Undergraduate Program News

Announcements:

Applying for Omicron Delta Epsilon Membership

To become a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, you must apply for membership through the chapter at your school (http://www.omicrondeltaepsilon.org/chapters.html), and you must fulfill the eligibility requirements set out below. The deadline for applications is the 15th of March.

The minimum requirements for admission for undergraduates are:

* completion of 12 semester hours of economics courses; and
* attainment of at least a "B" average in economics courses and an overall "B" average
  in all classes, and a class standing in the upper one-third.
* Students do not have to be economics majors, but must have a genuine interest in economics
  in addition to meeting the above requirements.

The minimum requirements may be raised by local chapters.

Graduate students in economics are judged solely on their graduate work. They must have:

* completed one semester of full-time work, with
* attainment of a "B" or better average.

There are no admission requirements for faculty members. All are eligible and welcome to join a chapter. Chapters may also elect honorary members. These candidates must be persons of high ethical and professional standards.

No one shall be denied membership because of sex, race, color, creed or national origin.

A life-membership fee is paid by each prospective member of Omicron Delta Epsilon upon election to the Society. In return, the member receives a membership card, scroll and a year's subscription (two issues) to The American Economist (http://www.omicrondeltaepsilon.org/americaneconomist.html).

AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS
Online applications are being accepted for the American Economic Association's Summer Training Program and the affiliated Minority Scholarship Program. Detailed information about the program and how to apply are available at the following web site:
http://econ.ucsb.edu/aeastp/index.html

Starting in the summer of 2008, the University of California at Santa Barbara became the 10th university to host the Summer Program, which typically remains at a particular host site for three to six years. Previously the program was hosted by Duke, the University of Colorado at Denver, the University of Texas at Austin, Stanford, Temple, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Yale, Northwestern, and the University of California at Berkeley.

As the website notes, the AEA Summer Training Program, which began in 1974, seeks to prepare talented undergraduates for doctoral programs in economics and related disciplines by offering a unique opportunity for students to gain technical skills and conduct economic research with prominent faculty. All US citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for scholarship assistance; however, preference is given to members of underrepresented minority groups that have been historically disadvantaged in the US context. Scholarship decisions also consider demonstrated financial need. The purpose of the Minority Scholarship Program is to increase the number of African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans with doctorates in economics.

The application deadline is March 15. For more information about the Summer Program, please see the website above; the email address is aeastp@econ.ucsb.edu, and the phone number is 805-893-7309 (fax 805-893-8830).