Illinois State University economics students attended the 2025 Illinois Economics Association (IEA) Annual Conference October 24 in Chicago. This marked the first time the Department of Economics organized a field trip for students to join economists from across the state, giving them the chance to observe research presentations and engage in professional networking.
Throughout the conference, students attended sessions on various areas of economics. For most students, it was their first academic conference, and they appreciated the unique experience. The event provided an opportunity to see what researchers are currently working on and how economics is applied to real-world data.
Three graduate students in the group also presented their own research, serving as role models for the undergraduates. First-year graduate student Alper Unalan was excited to meet many academics and future colleagues. “These types of gatherings are influential in every aspect,” Unalan said. “Seeing presenters who are passionate about their own fields is very encouraging, and it added fuel to my ambition for ongoing projects.”
Fellow graduate students Patricia Yuhas and Ethan Johnston echoed Unalan’s appreciation for attending and presenting at an academic conference for the first time. Yuhas valued the feedback from attendees: “It allowed me to approach the project with fresh eyes and showed the areas where I have room to grow.” Johnston said, “Attending sessions across a range of topics exposed me to various econometric techniques and taught me about challenges within data sets.”
Many upperclassmen from the group also played an active role in the conference. Amber Teimeyer, a senior double-major in economics and organizational leadership, enjoyed learning from everyone’s presentations while also providing feedback to presenters. “The discussions on each topic were insightful and helped me see real-world implications of what we study in class,” Teimeyer said. Morgan Heppler, a senior economics major, agreed that the IEA trip “was a unique experience.” Heppler was excited not only to “listen to many economists discuss their studies and present papers that are still works-in-progress,” but also to use her knowledge to contribute to the discussion.
Audrey Jayne, a sophomore economics and history double-major, commented that the IEA trip “was a great way to learn about how economics is being applied in the real world.” Jayne loved exploring a wide range of research topics and seeing what professional research looks like. “It made me excited for the opportunity to conduct my own research in the future!” Jayne said. Her fellow sophomore, Nick Henderson, a managerial economics and finance double-major, was grateful to “be educated about various topics that I had not previously had any exposure to in my classes at ISU.” Henderson was most impressed by the session on real estate and appreciated the relevance of how economics ties to the economy from different aspects.
The trip also brought like-minded students in the program closer. As America Vallejo, a senior economics major, said, “It was a great time to get to know my peers a bit better as well as a great inspiration that will reflect on future projects.” Alessia Lowe, a junior economics major, appreciated the connections she was able to make between the presentations and what she has learned in the program—from Money and Banking to Energy Economics to Statistical Reasoning. Lowe was particularly excited to hear from keynote speaker Dr. Nathan Anderson of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, who discussed M1 and M2. “It was cool to see we are being taught all useful information for our degree, and it adds up over time!” Lowe said.
Dr. Susan Chen, professor of Economics and Undergraduate Program director, expressed appreciation for the university’s continued support in making the trip possible and plans to make the IEA conference trip a new tradition in the program “so our students can continue to grow as researchers and future economists.”
