Student Work
This collection contains works by students in the Department of Economics at the University of Northern Iowa.
To go to the Department of Economics page, click here.
Submissions from 2024
An Analysis of Post-War Economic Growth in the Balkans, Edina Tahirovic Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Reexamination of College Students’ Behaviors and Knowledge of Recycling, Ella Hilbrant Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Effect of Gender-Based Occupational Segregation on Women's Earnings in the United States and Canada, Jadyn Grace Milius Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2023
Better Solutions to Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Access: Giving Away Vaccines Rather than Vaccine Formulas, Tristen Prouse Open Access Honors Program Thesis
How to Not Save the World from COVID-19: The Dire Consequences of Giving Away the Vaccine Formula [poster], Tristen Prouse Open Access Poster Presentation
Submissions from 2021
Evaluating college students' attitudes and understanding of recycling, Taylor Shipley Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Homeownership by race: Factors that explain the homeownership gap between blacks and whites, Sarah Madsen Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2020
An Analysis of the Secondary Market for Live Music and Complementary Goods, Trevor Wangsness
An empirical analysis on major league soccer player earnings, Aaron Michael Anderson Iehl Open Access Honors Program Thesis
A statistical analysis of the NFL draft, Jaedon Bettle Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Can Doing Good Reduce Risk? Corporate Social Responsibility and Risk for Firms in Controversial Industries, Emily Iehl
Determinants of long-term care insurance: Are spouses substitutes?, Jacob Harold-Matthew Haag Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Measuring Earnings Through Performance: A Replication of the Return to Skill of PGA Tour Golfers, Chase A. Collins
Using the Home-Underdog Theory to Test the Efficiency of the NFL Sports Gambling Market, DJ Loutsch
What Determines Whether or Not Individuals Purchase Long Term Care Insurance [Poster], Jacob Harold-Matthew Haag Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Submissions from 2019
Alcohol and marijuana: Substitutes or complements and a deeper evaluation of marijuana prohibition, Nicholas Andrew Brown Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Determinants of Box Office Performance: Return of the Regressions, Griffin Scott
Examining the NCAA selection process for bias against mid-majors, Jackson Twait Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Foreign-born workers' effect on agricultural industry in Iowa, Hannah McDevitt Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Maternal Mortality in the U.S., Christine Shipley
The effects of casinos on unemployment: A county level analysis, Sally Anne St. Clair Kron Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Effects of Relative Wages and Border Enforcement on Illegal Immigration, Aaron Iehl
Valuation Multiples: Identifying Undervalued Stocks From 1987 to 2017, Luke Muller
Submissions from 2018
English proficiency and earnings of U.S. immigrants, Toni F. Moeller Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Gentrification in Polk County, Iowa, Danielle Massey
Identifying the Risk Factors for Food Insecurity in the United States, Destiny Leitz
Marriage premium among homosexual men in the United States, Cole Robert Malcolm Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Should Division I College Athletes Receive Compensation in Excess of their Scholarships?, Trey Kilburg
Technological Unemployment in the United States: A State-Level Analysis, Courtney Krousie
Submissions from 2017
An Analysis of the Causal Relationship Between Transportation and GDP: A Time-Series Approach for the United States, Arijan Alagic
Determinants of IPO Underpricing: Tech vs Non-Tech Industries, Jordan Beck
Factors Affecting Student Graduation Rates, Kaleb Luse Open Access Poster Presentation
Major depressive disorder in adults: Determining demographic causes and links between health insurance and government aid, Taylor Lillian Fox Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The 2008 Financial Recession and Fair Value Accounting, Anthony Hurlburt
The Effect of Childhood Siblings on Adult Income, Heather Bavido Open Access Poster Presentation
The effects of governance and inequality on economic growth, Ethan James Philo Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Gender Pay Gap in College Basketball: Is Discrimination the Driving Factor?, Melissa Ament
The Return of the Machinery Question: Is it different this time?, Kaleb Luse
Submissions from 2016
2014 Welfare Use by Immigrants vs. Natives in the United States, Jessica Pabst
Changing the Calculus: An Investigation of Undergraduate Economics Program Quality, Lindsey Pedersen
Determinants of NBA Average Annual Attendance by Team, Kevin Joseph McGee Open Access Poster Presentation
Determinants of per game average annual attendance for NBA teams, Kevin Joseph McGee Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Determinants of the GPA's of College Students, Mitchell Beckman Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Elasticity of Food Demand by Outlet: Effects of the Nutrition Labeling Provision of the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McGee
Examining the renewable energy consumption-economic growth nexus in sub-Saharan African countries, Luke Neuhaus Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Factors Influencing College Choice: A Study of Enrollment Decisions at a Regional Comprehensive University, Trevor Draisey
Health Savings Accounts: Benefits, Costs, and Potential Effects, Conrad Keezer
The determinants of NFL player salaries, Trevor Draisey Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The effects of colonial origin on economic growth, Erica Lynn Pabst Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The Efficiency of the Major League Baseball Free-Agent Market, Jacob Oswald
Submissions from 2015
By How Much Does a College Degree Affect Earnings?, Jennifer Lewis
Does religion affect economic growth?, Parash Upreti Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Easterlin or Cantril: Does a Country’s Income Determine its People’s Happiness?, Jon Heinzman
Factors Affecting Economic Growth in Developing Countries, Parash Upreti
Higher education expenditures and revenues : a case study on the University of Northern Iowa, Thomas Keld Madsen Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Latinos in the Major Leagues from 1920 to 1939: A Human Capital Approach, Tom Cullen
Submissions from 2014
Automation and the Labor Force, Loren Nerhus
Determinants of college hockey attendance, Max Martino Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Determinants of poverty and strategies to reduce poverty in Cambodia, Beth A. Monnier Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
From College to the NFL Playoffs: An Analysis of Individual Contribution to Team Success, Elizabeth Mastalio Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Royal Flush or Just a Bluff: Casinos and County Unemployment in the Midwestern United States, Amber Irlmeier
The Final Four Formula: A Binary Choice Logit Model to Predict the SemiFinalists of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, Cameron Fuqua
Were Revenues of National Basketball Association Franchises Affected by the Tim Donaghy Gambling Scandal of 2007?, Travis Buhrow
What Motivates U.S. Food Aid Donations? Characteristics of Countries That Received Food Aid from the U.S. in 2012, Beth Monnier
What variables explain differences in coaching salaries for Division I women's sports?, Tyler Lange Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2013
Differences in Child Care Costs Between States and Their Influence on Female Labor Force Participation, Kirstin Knobloch
Does Success on the Grid-Iron and Court Increase Applications to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Schools?, Andrew Dykstra
Do NHL Teams Regard Violence as a Positive Player Attribute and Thus Compensate for Violent Acts?, Mitch Zimmerman
Education and Fertility: The Effect of Field of Study on Women’s Fertility Decisions, Emily Scholtes
Would the 1995 Balanced Budget Amendment be an Effective Mechanism for Stabilizing Public Debt?, James Harbaugh
Submissions from 2012
Economic Development Strategy: The Creative Capital Theory, Zach Fairlie
Explaining Differences in Unemployment Rates across Iowa Counties in the Early Stages of the Great Recession, Joslyn Sailer
"The Effect of Basic Financial Literacy on Choice of College Major": A Study of Accounting and Education Majors at a Four-Year University in the Midwest, Austin Prescott Foster Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Effects of Property Rights on Ocean Resources: Two Possible Solutions to the Tragedy of the Commons, Nathan David Miller Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Most Influential Factors in Determining the Happiness of Nations, Julie Lang
What is the Source of the Male Marital Wage Premium?, Aaron Strike
Why Do Corporations Donate? An Analysis of Factors Affecting Corporate Philanthropy, Patrick Luensmann Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Why do Firms Repurchase Stock?, Jordan Voss
Submissions from 2011
An Analysis of Financial Leverage and the 2007-2009 Financial Crisis, Larissa A. French Open Access Honors Program Thesis
An Examination of Law School Employment Data, Trevor Boeckmann
Current Account Imbalances Within the Eurozone, Tom Augspurger
Determinants of Economic Growth in Latin America, Kristi Philips
The Built Environment’s Effect on Obesity in the United States, Charlie Cowell
What Determines the Performance of Graduates? Evidence From Top Business Schools, Matt Peterson
Submissions from 2010
Can the ‘Fat Tax’ Carry its Weight?, Carl Bakker
Competitive Balance and Team Payroll: The Case of Major League Baseball, Tyler Veach
The Motherhood Wage Penalty in America, Jennifer A. Boden
U.S. Animal Agriculture Policy: Problems and Solutions, Steven Mischel
Submissions from 2009
Building a Business: Baker & Associates CPA, Heath Baker Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Does Race Affect the Salaries of NFL Players?, Joshua Patrick Mahoney Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Effects of a Credit Crunch on Employment by Sector in the U.S.: How have Recessions Associated with Credit Crunches Differed from Other Recessions?, Michael Boevers
Racial Salary Discrimination in the NBA: 2008-2009, Kyle Rehnstrom
The Economics of Golf: An Investigation of the Returns to Skill of PGA Tour Golfers, Kelsey L. Rinehart
The Validity of Karl Marx’s Theory of Historical Materialism, Kaleb Shimp
What Determines the Level of Funding for an Endangered Species?, Josh Mahoney
Women's Labor Markets in Costa Rica, Kelsey Rinehart Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2008
Adam Smith and Consumerism's Role in Happiness: Modern Society Reexamined, Michael Busch Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Adam Smith and Consumerism’s Role in Happiness: Modern Society Re-examined, Michael Busch
Has Thailand Learned from the Asian Crisis of 1997?, Kuejai Jungjaturapit
Health Care Reform: An Examination of the Case for Individual Mandates, Sarah Schares
Is Wikipedia a Credible Source for Undergraduate Economics Students?, Sam Meier
Microcredit in Developing Countries: Evaluating Programs for Poverty Alleviation, Kelly Sue Nessa Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Determinants of Audit Prices for Financial Services Institutions in the United States, Kevin Swanson
What Role Should Subsidies Play for Microfinance Institutions, Emily Anne Cormaney Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Who Should Own the Air?: A Closer Look at Smoking Bans, Stacy McMullen Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2007
An Economic Critique of Birch and Cobb’s The Liberation of Life, Wei-erh Chen
Poverty Reduction: An Evaluation of Micro Finance and Foreign Aid, Wade Summers Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Should the United States Increase the Federal Gasoline Tax?, Jake Ferguson
The Implications of Eminent Domain in a Post-Kelo World, Brock L. Toll
The Private Rates of Return to Undergraduate Education by Major, Nick Johnson Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Wage Differentiation Among University Professors: Evidence from UNI’s College of Business Administration, Christine Bergeth
What Determines the Performance of Graduates? Selection Versus Quality: Evidence from Top Law Schools, Eric Marshall
Submissions from 2006
Analyzing the Debate over Offshore Outsourcing in the Service Industry: Is there a Reason for Concern?, Gwynn VanderWeerdt
Should Corporate Farming be Limited in the United States?: An Economic Perspective, Nathan Wittmaack
Should Corporate Farming Be Limited In the United States?: An Economic Perspective, Nathan Alan Wittmaack Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Earned Income Tax Credit, Taxes, and Food Stamps: Their Effects on Minimum Wage Workers by State, Aaron William Popp Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Economic Implications of Price Rounding, Steven Meester
The Economic Inefficiency of Title IX, Alicia Irons
The Effects of Natural Disasters on Long Run Growth, Aaron Popp
The factors influencing the price of beef, an econometric study, John David Kamienski Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Submissions from 2005
An Analysis of the effect of a loser-pays rule on the decisions of an American litigant, Jaime Leigh Loos Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Terrorism and Multinational Corporations: International Business Deals with the Costs of Geopolitical Conflict, John J. Mazzarella
The Economic Argument Against Estate Tax Repeal, Stephen Paul Skram Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Economics of Mandatory Biotech Food Labeling in the United States, William J. Gongol
The Effect of a Loser-Pays Rule on the Decisions of an American Litigant, Jaime Leigh Loos
The Efficient Markets Hypothesis Dethroned, Jed Ellerbroek
The Impact of Computers and Globalization on U.S. Wage Inequality, Jana Kerkvliet
Submissions from 2004
A Look at the Inefficiencies of the U.S. Tort System and Reforms to Correct Them, Ryan Koopmans
Ending an Internet Auction: Is eBay's Approach Optimal?, Andrew Behrens
R & D Exchange in a Duopoly with Strong Patent Protection, Nicholas Sly
The Relationship between Team Payroll and Team Performance in the National Hockey League, Brandi Glasnapp
Submissions from 2003
A Cost Benefit Study of Banning Leaf Burning in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Joshua Van Kley
E-Commerce: Choosing the Appropriate Tax Model, Jeffrey A. Scudder
Flaws in the Kyoto Protocol's Pollution Permit System, Adam Mellem
Legal and Economic Strategies for International Intellectual Property Protection: The Case of Software, Liz Dunshee
The Role of Athletics in Higher Education, Ryan Miller
Submissions from 2002
The Private Prison Debate: A Look into the Efficiency of Private Prisons vs. Public Prisons, Megan Swanson
The State Lottery Tax: An Equity Analysis, Ben Smith
Submissions from 2001
A Game Worth Playing? The Distributional Effects of Casino Gambling: An Emphasis on Iowa, Brad Rolling
China: Unfulfilled Promise, Matthew Gernes
Consumer Views on Genetically Modified Crops, Levente Timar
Cops and Robbers: Looking at the Interdependent Relationship Between Police and Crime Using Differential Equations, Matthew Cole
The Economic Agenda of Catholic Social Teaching: The Framework for a Normative Social Theory, Michael D. Russell
Submissions from 2000
A New Era in American Agriculture, Peter Hosch
Income Inequality and Economic Growth: An Empirical Study About the Effects of Economic Growth on Income Distribution, Steve Schuler
Population Trends in Rural Iowa: Decline and Recovery, Jake Hansen
The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Transition Economies, with Special Emphasis on the Republic of Croatia, Marko Svetina
Trade Adjustment Assistance: Past Issues, Current Concerns, and a Possible Solution, Mike Hanson
Submissions from 1999
Demand-Side Determinants of Wage Inequality, Corey Lorenzen
Parade of Protection: A Survey of the European Reaction to the Passage of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, Mark Milder
The Search for a Simple, Efficient, Less Intrusive Substitute for Our Current Income Tax System, Aaron Sauerbrei
Trade Liberalization and Environmental Quality: Opposing Viewpoints, Additional Issues, and the Necessity of Intervention, John R. Ubben
Submissions from 1997
Game theory and its practical applications, Angela M. Koos Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
The economic impact of the University of Northern Iowa on the state of Iowa, Marshall Blaine Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Submissions from 1996
An argument for the nationalization of railroad rights-of-way, John T. Flint Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Submissions from 1995
Multiple regression analysis on the S & P 500 index, Barry White Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Submissions from 1993
Having it all - fact of fiction?: The effects of marriage and motherhood on the career patterns and earnings of women accountants, Holly R. Mahan Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Submissions from 1991
The use of selected economic indicators in regression analysis to test semi-strong market efficiency of asset pricing, Kevin E. Pearson Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Submissions from 1990
Lottery fever: Is it healthy?, Joel E. Abrahamson Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
