07/17/2019
It is with great sadness we announce that one of our very own, Dr. Elizabeth Savoca, passed away Sunday, June 30th. Professor Savoca was an integral part of the Smith Economics Department since 1982.
Elaona Lemoto, Class of 2020, shares a memory of her time as a student of Dr. Savoca:
"I want to acknowledge a professor who pushed the boundaries of my mind and ignited one of my many passions. Dr. Elizabeth Savoca was more than my metrics professor. She was a brilliant Econometrician
and Researcher. She pushed us because she knew we were fully capable. I remember in office hours she told a story about her time at Cal. She was given the option to take a difficult theory course (that of a Statistics PhD) or take the statistics course for the Economics PhD. She decided to take the Statistical theory course instead. After the entry exam, the professor asked her to leave; that this course would be too difficult for her. Dr. Savoca did not listen. She buckled down and studied intensively for the entire semester. It was hard, but she got the A. Everything she shared, was to encourage us to keep going, and one of the reasons why I am so interested in this field; to answer questions rigorously and to think critically about what I am doing. Most importantly, she told us to work hard and know that we deserve it just as much as anyone else. To my *unofficial* mentor, you will be terribly missed!"