Ph.D. Alumni

The Department of Economics at Western Michigan University has a diverse student body with students from all over the world. Ph.D. alumni have gone on to establish successful careers and lives.

Class of 2023

Mir AngkurAssistant Professor of Economics, Southern Utah University, Utah

Ahmad MasudiAssistant Professor of Economics, Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia

CLASS OF 2021

Daniel Mengistu, Model Risk Officer, Comerica Bank, Texas

Chikezie Okoli, Economist/Data Analyst, A2F Consulting, Maryland

Thomas Weinandy, Data Scientist, BlueGranite, Michigan

CLASS OF 2020

Ateeb Syed, Sr. Economic Analyst, Research Department, State Bank of Pakistan (The Central Bank)

Alvin Harris, Sr. Economist, Research Unit, Bank of Jamaica

class of 2019

Riyadh N. Arooq, Department Manager, Ministry of Industry, Baghdad, Iraq

Nardos Beyene, Assistant Vice President, Risk Model Analysis and Validation, Sr. Analyst, Citibank

Dweepobotee Brahma, Associate Fellow in Economics, Brookings Institution, India Center

Pimam Pidalatan, currently on the job market

Class of 2018

Bezawit Agiro, Revenue Economist, Nebraska

Shen Chen, Visiting Lecturer of Economics, Arkansas Tech University

Frank Ofori, Vice President, Credit Risk Modeling, Bank of New York Mellon, Pennsylvania

Rong Shi, Economist, UNDP, China

Wan Wei, Assistant Professor of Economics, Arkansas Tech University

Class of 2017

Ama Abrokwah, Lead Researcher, Ambassador Enterprises, Indiana

Class of 2016

Kofi Acheampong, Senior Risk Modeler, Flagstar Bank, Troy, Michigan

Johanna Attoh, Assistant Professor of Economics, Walla Walla University, Washington

Justin Haing, Category Manager, Whirlpool Corporation, Michigan

Yichin Hsin, currently on the job market

Alexandra Polovinka, Assistant Professor of Economics, Lansing Community College, Michigan

Todd Sarnstrom II, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, St. Norbert College, Wisconsin

James Squires, Assistant Professor of Economics, Franklin College

Class of 2015

Diny Ghuzini, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia

Alexander Houser, Quantitative Risk Specialist, TD Bank, Connecticut

Ochas Pupwe, Adjunct Faculty, Davenport University and Cornerstone University

Pei-Ju Sung, Model Validation Analyst-Assistant Vice President, Bank of the West (BNP Paribas group)

Class of 2014

Jyodi Rai, Statistical Data Analyst Schools First Federal Credit Union, Tustin, CA

Class of 2013

Stephen Abrokwah, Vice President and Marketing Actuary, Swiss Reinsurance America Holding Corporation

Shankar Ghimire, Assistant Professor of Economics and Decision Sciences, Western Illinois University

Class of 2012

Tamrat Gashaw, Assistant Professor, Columbia University

Rong Ma, Regulatory Analyst, Bloomberg

Uwaoma “George" Nwaogu, Assistant Professor, Central College

Marc Schaffer, Associate Professor, St. Norbert College

Ibrahim Sheta, Assistant Professor in the Economics Department, Mansoura University, Egypt

Kun Zhao, Seattle, WA

Class of 2011

Jing Cai, Research Assistant, Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

Abeba Mussa, Assistant Professor, Farmingdale State College, New York

Class of 2010

Ivan A. Duran Diaz, Assistant Professor, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Song Gao, Co-CEO, Head of Research, PRC Macro Advisors, Beijing, China

Julio Hernandez-Correa, Assistant Professor, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus and Researcher, The Agricultural Experimental Station of Puerto Rico

Class of 2009

Elsy Thomas Kizhakethalackal, Associate Professor of Economics and Chair, Applied Sciences Department, Bowling Green State University-Firelands College

Meszaros Matyas Tamas, Statistical Office, Eurostat, Luxembourg

Class of 2008

Sagarika Mishra, Lecturer in Finance, Deakin University, Australia

Tadesse Biru Wodajo, Economist,Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security

Aberra Senbeta, Associate Professor of Economics, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Class of 2007

Alemayehu Ambel, World Bank, Washington, D.C.

Lezheng Liu, Associate Professor, Central University of Economics and Finance, Beijing

Dawit Senbet, Professor and Chair, University of Northern Colorado

Blen Solomon, Associate Professor of Economics, Flagler College

Class of 2006

Martha Cruz-Zuniga, Associate Professor and Chair of Economics, The Catholic University of America

Peng "Roc" Huang, Associate Professor of Finance and Economics, Arkansas Tech University

Isabel Ruiz, Fellow and Tutor in Economics, International Development, Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Carlos Vargas-Silva, Senior Researcher, The Migration Observatory, Migration and Development, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Class of 2005

Sonila Beliu, Executive Director, CCAR Modeling Head for Auto and SL Portfolios, JP Morgan-Chase

Seife Dendir, Professor of Economics, Radford University

Elias Kedir Shukralla, Assistant Professor of Economics, Qatar University

Yuanlei Zhu, Senior Manager, Investment Strategy and Client Services, Zhang Financial

Class of 2004

Yasemin Bardakci

Mohamed El-Sayed, Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Qatar

Ashraf Galal Eid, Assistant Professor of Public Economics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Finance and Economics Department, Saudi Arabia

Class of 2003

Md. Habibur Rahman, General Manager, Policy Support Wing, Governor Secretariat, Bangladesh Bank, The Central Bank of Bangladesh, Head Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Rajeev Sooreea, Assistant Professor of International Business, Dominican University of California

Bedassa Tadesse, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota-Duluth

Sayera Younus, Deputy General Manager, Monetary Policy Department, Bangladesh Bank, The Central Bank of Bangladesh, Head Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Class of 2002

Khaled I. Abdel-Kader, Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund

Fasika Dante Haile, Senior Modeling Manager, Comerica, Dallas, TX

Adugna Lemi, Chair, Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts-Boston

Class of 2001

Dan-Alex Balan

Alketa Hysenbegasi, Managing Director, The Bank of New York-Mellon

Iona R. Mazare, Segment Marketing Manager, United Parcel Service Corporate Offices, Atlanta

Class of 2000

Michael Mamo, Associate Professor of Economics, Westminster College, Salt Lake City

Class of 1998

Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes, Professor of Economics, University of California-Merced, IZA Research Fellow and Research Associate at centrA: Fundacion Centro de Estudios Adaluces, and Fellow at Cream and FEDEA