2005 Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Michael L. Powell is a community college transfer student from West Valley College in Northern California and the first person in his immediate family to attend a university. He is currently a fifth year undergraduate at UCLA, simultaneously pursuing a BA in economics with a minor in mathematics and an MA in economics through the departmental scholar program. In addition, he is in the process of applying to graduate schools.

Future Plans: Upon graduation this June and completion of the comprehensive examination for his master’s degree, Michael L. Powell will hopefully be entering a PhD program at a top five university. He is interested in the broad application of economic theory to real world problems. More specifically, he is interested in studying the effects of altruism and reciprocity on consumer and firm behavior. After graduate school, Michael hopes to become a professor at a research university.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: In light of family health problems, I was beginning to question whether or not it would be possible for me to attend UCLA for my fifth year and finish up the requirements for my master’s degree. Fortunately, the Robert D. and Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship allowed me to complete my final year, and it also greatly softened the financial blow of applying to graduate schools. Words cannot express my gratitude for the opportunities this scholarship has granted me.