International economics honor society recognizes students for academic excellence

Eighteen students were inducted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon economics honor society.

By Caroline Perry ’18

Elon’s chapter of the international economics honor society Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE) inducted 18 students in an April 11 ceremony.

ODE, one of the world’s largest academic honor societies with 696 chapters located around the world, recognizes scholastic accomplishments and honors outstanding achievements in economics. Members are undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours of economics courses, and have a GPA of 3.0 or better in economics courses and an overall GPA of at least 3.0.

Associate Professor of Economics Gregory Lilly delivered the ceremony’s keynote address. He spoke about how professional economists have done a relatively poor job of helping our society deal with the economic rise of China. This failure may be one reason why millions of Americans voted for Donald Trump despite Trump’s general disdain for the principles of economics, Lilly said.

Lilly joined Elon’s faculty in the fall of 1990, and served as chair of the Department of Economics from 1999 to 2006. He teaches “Principles of Economics,” “Intermediate Microeconomic Theory,” “Experimental Economics,” and the first-year seminar “Global Experiences,” and has co-led the study abroad experience “Business and Culture of Vietnam.”

Lilly has a doctorate in economics from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University.

The 2017 spring inductees are:

  • Steven Bendit
  • Christopher Boericke
  • Harrison Conner
  • Nicholas Groll
  • Stephen Idol
  • Jacob Jimenez
  • Quinn Kennedy
  • Nicholas Kyle
  • Katherine Lamb
  • Megan McCaffrey
  • Tierney McDonnell
  • Luz Mendoza
  • Calvin Mincer
  • Adrian Pomeroy
  • Catherine Ray
  • Lauren Ray
  • Alexandra Stone
  • Sean Webber

The Elon chapter is led by its President Ken Crew and Vice President Austin Martin. Assistant Professor of Economics Brandon Sheridan serves as the faculty advisor.