Stocks Essay winners focus on lottery, paying student athletes

Michael Kuhns, an Economics major at Youngstown State University, placed first in the 12th annual Stocks Essay contest for his paper about a new kind of lottery that would help players save money for retirement.

Jared McGarry, a Business Administration major, came in second for an essay arguing in favor of the NCAA allowing student athletes to keep a share of the monetary surplus they create, while third place was shared by Luke Hetzel, a Mathematics and Economics major, and Nathan Chiclowe, Accounting major.

Finalists include Ty Arlesic (Finance), Alexa Coburn (Finance), Ethan Gerak (Integrated Language Arts), Jonathan Snyder (Mathematics/Economics), Ashley Starzyk (Business), Reilly Todd (Pre-Business), Tina Zheng (Business Accounting) and Zane Zook (Economics).

The contest, organized by the YSU Economics Department and College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and named after long-time Economics Chair Anthony Stocks, was completed online this year. Students identified an economic problem, considered it from different points of view, and then suggested an evidence-based public policy solution. A jury of five Economics faculty judged the essays.

Normally, finalists are recognized at the Economics Department’s academic year-end honors banquet. The banquet has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.