“The CSU and Cal State San Marcos continue to be among the state’s most powerful engines of economic mobility, opportunity and innovation as their influence extends across industries, communities and generations – especially here in the San Diego region,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “This report shines a light on our collective impact and the powerful role we play to keep our economy strong and thriving in every corner of the state.” 

“An investment in the CSU is an investment in California,” said Assemblymember Darshana Patel, whose 76th district includes CSUSM. “That’s why it is imperative that we continue to fund public education to ensure that our state remains one of the top economies in the world.”

The report, “Moving California Forward: The Economic Power of the CSU,” highlights the lasting return on investment for the people of California at every level, and CSUSM specifically: 

• Economic return: For every dollar the state invested in CSUSM, $18.50 was generated in statewide industry activity. The figure rises to $64.62 when including alumni earnings.
• Statewide impact: CSUSM-related activity supported 7,900 jobs annually across California and contributed $361.5 million in wages earned. The university’s overall statewide impact reached $923.6 million in industry activity and $69.2 million in state and local tax revenue.
• Regional reach: As part of the San Diego region, CSUSM helped generate a substantial economic impact – supporting 7,600 jobs annually and contributing $342.8 million in wages earned. The total regional impact was $861.5 million in industry activity and $65.4 million in state and local tax revenue, underscoring the campus’s vital role in regional economic vitality.
• Workforce power: Nearly half of all bachelor’s degrees in California are awarded by the CSU. At CSUSM, students are prepared for in-demand careers in health care, education, business, biotechnology and public service – fields that power the region and state.
• Research impact: Despite recent funding challenges, CSUSM’s research initiatives continue to address urgent challenges – from health disparities and environmental sustainability to STEM innovation and social mobility – while contributing to globally significant science and scholarship.  

Learn more about the economic impact report and CSUSM's impact at https://www.calstate.edu/impact. Download the one-page summary of CSUSM’s economic impact here. 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Pack’s path to CSUSM wasn’t straightforward. After beginning his higher-education journey at the U.S. Air Force Academy and transferring to another university, he eventually found his home at San Marcos, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1997. He often credited a CSUSM economics professor with transforming his academic trajectory and helping set the foundation for his career. 

Professionally, Pack rose to become co-CEO of Fortress Investment Group, one of the world’s leading investment firms. Over more than two decades, he built a reputation as a leader in credit and real estate investing, overseeing billions of dollars in assets and guiding teams through complex financial markets. 

Pack’s connection to CSUSM remained strong long after graduation. He gave his time and expertise as a member of the CSUSM Foundation Board from 2011-16, including service on the Fundraising Committee, where his vision helped strengthen the university’s philanthropic efforts. He also supported the Finance Society by offering real-world insights to students preparing for their own careers. 

Pack’s passion for serving veterans was rooted in his upbringing as the son of Lt. Col. A.J. Pack, a U.S. Marine Corps officer who served for 22 years. Like Josh, Lt. Col. Pack served as a director of the CSUSM Foundation Board (2015-21). In his father’s honor, Josh established the Lt. Col. A.J. Pack Veterans Scholarship at CSUSM, supporting military-affiliated students in pursuing their educational and career goals. 

He also championed the creation of a veterans and military center on campus, which broke ground in 2013, calling the work “enormously gratifying for me and my family.” In 2014, he partnered with the Veterans Center and Associated Students, Inc., to host the campus premiere of “The Hornet’s Nest,” a documentary about American troops in Afghanistan. The event included a post-screening Q&A with military units and filmmakers, underscoring his belief in the importance of recognizing and supporting student veterans. 

In 2021, Pack reflected on his connection to CSUSM in an article on the Fortress website, noting how meaningful it was to help create a leading center for veterans and active-duty service members at the university. 

“The CSUSM veterans community has earned not just our thanks, but our commitment to support their dreams,” he said. 

Pack will be remembered for the generosity he showed to his alma mater and to the veteran community that meant so much to him. Through the Lt. Col. A.J. Pack Veterans Scholarship, his support of campus programs and his advocacy for military-connected students, he built a legacy of service that will continue to impact lives for years to come. 

Pack is survived by his wife and their four children. 

“Josh was a true partner in our mission of student success,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “He had an unwavering belief in the power of education, and he never forgot where he came from. His impact on our students, and especially our student veterans, will endure for generations, and we will carry forward his spirit of service with gratitude.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

As a teenager, Myers started a small nonprofit to raise money for cancer treatment and research in honor of a friend who had leukemia. Years later, as an incoming freshman at Cal State San Marcos, Myers secured a job with Associated Students, Inc., as a student receptionist. The role helped her meet a network of students involved on campus, which led to her involvement in CSUSM’s Student Philanthropy Council and, eventually, to participating in the inaugural CSUSM Giving Day in 2015.

“I think my exposure to the student philanthropy world and the CSUSM Foundation Board came from different student connections through ASI,” Myers said. “But giving was always part of what I did as a student, including as an adolescent.”

On Dec. 3, when CSUSM hosts its 10^th annual Giving Day, Myers will do what she’s done every year since that first one – give. Myers is one of 15 people – and one of just three alumni – who have donated on CSUSM Giving Day every year since its inception.

CSUSM Giving Day is part of Giving Tuesday, an international day focused on philanthropy. For 24 hours, donors have an opportunity to choose from dozens of programs to support. Last year, CSUSM Giving Day raised nearly $460,000 with contributions made by 2,410 donors. A variety of giving challenges are planned this year, including a dollar-for-dollar match from the Epstein family on the first $200,000 given up to $10,000 per gift.

In addition to donations, people can support CSUSM Giving Day by:

• Becoming an ambassador and helping to promote the program they love by reaching out to their personal networks on CSUSM Giving Day using their own custom link.
• Re-posting and commenting on their favorite CSUSM Giving Day social media posts to increase engagement and inspire others to give.
• Learning more about the causes that can be supported and the immediate impact that can be made by giving on Dec. 3.

Myers has supported many programs over the years, including the student philanthropy endowment fund, a variety of scholarships and the economics department from which she graduated in 2017.

“I give because I believe in philanthropy,” said Myers, who leads sales operations for Carlsmed, a commercial stage medical technology company and leader of the personalized spine surgery market that is based in Carlsbad. “I believe also that education and access to education is the crux of societal and personal change. I think that it is the solution to bringing awareness to societal issues.

“And in responsible hands and minds, money is really quite a renewable resource. So philanthropy and giving back is really like giving blood – it will come back, and the impact it will make is bigger than the impact you'll feel. And that’s something I appreciate.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Navigating higher education felt intimidating at times for Serrano, a first-generation college student. She worried that she didn’t belong, and often suffered from imposter syndrome. 

“There have been moments where I didn’t think I could continue being in college,” said Serrano, a double major in economics and global studies. “My family has been very understanding, and they always encourage me. If I ever needed help, they were there for me. I think that one of the comforting parts about it is knowing that I did have a solid support system and they just really wanted me to graduate.”

Serrano’s parents have always encouraged her to follow her interests, and they understood how important it was for her to attend college. 

“As long as my mom saw a book in my hands as a child, she thought I was going to end up OK,” Serrano said. “My mom's highest level of education was middle school and my dad’s was elementary school. My parents told me to just graduate high school, and once you get your high school degree, you’ll have something. But they always wanted me to keep learning and pursue higher ed as well.”

Serrano’s efforts continue to pay off, and she was recognized as Cal State San Marcos’ 2023-24 recipient of the President’s Student Champion Award for Inclusive Excellence at the annual All Peoples Luncheon on Oct. 19.

“It still hasn't even hit me that I won,” said Serrano, who was lauded for being an advocate for undocumented and mixed-status students. “I just do what I do because I love it and I want to help.”

In high school, Serrano was in the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which helped her with her sense of belonging and feelings of imposter syndrome. Serrano became a peer mentor for CAMP at CSUSM in 2020 because she wanted to give back and help students feel like they can succeed on a college campus. 

“I made some really meaningful friends in CAMP,” Serrano said. “It was a great community for me to be in on campus, especially because I find it difficult to open up sometimes.” 

Serrano was presented with an opportunity to help undocumented and mixed-status students as an ambassador in the Dreamer Resource Office (DRO) in 2021. 

“I connect with the DRO because I do come from an immigrant mixed-status background,” Serrano said. “For the longest time, I didn't feel like I had a place where I could belong. I didn't know we had a center like this on campus. The atmosphere in the office made me feel so safe. It was so welcoming. There is no judgment whatsoever. I think for me, the hardest part is finding a place where people can understand you and acknowledge your experience.” 

Serrano has worked in the DRO for over two years. She currently serves as a DRO representative for the President’s Inclusive Excellence Advisory Council, where she advocates for the undocumented community. 

Serrano’s impact goes beyond campus. She was also a recipient of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and had the opportunity in 2021 to study abroad in South Korea and help English professors in a language and cultural exchange. 

After graduating next spring, Serrano plans to take a gap year before continuing to fulfill her love of learning by pursuing a Ph.D. 

“I’m finding my way as I go,” Serrano said. “I’m just really grateful to have been nominated and to have been able to participate in the organizations that I have. It feels very unreal because I just had a lot of fun doing what I'm passionate about. I'm just really grateful more than anything.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Her parents worked a lot. Often, that not only meant making sacrifices, but also less time for her family to spend together.

But as an elementary school student, Rodriguez didn’t know of her family’s financial struggles. She had a normal and happy existence that eventually led her to Cal State San Marcos, where she’s now a senior on the cusp of graduating with an economics degree.

That healthy existence came in part thanks to a strong support system that included a nonprofit community program that helped families like hers stay engaged together. That program included nutrition classes, weekend activities where parents could garden with their children and planning family field trips.

Giving back to her community has been on the top of Rodriguez’s list for more years than she can remember.

She’s doing that and so much more with A Step Beyond, a local group serving over 200 San Marcos and Escondido low-income youth. The organization provides underserved youth with opportunities that greatly expand their expectations and ambitions through dance education, academic support and family services.

“It's important because a lot of the time dance really is just a place where the students get to explore what their movements are and express themselves to that,” Rodriguez said. “I think it's also really important that not just dance, but the arts in general are more accessible to all communities. Oftentimes the reason why people don't get into dance or into the arts is because sometimes it gets really expensive. Dance classes are not affordable for a lot of families. So sometimes families don't even have that as an option.”

Rodriguez began as an intern with the nonprofit group and was recently hired in a paid capacity thanks to the affect she has had in a small period of time along with some generous funding.

Although A Step Beyond is always popular in the community, Jennifer Oliver, the organization’s artistic director, recognized a particular need last summer in light of so much face-to-face time missed due to the pandemic.

Thanks to starting Rodriguez as an intern before the summer began, A Step Beyond was able to quickly reconnect with families.

“Lesly assisted us in extending our staff resources so that we were able to provide a greater service to our community and access to an array of exciting summer programs for youth,” Oliver said. “As many of our youth had spent the last year learning online and feeling an overall lack of motivation for learning, access to quality summer enrichment programs assisted in both their physical and mental well-being. Because of Lesly's support, over 64 students participated in summer learning camps with 348 total hours in summer learning experiences outside of A Step Beyond programming.”

Dance professor Karen Schaffman provided oversight of Rodriguez’s internship from the CSUSM side. Nhu Nguyen and Oliver provided A Step Beyond staff oversight, and with the help of CSUSM music professor Merryl Goldberg and The San Diego Foundation, Rodriguez was provided with a stipend for her efforts.

Rodriguez also assisted in the A Step Beyond Dance Intensive and Dancing in Nature programs, which allowed the staff to make more meaningful connections with individual youth.

“Initially, I think because I was someone new coming into their space, I still had to work to gain their trust and to make connections with them,” said Rodriguez, who had previous experience working with kids with autism. “And I think that just comes from a sudden new person coming into the space that they're not familiar with. But I started to get to know them. And I really enjoyed seeing the students whenever I went over there, especially when I helped out with Dancing in Nature. It was a little more intimate, so it was me and the director, a nature specialist, and then five or six students. We spent the whole week together and I got to know their worries as well because some of them had worries about going to college.”

Rodriguez not only assisted teaching artists during summer dance intensive classes, she also led dance classes. She also planned the curriculum while co-facilitating for the Dancing in Nature program.

“Lesly has a very calm and thoughtful presence,” Oliver said. “As she led check-ins and added her reflections to the learning circles, she would invite students to slow down and think more deeply about their experience. Lesly was genuinely proud of our youth's accomplishment and was generous in her support and validation of their work. As a youth leader she modeled a kind and reflective learning presence that the students appreciated and admired.”

Rodriguez didn’t learn formal dance in the traditional way.

Growing up in a Mexican family, dancing was seemingly part of every gathering. When she got to nearby Mission Hills High School, she took a dance class but learned more while participating on the color guard team.

Upon her arrival at CSUSM, she took an introduction to dance class as part of her general education requirement. She found herself surrounded by trained dancers, but that didn’t discourage her.

She eventually took another dance class in the summer and will finish her undergraduate work this spring with a minor in dance.

Rodriguez plans to use her economics degree to figure out ways to continue to fund community programs like A Step Beyond. And she may even teach a dance class or two.

“During the internship, Lesly was drawn to serving her community and providing families and youth access to opportunities that may feel out of their reach,” Oliver said. “She was proud of the work she did and felt inspired by A Step Beyond's mission. I truly hope that she pursues a career in service as she would be such a great asset to her community and would find great success in nonprofit leadership. We appreciated Lesly so much that we were able to hire her to continue working with youth and families thanks to a small grant and some funds we had set aside.

“We cannot be happier with her dedication, her thoughtfulness, her professionalism and her positive presence. Our community loves having her around and we are so thankful CSUSM promotes and advocates for students to have experiences serving their local community.”

Whatever the future holds for Rodriguez, she will serve her community in some capacity.

“Without that program me and my family wouldn't be in the spot that we are now,” Rodriguez said of the nonprofit community program her family was involved in when she was younger. “Now we're doing so much better. My parents were able to get better jobs, or they don't have to work as much anymore. So overall it doesn't only help the students, but it really helps the families. I know at A Step Beyond they’re also really family oriented. So they really make sure that the parents are involved, that there's a space not only for the students, but for the families as well.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

In February, employers added 273,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate was at a record low, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  

Almost overnight, the coronavirus laid waste to that rosy picture. Businesses that were forced to shut down because of the pandemic led, over the next couple of months, a staggering total of 36.5 million people to apply for unemployment benefits.  

Suddenly, the job market that looked so promising could be the worst since the Great Depression. But CSUSM alumni are nothing if not resilient, and that quality will be needed in abundance as they navigate the uncertainty that awaits them. 

In the latest installment of Ask the Expert, we talk to Ranjeeta Basu, a CSUSM economics professor and the university’s interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, about the road ahead for the Class of 2020 and her advice to them.  

Question: Most people have seen the numbers, but as an economics professor, can you try to put in perspective the devastation to the economy wrought by COVID-19? 

Ranjeeta Basu: We have never experienced a pandemic in our lifetime, so this kind of analysis is new to us as economists. We have economic models based on the last pandemic from 1918, but needless to say, the structure of the economy and the kind of technology was very different at that time. Having said so, we can extrapolate from our basic macroeconomic models that the pandemic has both supply and demand side effects. On the supply side, shutdown of economic activity in many sectors has resulted in the contraction of economic output. The extent of the contraction depends upon the extent to which businesses are able to pivot and find a way to continue to operate in a virtual environment. A pandemic also causes a contraction in demand because of the loss of income but also because people spend less when there is greater uncertainty and risk.  

The economic impact of the pandemic can be softened by aggressive economic policies that provide relief through income transfers, unemployment benefits, bankruptcy relief and providing infrastructural and distributional support. Sound containment and safety measures can not only flatten the curve of the pandemic, but it can also provide certainty, allowing people to continue to consume and work without fear of infection. By announcing that we plan to be fully virtual with a few limited exceptions (following appropriate safety protocol), we are providing certainty and safety so that students can continue their education and employees can continue to have jobs.  

Q: Have you talked to or heard from any 2020 graduates regarding their anxiety about leaving college and entering this job market? What kinds of things are they saying? 

RB: Graduates are understandably worried about entering the job market during an economic downturn. They are worried that they will not find jobs in their fields.  

Q: What advice do you or can you offer them? 

RB: I can reassure them that college graduates are able to weather economic downturns far better than those without a college degree. Research shows that, during the last recession in 2008, college graduates experienced an unemployment rate of 6.9% compared to the overall unemployment rate of 15.8% for young workers. A vast majority of jobs created since the Great Recession went to college graduates. College graduates earn on average $1 million more over their lifetimes compared to those without a college degree. I will also remind them that the skills that they have learned in college will give them the ability to pivot, to be innovative, to find solutions, to be flexible such that they can find a way to continue economic activity in a very different environment. I will advise our college graduates to let go of their expectations of how things should be and embrace how things could be in this rapidly changing new reality we are in for the foreseeable future. 

Q: Do you think more people than usual will be going to graduate school because of concerns about their immediate job prospects? 

RB: Yes, I think this is the best time to be in school and get a higher degree. It is the best investment that you can make in an uncertain economic environment. Research has shown that enrollment in graduate and undergraduate programs is typically higher during recessions. Obviously, you don’t want to get into a lot of student debt, but by going to a state school like ours that has lower tuition and fees compared to many other universities, you can re-skill and retool and be better poised for the job market when the economy recovers.  

Q: As bad as the 2008 crisis was, most economists seem to think the Great Depression of the 1930s is a more apt comparison for what’s happening now. Do you agree, and if so, what are the possible ramifications of that? 

RB: I think we want to be cautious about false equivalences. At the same time, we also want to learn lessons from the past. The Great Depression taught us that we need to have safety nets in place for those who have the least and are often the hardest hit by economic crisis. This is not only the compassionate thing to do, but it will also “flatten the economic curve” of the recession. We are facing both a public health crisis and an economic crisis – we are not going to be able to survive either one without all of us working together as one seeking solutions that work for all. My economic well-being and survival depends on your economic well-being and survival. I cannot be well unless we all are.  

Q: We’re still early in this crisis, but how long do you think it might take the economy to recover from the hit inflicted by COVID-19? 

RB: From what we are hearing from public health experts, the pandemic will go on with ups and downs for at least two years or more. Given the length of this crisis, we can assume that the structure of the economy will be irrevocably altered. We have to be prepared that some jobs will be gone forever, making way for new jobs that we hadn’t even imagined. The need to have skills that are flexible and can easily adapt to new environments is more critical than ever before.  

Structural change can bring a lot of upheaval and uncertainty, which can be painful, but it can also bring with it the ability to break down barriers and imagine a new way to be that will reduce inequalities, take greater care of our planet and each other for a more sustainable future for all of us. I know that our graduates will be in the vanguard of that new wave. I hope that we have taught them to have the courage to care, to innovate, to be creative, to be fearless in the face of crisis.  

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Tyler, who will graduate from Cal State San Marcos with a bachelor’s in economics in May, spent the fall semester as a participant in the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program, giving him firsthand experience in the inner workings of Washington, D.C.

“I don’t think people who don’t work directly with government have an understanding of how much they do,” Tyler said. “I feel like when I talk to people, they expect that Congress members have staffs that are so big. But they don’t realize your congressional staff in a D.C. office is eight people – and they do everything that has to do with the Congress member’s legislative agenda.”

Tyler is back on campus this spring after spending the fall working in the Washington office of Rep. Alan Lowenthal of California’s 47^th district, which covers Long Beach and parts of Orange County.

Tyler was among 25 students who participated in the program, which annually selects one student from each California State University campus, Dominican University of California, Saint Mary’s College and Santa Clara University.

The internship started with an intensive two-week prep period in Monterey at the Panetta Institute, which was founded in 1997 by former CIA Director and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and his wife, Sylvia. Then it was off to Washington for a 2½-month stint working on Capitol Hill. The Panetta Institute covers all program costs, and interns receive 20 semester units.

“It was incredible,” Tyler said. “We stayed a 10-minute walk from the Capitol building. Every morning, myself and whoever in the cohort had to go in earlier than the other interns – not all offices start at the same time – we would wake up at 7 and walk from where we were staying to the Capitol. It was really cool.”

Though participants are asked if they have a political party preference when it comes to being placed in a congressperson’s office, Tyler was comfortable working with either party. His interest in environmental policy as it pertains to economics led to his placement in the office of Lowenthal, who is on multiple environmental committees.

As with other interns in the program, Tyler’s first duties were providing tours to visiting constituents. But it wasn’t long before his responsibilities expanded.

“Once they get to trust you a little bit more, then they do things like send you to congressional hearings,” he said. “You take notes and write up memos to the rest of the office or whoever is interested in that legislative area.

“It involved a lot of writing. I appreciated that because it gives you a lot of experience with legislation that you don’t get otherwise. They could easily take you and just have you dealing with constituents constantly. That’s what you do in the beginning, but once I was there for a couple of weeks, they started giving me more things. It was really nice because I started dealing with the legislative side, which is really what I wanted to learn.”

Tyler is considering working in a political office for a year after graduating from CSUSM before applying to law school.

While some may think the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program is only for those interested in politics, Tyler said that isn’t the case. And, with a Feb. 18 application deadline looming for the 2019 program, Tyler encourages all CSUSM students to consider applying.

“Whatever you’re interested in, there will be something there for you,” he said. “There’s really no downside. Even if you’re a business major, there’s tons of stuff that has to do with business. If you’re into nursing, health-care policy is one of the biggest things on our plate right now. There’s something you can find no matter what. There’s no reason not to apply.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Or so says Dr. Quinn Keefer, an assistant professor in the Cal State San Marcos economics department, who is wrapping up a groundbreaking study on whether higher pay increases performance and the risk a worker is willing to take.

“If you were to increase a player’s salary, would that increase their performance on the field, and does increasing a player’s wage increase the amount of risk they’re taking?” asked Keefer.

The study transcends sports said Dr. Thomas Kniesner, an economics professor at the Claremont Graduate University who is working with Keefer on the research project.

“It is using a highly defined job setting to get findings on human behavior and risk taking,” Kniesner said.

So why look at NFL running backs instead of, say, window washers when measuring pay and risk taking?

Because, Keefer said, the measurements involved in his study are more accessible. Player salaries are a matter of public record. Statistics and advanced metrics for running backs also are easily obtained. To measure risk, Keefer is using a statistic known as yards-after-contact, a statistic kept by ESPN Stats & Information and others. (According to ESPN, Marshawn Lynch averaged 2.53 yards after contact on 280 rushes last season.)

Keefer doesn’t figure to complete the study until this spring, but preliminary results are showing that increasing a player’s salary does not, in fact, increase performance or a player’s willingness to take additional risk. The study includes data from the 2007, 2008 and 2009 NFL seasons and is focused on halfbacks, not fullbacks, the latter of whom are primarily run blockers.

Keefer, who is wrapping up his first year of teaching at CSUSM after serving as an adjunct professor at Whittier College and Claremont Graduate University, said his study has drawn interest from some in the media. Previous research looked at how linebackers are getting shortchanged (Compensation Discrimination for Defensive Players) and how the difference in wages between the 32^nd and 33^rd pick in the NFL draft is significantly greater than the difference between, say, the 17^th and 18^th simply because Nos. 17 and 18 are taken in the same first round, whereas the No. 32 and 33 picks are separated by Round 1 and Round 2 of the draft (Rank-Based Groupings and Decision Making).

Keefer has more than a passing interest in sports; he played football and baseball at both Whittier College and College of the Holy Cross. But will people who couldn’t care less about football care about his studies’ findings? They should.

“You can use sports markets to apply to things that are used in many other markets besides sports,” Keefer said.

For example, the Rank-Based Groupings and Decision Making study noted that people consider rankings as a signal of quality, even when those rankings may not be as significant as they first appear. Take, for example, the importance people put on a Top Ten list in any field, including top-grossing movies or top-selling albums. And even non-football fans might be interested in the Compensation Discrimination for Defensive Players study, which concluded “that significant discrimination against Black players is evident in the NFL linebacker market.”

But Keefer does not only look at sports in his research. A 2013 study, “Employment Type and Length of Stay in Substance Abuse Treatment: Economic Factors and Gender Specific Effects,” is published in the International Journal of Social Science Studies, and he is working on another paper entitled, “Job Offer and Wage Discrimination for Highly Skilled Workers: Evidence from the Market for New Law School Graduates.”

“Quinn is a very bright, up-and-coming economist,” Kniesner said. “I’ve been a professor for some 40 years and he is among the best young economists I’ve ever worked with.”