Dr. Sandra Trejos, professor of economics in PennWest Department of Finance, Accounting and Economics, was a panelist for the American Economic Association Conference in Washington, D.C., in June. She presented during the Efficient and Effective Teaching panel discussion.

 

“With our encouragement, students can gain confidence and knowledge while discovering what they are capable of doing,” Trejos said. “We need to set a frontier that is challenging and human, rigorous and clear, while still aware of the fact that students are living a life (they have their fears, their limitations, their hopes and dreams). Students need to learn content, but they also need mentors. advisors who care for their success, their excellence.”

 

She added that during stressful times, days of little sleep, and challenges of all sorts, students may need some mentoring and support that does not sacrifice the rigor in the classroom, but that can uplift the person, so productivity increases not at the expense of the emotional or physical health of those with whom we interact.  

 

“Regardless of the type of institution, we are called to make economics accessible and inclusive,” Trejos said.