons, particularly in specialized markets. Foreign competitors have also seen increases in their production costs, partly as a result of rising wages.

The Future Workforce, Competition and Regulation Remain a Challenge

Moving forward, area manufacturers will continue to invest in new technology, consider new training models for younger workers and have a greater focus on soft skills.  While foreign competition is not as onerous as it once was, domestic competition is much stronger than in the past.  Tool shops believe that OSHA should play a more constructive role and help educate firms on how to keep employees safe.

Despite the challenges, 85% of the shops expressed optimism about the future of the industry – that’s good news for Crawford County.

*Click here to read the full text version of the study:  Trends in the Tooling and Machining Industry of Crawford County, Pennsylvania

**Why Meadville is called Tool City USA

According to the City of Meadville, “the Talon Corporation, headquartered in Meadville, played a major role in the market development and manufacture of the zipper… In the 1980’s, the Great Lakes region saw a major decline in heavy industry.  This blow to the local economy was softened by a subsequent surge in light industry, mainly tool and die machine shops, earning Meadville the nickname Tool City, USA. Today, the Meadville area remains a leader in tooling, machining and advance manufacturing and the city serves as the region’s center for banking, education and social services.”

History of Meadville, cityofmeadville.org

Stephen Z. Onyeiwu, Ph.D.

Dr. Onyeiwu is the Andrew Wells Robertson Professor of Economics at Allegheny College teaching courses in Managerial Economics, Advanced Managerial Economics, Management of Innovation and Technological Change, Introduction to Microeconomics, and African Economic Development. His research interests include the Technological Strategies of Firms, Small Business Development, Industrial Organization, and Global Economic Issues.

Student Researchers

Gillian Greene ’20 is a double major in Economics and Political Science with a minor in Middle East and North Africa Studies. Matthew Massucci ’20 is an Economics major with a minor in Mathematics.

Faculty Mentored Research

This research project is supported through the URSCA program for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities.  Learn more at Allegheny College Research

Experiencing Ethiopia’s Encounters with Globalization, Sustainability, and Empowerment

By July 29th 2019

Dr. Onyeiwu with students visiting the African Union. The imposing and magnificent building in the background was donated by the Chinese government to the African Union.
Dr. Onyeiwu with students visiting the African Union. The imposing and magnificent building in the background was donated by the Chinese government to the African Union.

Globalization, Sustainability, and Empowerment:
A Case Study of Ethiopia

From May 14 to June 1 this summer, Professor Steve Onyeiwu, Economics Department Chair and Lucinda Morgan, the Director of International Education, led a group of Allegheny students to Ethiopia in eastern Africa.

This EL experience, entitled “Globalization, Sustainability, and Empowerment: A Case Study of Ethiopia,” was an exploration of how Ethiopia has developed from a state-controlled economy in the 1980s and 1990s to impressive economic growth rates in the past decade. Regarded as one of Africa’s success stories, Ethiopia has done so on the basis of an agricultural development strategy, rather than on reliance on minerals.

The pre-departure sessions and site visits in Ethiopia enabled students to observe and consider the impact of economic growth. What did the group discover?  Professor Onyeiwu shared these reflections:

Has economic growth been inclusive and poverty-alleviating? “We were shocked to observe how inequitable Ethiopia’s spectacular economic growth has been. The capital city, Addis Ababa, has many exquisite hotels, restaurants, and mansions. The roads in the city are replete with expensive imported cars. But driving about 30 miles outside of the city, one is confronted with abject poverty, and a lack of basic amenities (decent housing, schools, health centers, clean water, etc.).

Has growth empowered women and youth?  “Women and youths are the most marginalized groups in Ethiopia. Women have limited access to education, and their roles are seen as primarily focused on child-bearing and work in the agricultural sector. Ethiopian youths lack employment opportunities. We met some youths with college degrees who were having difficulties finding jobs. Many youths with education have resorted to doing menial jobs that are unsuited to their skills and training.”

 Is Ethiopia’s economic performance sustainable? “Ethiopia has done well with the development of agro-processing firms, from wineries to meat processing, cut flowers, leather products and handcrafts. Environmental students in our group also observed evidence of significant loss of biodiversity in Ethiopia. Thus, the sustainability of Ethiopia’s economic growth is very contentious.”

Experiential Learning Seminars (ELs) are short-term, faculty-led courses conducted in partnership with the International Education Office in the Allegheny Gateway to help students gain real-world experiences to achieve their ultimate career and life goals.

Summer Research Project Supports Local Community

By July 23rd 2019

Altay Baskan, sitting in the center with the Cambridge Springs, PA Borough Board Members after the July 15th presentation.
Altay Baskan, sitting in the center with the Cambridge Springs, PA Borough Council Members after the July 15th presentation.

This summer, Allegheny business student Altay Baskan ’20 participated in the Gateway Network program as a student researcher working on behalf of the Mayor’s office of the Borough of Cambridge Springs, PA to support and research possible methods that can be utilized by the Borough to increase and expand business development in the community. Baskan presented  a five point strategy for the borough to achieve their goals and begin to build a Master Plan for each step of the journey at their July 15, 2019 Board meeting.

Cambridge Springs Mayor Randy Gorske commented, “As Mayor of the Borough of Cambridge Springs, working with Allegheny College has provided me with a youthful sounding board dedicated to assisting in the plan to revitalize the community. The research generated ideas crucial to the creation of a master plan for the borough.”

The Gateway Network organizes summer project opportunities for student-faculty partnerships with local organizations. This program serves supports students working on research projects requested by community partners. Faculty and students selected for the program benefit from all summer URSCA programming, including the ACRoSS lunch series and the Reach ACRoSS professional development workshops.

Special thanks to Mayor Gorske, Sandy Pude, Borough Manager, and the entire Borough Council along with the Office of Civic Engagement in the Allegheny College Gateway. Beth Ryan, Program Coordinator for the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics, served as staff liaison for the Cambridge Springs project.

Economics Students Present Award Winning Senior Projects

By May 14th 2019

2019 Allegheny College Economics students in the Federal Bank of Cleveland Undergraduate Research Poster Competition
2019 Participants in the Federal Bank of Cleveland Undergraduate Research Poster Competition – from left: Jonathan “Jack” Goodman, Professor Russ Ormiston, Griffin Sullivan, David Perez

Seniors Jack Goodman, Griffin Sullivan and David Perez presented their senior comps during an undergraduate research poster competition at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland on May 3, 2019. 

All three students represented Allegheny College and themselves extremely well with work that matched up favorably with the very best posters at the event.  Jack Goodman won second place in the economics division with his senior project entitled, “An Analysis on the Effect of Trade Liberalization on Income Inequality.”

Griffin Sullivan, selected as a Keynote in the Allegheny College 2019 Scholars Symposium presented “The Effect of a Female CEO on Firm Profitability of Fortune 500 Companies,” and David Perez presented “The Effects of Foreclosure on Home Values for Real Estate Throughout the United States of America.”

According to Professor Ormiston, “Our students and those from Case Western and Washington & Jefferson were generally among the best in show in the economics division. Very good company to keep. ”

The following is the complete Economics Senior Projects Honors list for the 2018/2019 school year:

  • Colten Buzard, “Network-Based Operating Structures: Capturing Competitive Advantage through Business Model Innovation.”
  • Maria DiDonato,   “Factors Influencing Access to HIV Medication in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
  • Jonathan Goodman, “An Analysis on the Effect of Trade Liberalization on Income Inequality.”
  • Johnathan Miller, “Innovation in the Indian Pharmaceutical Market Post-2005.”
  • Patrick Palad, “ Impact of Minimum Wage Policy on Employment: An Agent Based Approach”
  • Nicholas Rumzie, “Cost Benefit Analysis of Zebra and Quagga Mussels in The Lower Colorado Region.”
  • Erblin Shehu, “Unit-Based Pricing Waste System to Increase Recycling and Reduce Waste.”
  • Jonathan Sion, “Competitive Balance in the Top European Soccer Leagues with an Emphasis on the English Premier League.”
  • Griffin Sullivan, “The Effect of a Female CEO on Firm Profitability of Fortune 500 Companies.”
  • Meghan Uht, “Do adverse childhood experiences affect risky decision-making in young adults?