University of Chicago’s Expanding Diversity in Economics (EDE) program has just completed its initial MentorPRO pilot.

University of Chicago’s Expanding Diversity in Economics (EDE) program has just completed its initial MentorPRO pilot.

July 30, 2024

University of Chicago’s Expanding Diversity in Economics Completes it’s Summer Pilot Program

The University of Chicago’s Expanding Diversity in Economics (EDE) program, an initiative by the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) and the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at Brookings, has just completed its initial MentorPRO pilot. Designed to broaden diversity within the field of economics, EDE’s Summer Program supports undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds, offering an intensive “economics boot camp” where they can learn professional development skills relevant to the field. The curriculum offers a mix of academic courses, networking opportunities, and skill-building sessions aimed at fostering professional development. Participants also engaged in applied-learning projects (e.g., data analysis skills), providing practical experience to complement their academic learning. 

This summer, EDE integrated mentoring into their programming, providing mentorship to participating students as they prepare for and navigate through the residential summer program, hosted at the University of Chicago. Students remained in direct contact with their mentors and mentoring groups through MentorPRO’s messaging and meeting tools, allowing them to meet peers in the program and receive regular guidance from a mentor. MentorPRO Academy was leveraged to provide mentor training (e.g., Supportive Accountability: Helping your Mentees Reach their Goals), as well as teach students how to find and recruit their own mentors through the Connected Futures: the Science of Building Social Capital course.

For more information on EDE’s programming and mentoring activities, visit the program’s webpage.