Yan He, second from right, is one of two master’s candidates in applied economic and policies honoured with the program’s highest Cumulative Grade Point Average award. Congratulating her are program co-ordinator Yahong Zhang, director Jay Rhee, and dean of science Chris Houser.
Students in the inaugural cohort of the Master of Applied Economics and Policy program gathered with instructors, staff and administrators December 8 in Vanier Hall to celebrate their successes as they prepare to graduate.
The program launched in September 2015 with 21 students, who have just two final examinations to complete the 16-month course of study. Designed to bridge economic theory and practice, it has been gaining in popularity, says director Jay Rhee.
“Our second cohort has 38 students,” Dr. Rhee says. “The size of the program almost doubled within a year.”
In addition to fellowship and food, the event featured the conferral of the first awards for highest Cumulative Grade Point Average. Recipients Yan He and Xixian Wu are both international students from China.
Yan said she hadn’t been expecting the award: “It was a nice surprise to me.”