Loyola student receives Research in Economics Fellowship

Sara Coyle, ’22, a quantitative economics major and biology and information systems minor, received the Summer Research in Economics Fellowship at Loyola University Maryland to conduct research on food access and quality in Baltimore this summer.

Coyle, who is originally from Saylorsurg, Pa., will use her scholarship to examine the relationship between neighborhood characteristics—such as the quality, quantity, and price of grocery stores and fast-food establishments; levels of physical inactivity in the neighborhood; and how much money people spend on food away from home—and obesity rates, with a specific focus on Baltimore City. Jeremy Schwartz, Ph.D., associate professor of economics Faculty will serve as Coyle’s faculty mentor.

“I have wanted to conduct research in economics since my senior year in high school, so this is an amazing and exciting opportunity,” said the Campus Outreach Coordinator for the Loyola SuperFans and member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), Alpha Sigma Nu (ASN), & Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE). “I'm honored to have been selected for it, and I am excited to learn new skills and apply what I've been learning in my classes to something I am passionate about.”

After graduation, Coyle plans to attend graduate school and continue her research in economics.

“Until now, research opportunities in economics have been very limited,” said Andrew Samuel, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of economics. “Thanks to the generosity of an alumnus, who was himself one of those students who wanted to conduct research in economics while at Loyola, this is now possible. The economics faculty are excited to have the resources to collaborate with students on research. We hope that this will lead to many joint student-faculty publications in the coming years, which will strengthen our ability to place graduates into top Ph.D. programs and careers in economic consulting and research.”

A recent gift from Jack Barrow, ’13, co-founder and the chief executive officer of renewable energy startup BTR Energy, and his mother, award winning author (Small Moments: A Child’s Memories of the Civil Rights Movement) and retired co-founder of Coolibar, a sun protective clothing company, Mary Barrow, of $15,000 each per annum will fund the Summer Research in Economics Fellowship for three years.

“During my time at Loyola, the faculty in the economics department created a completely unique opportunity for me, which is indicative of their commitment to the success of Loyola students,” said Barrow, who was a member of the FED Challenge Team and Economics Society while at Loyola. “Our gift is meant to ensure that opportunity is available to current and future Loyola students so that they may similarly benefit from working alongside their professors and from learning about ways they can apply their intellectual curiosities to the real world."

Barrow manages the development and implementation of BTR Energy’s corporate strategy, principal level client and regulator engagement, capital raises, and investor relations. Prior to BTR Energy, Barrow was a founding partner of the management consulting company CEB's corporate venture fund. He started his career as a research analyst at CEB after graduating from Loyola with a bachelor’s degree in quantitative economics.