Participation in the College Fed Challenge was one of the highlights of my time here at UConn. The chance to work alongside Dr. Smirnova and other aspiring economic intellectuals presented an invaluable opportunity to develop both personally and academically. The formulation of a monetary policy recommendation can sound daunting, but when working with a committed and supportive team it proves to be a fun and rewarding exercise. The bond created between members of this team will be one to last and the many memories created will be fondly recalled. This unique experience allows you to demonstrate and apply the skills and knowledge base developed over your time at UConn by working on an issue that could not be more relevant or important. This real-world relation allows you to connect the academic finance and economics learned through your coursework to the actual mechanisms, drivers, and implications of economic conditions and the resulting monetary policy on both sides of the equation. Learning about the interplay between the economy, various aspects of life and segments of the population allows for a deeper and material understanding of the ideas explored in coursework. By learning about how the Federal Reserve analyzes and responds to these conditions, one begins to understand the impact had and relationship between the private and public sectors and the economy.  

By participating in this challenge, I not only deepened my understanding of monetary policy, the Federal Reserve, and the broader macroeconomic environment, but I also learned to work with others whose diverse perspectives allow for the creation of an even stronger final product. The potential for growth alongside a motivated cohort of students presented through the Fed Challenge is not something commonly discovered on this campus. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and all of the support from Dr. Smirnova over the years. You could not ask for a better advisor or experience to be found. If you are even remotely considering the idea of joining the Fed Challenge, I strongly encourage you to do so. This experience is one that will prove greatly valuable as I progress on my life’s journey and one that I am so very glad I could enjoy while here at UConn.