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The Impacts of Same and Opposite Gender Alumni Speakers on Interest in Economics

Author

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  • Arpita Patnaik
  • Gwyn C. Pauley
  • Joanna Venator
  • Matthew J. Wiswall

Abstract

What is the impact of male and female alumni speaker interventions in introductory microeconomics courses on student interest in economics? Using student-level transcript data, we estimate the effect of speakers on future course-taking in models which use untreated lectures as control groups, including professor and semester fixed effects and student-level covariates. Alumni speakers increase intermediate economics course take-up by 2.1 percentage points (11%). Students are more responsive to same-gender speakers, with male speakers increasing men’s course take-up by 36% and female speakers increasing women’s course take-up by 40%, implying that the effect of alumni speakers is strongly gendered.

Suggested Citation

  • Arpita Patnaik & Gwyn C. Pauley & Joanna Venator & Matthew J. Wiswall, 2023. "The Impacts of Same and Opposite Gender Alumni Speakers on Interest in Economics," NBER Working Papers 30983, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:30983
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    Cited by:

    1. Todd Pugatch & Elizabeth Schroeder, 2024. "A simple nudge increases socioeconomic diversity in undergraduate Economics," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 62(1), pages 287-307, January.
    2. Kipchumba, Elijah & Porter, Catherine & Serra, Danila & Sulaiman, Munshi, 2024. "The Impact of Role Models on Youths' Aspirations, Gender Attitudes and Education in Somalia," IZA Discussion Papers 17261, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions

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