Please help the Department of Economics support graduate students through a graduate fellowship! Supporting graduate students is a current top priority for the department. Economics graduate students conduct research, teach, and inspire undergraduates, creating a valuable bridge between professors and students. Talented graduate students are in high demand, and other institutions use generous aid packages to attract them. Graduate fellowships help us recruit and retain these outstanding scholars.
We are extremely grateful to share that Lau Christensen is willing to provide a challenge gift of $35,000 each year for the next five years (2025–29) if the department receives a total of $30,000 in donations per year by November 30 of each year for the next five years. Your gifts through Fill the Hill will count toward this match opportunity. This total of $65,000 in gifts each year would support a full fellowship called the Economics Advisory Board Graduate Fellowship Fund.
Lau Christensen has a long history with the Department of Economics, serving on the faculty from 1967 to 1987. During that time, he published 65 articles in leading economics journals and established himself as an authority on applied microeconomics, economic evaluation, and econometric modeling. Lau has served on the Economics Advisory Board since 2009. Lau and his wife, Bea, are integral members of the philanthropic community in Madison and beyond. If you’d like to learn more about their life of giving together, we highly recommend this short tribute video.