Student Gains Hands-on Economic Research Experience in Prestigious Summer Program
When Yumna Hashmi first began exploring colleges, she knew she wanted two things: the flexibility of a liberal arts education and the warmth of a close-knit community. The University of Richmond offered both, along with small class sizes, research opportunities, and a supportive environment that reminded her of home in Gilgit, Pakistan. Now in her sophomore year studying mathematical economics, she’s already seizing opportunities to blend classroom learning with real-world impact.
This summer, she took part in the Expanding Discovery in Economics (EDE+) program—an immersive, multi-city experience recommended by her academic advisor and research mentor, Saif Mehkari, professor of economics. Following a competitive application process, she joined a select cohort of students for a deep dive into how economics shapes policy on a global scale.
Her journey began in Washington, D.C., where she visited world-renowned institutions including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the JPMorgan Chase Institute. She engaged in conversations with leading economists such as Ben Bernanke and Lisa D. Cook, connecting classroom theory to the real-world mechanisms of fiscal and monetary policy. In Chicago, she toured the Federal Reserve Bank and attended lectures at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, gaining insight into how researchers in the social sciences generate questions, design experiments, and analyze data.
“The highlight for me was visiting these influential institutions and gaining firsthand perspectives from economists shaping economic policy,” Hashmi said. “I also built tangible skills such as learning Stata, earning FRED micro-credentials and Data Blogging badges, and strengthening my research abilities.”
As part of the program’s research component, she worked on a group project analyzing how the 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit affected consumer spending in low-income households. Using a difference-in-differences methodology, her team investigated the policy’s economic ripple effects and presented their findings at the Pathways to Research and Doctoral Careers conference, hosted by the World Bank in Washington, D.C.
Her Richmond coursework provided a strong foundation for the program. “My professors incorporated real-world context into the curriculum,” Hashmi explained. “Weekly presentations on macroeconomic news and quizzes tied to current events prepared me to follow and contribute to complex discussions.”
The only Richmond student in the cohort, she also embraced the chance to collaborate with peers from other universities, forming lasting friendships and professional connections.
With interests ranging from finance to consulting to labor economics, she’s still exploring her ultimate career path—but EDE+ has sharpened her vision. “I’ve seen how economics can address global challenges and drive real-world change,” Hashmi reflected. “Whether I choose academia or industry, I want my work to be grounded in evidence and impact.”