UNC Economics Appoints Students to New Advisory Board

Written by Kristin Kharrat | April 11, 2024

The Economics Department at UNC Chapel Hill introduced its first Student Advisory Board in Fall 2023, which will serve alongside the undergraduate and graduate alumni on the Advisory Board (EDAB).

The addition of current undergraduate students to EDAB will aid the Board’s mission to advise faculty by learning more about the teaching, research and service in Economics at Carolina. The student advisors will act as a liaison between students and the department. They are also responsible for providing feedback on activities and resources to ensure students are best prepared for “the real world.”

The four inaugural Student Advisory Board members, appointed in April 2023, are Nadine Boussif (BA), John Hankinson (BS), Irvin Carreon (BS) and Alanna Paschall (BS).

Nadine Boussif is a junior majoring in Economics with a minor in Data Science. She is currently the president of Carolina Economics Club and was previously social media chair of the club. Boussif has valuable ideas, including the establishment of an open-door registration system for elective courses and enhancing the department’s presence on social media.

“I am motivated to enhance the student body’s knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of Economics as a discipline and department at UNC,” she says.

John Hankinson is a senior double majoring in Economics and Computer Science. He is also pursuing the DATA Science Credential in Economics and has been an Undergraduate Learning Assistant (ULA) for ECON 400 for several semesters. In his ULA position, Hankinson provides supplementary learning opportunities for students to grasp empirical econometric concepts. His experiences as a teacher and a student have inspired him to support and guide students as an advisor.

Irvin Carreon is a junior and a Colonel John H. Robinson scholar studying Economics and Statistics & Analytics. As a programming enthusiast, Carreon plans to expand opportunities for students to connect data and economics through competitions, workshops and networking events. He also aims to improve outreach to students to ensure awareness of all department events and opportunities.

Alanna Paschall is a junior studying Economics with a minor in Statistics & Analytics. As the co-president of UNC’s Women in Economics, she aims to continue providing out-of-classroom opportunities to establish connections with alumni and promote career-preparation.

“I am excited to unite undergraduates in ways which will allow us to receive feedback and improve upon the existing department resources as well as create new ways to connect with and assist economics majors,” Paschall says.

To date, these four students have been involved in several EDAB duties and department efforts. Besides attending the semester EDAB meeting, the students have helped with department events such as the August 2023 recruiting fair and have met with prospective students. They have also joined the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan and engaged in discussion surrounding fostering diversity in the field of economics.

The Student Advisory Board will continue to collaborate and innovate, making efforts to foster an enriching and fulfilling community for economics students at UNC.