ODU MA Program in Economics

Reading day is always a bit too eerily quiet. Tomorrow starts the final exam period and the summer beckons on the horizon. Best of luck to the students with us this semester in and across the university!

Old Dominion University

The MA Economics at ODU is proud to recognize Program Director Dr. Jay Walker on receiving the 2026 Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award.

This university-level honor reflects Dr. Walker’s commitment to graduate education and the success of MA students. We also congratulate Dr. Jay O'Toole on receiving the University Doctoral Mentoring Award.

We are fortunate to have faculty whose teaching and mentorship shape the academic and professional paths of our students.

From Data to Decisions: Spring and Summer 2026 MA Economics at ODU Graduates

In a business environment drowning in data, we don’t just need people who can run a regression; we need individuals who understand and communicate what that means. This week, we are profiling five students graduating from Old Dominion University’s M.A. in Economics program in the spring and summer. A cohort defined by rigor and a "data science with a soul" approach.

These aren't just students; they are researchers who have spent the last two years working to master R, navigating causal inference, and wrestling with the large datasets that define the modern informational landscape.

Today's entry: Seemin Naeemi (Yasamin)

Specialty: Empirical Economics and Applied Econometrics

Key Focus: I am interested in using data and empirical methods to study real-world economic issues, particularly labor markets, economic opportunity, and how institutions shape long-term economic outcomes.

Capstone Project Title:
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Ambulance Response Time. Using large accident-level datasets and econometric techniques to examine how the ACA impacted ambulance response time.

Top 3 Strengths:
• Data-Driven Economic Analysis
• Econometric Modeling and Empirical Research
• Statistical Programming and Data Analysis (R)

Links: https://lnkd.in/eyXDx-Hw https://lnkd.in/eBwVseKx

From Data to Decisions: Spring and Summer 2026 MA Economics at ODU Graduates

In a business environment drowning in data, we don’t just need people who can run a regression; we need individuals who understand and communicate what that means. This week, we are profiling five students graduating from Old Dominion University’s M.A. in Economics program in the spring and summer. A cohort defined by rigor and a "data science with a soul" approach.

These aren't just students; they are researchers who have spent the last two years working to master R, navigating causal inference, and wrestling with the large datasets that define the modern informational landscape.

Today's entry: Roksana Rashid Kusum

Specialty: Applied Economics with a focus on Public Policy, Budget Analysis, and Labor Market Economics

Key Focus: Using economic data and econometric analysis to evaluate public policies and government programs, with an emphasis on how policy design and public spending influence labor market participation and economic outcomes.

Capstone Project Title: The Impact of Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy Program on Women’s Labor Force Participation

This project uses American Community Survey (ACS) data and econometric methods to evaluate how childcare subsidy policies affect women’s labor market participation.

Top 3 Strengths:
Econometric and Data Analysis (R, Python)
Public Policy and Economic Research
Data Interpretation, Visualization, and Attention to Detail

LinkedIn: linkedin.roksana
ePortfolio: https://lnkd.in/esAKmgW6

From Data to Decisions: Spring and Summer 2026 MA Economics at ODU Graduates

In a business environment drowning in data, we don’t just need people who can run a regression; we need individuals who understand and communicate what that means. This week, we are profiling five students graduating from Old Dominion University’s M.A. in Economics program in the spring and summer. A cohort defined by rigor and a "data science with a soul" approach.

These aren't just students; they are researchers who have spent the last two years working to master R, navigating causal inference, and wrestling with the large datasets that define the modern informational landscape.

First up: Karan Mandair

Specialty: Applied Econometrics — using advanced statistical methods to analyze real-world economic data, identify causal relationships, and generate insights that inform business and policy decisions.

Key Focus: Translating complex economic data into actionable insights — building statistical models and using data analysis to help organizations make smarter decisions in research, financial analysis, and policy evaluation.

Capstone Project Title: The Effect of Medicaid Expansion on Healthcare Worker Wages — A study testing whether insuring millions of low-income Americans drove up healthcare labor costs, using a triple difference-in-differences design across expansion and non-expansion states from 2008-2019 with 37 million observations from U.S. Census microdata.

Strengths:
Statistical Modeling & Econometric Analysis
Data Analysis & Visualization — transforming large datasets into clear, actionable insights using R, Python, Tableau, and Power BI
Research Design & Quantitative Problem Solving

LinkedIn Profile: https://lnkd.in/eGvwgWWy

You can’t model a world you don’t have the tools to describe.

Bridge the gap with an MA in Economics at .

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eU6AuTW6


Old Dominion University

Our M.A. doesn’t care about your 'business intuition.' We aren’t training managers; we’re training the people who tell managers why they’re wrong.

Test your limits.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eU6AuTW6


Old Dominion University

To the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, we’re a 'STEM-designated' degree. To the rest of the world, we’re the people who know why the supply chain actually collapsed.

International students: get up to 3 years of OPT along the way.

In an uncertain world, get a degree of certainty.

Learn more: https://www.odu.edu/academics/programs/masters/economics


Old Dominion University

isn't just a textbook definition; it’s a lifestyle. While others are 'manifesting' success, we’re calculating the probability of it. Because 'vibes' don't always survive a statistical analysis.

Stop guessing. Start modeling.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eU6AuTW6


Old Dominion University