Maggie Kayll`23

Economics

I've been an economics major throughout my time at William & Mary and I've never regretted my choice in major for a second. Although I arrived at William & Mary having never taken a higher-level economics class, I quickly fell in love with the subject after taking Principles of Microeconomics. I've had the opportunity to do a significant amount of research in my field throughout my time at the College. I'm currently working on two research projects alongside William & Mary professors. My first is with Dr. Tate Twinam, an urban economist, and econometrician. Our main focus has been mapping out various zoning regions over time in various American cities and comparing them to housing trends today. I also work with Dr. Lisa Anderson, a game theorist, and experimental economist. In this project, we are studying how networks between businesses are formed, and what an optimal solution in network formation may be. Additionally, as a Monroe Scholar, in my freshman year, I had the opportunity to produce independent research in economics with Dr. Jennifer Mellor, a health economist, acting as my advisor. This research was then presented to a wide variety of scholars. I will be working on a similar project this upcoming summer for my junior year. Overall, my studies in game theory, urban economics, and other fields have helped me realize the importance of socioeconomic issues in a variety of matters, and have shaped my interest in entering law once I graduate.

Esports

Admittedly, before college, esports was never a field I even considered entering. However, the rapidly evolving nature of the industry and the potential it contains is what intrigued me to dive into the subject further. Esports is a form of competitive sports involving video games. It has rapidly become a billion-dollar industry and is one of the fastest-growing sectors on the Internet. At William & Mary, I am an Esports Pioneer and one of the Heads of Media & Communications, which is the highest administrative position available to students within the department. Among other things, my position entails me running the W&M Esports social media pages, planning major events surrounding the esports players (such as photoshoots, outings, fundraising, and more), and working alongside a wide range of incredible students to support a rapidly growing program. In the short amount of time the program has been active, we've gained hundreds of students, 8 separate esports, and a lifetime of experiences for those involved. In addition to my work at William & Mary, I work as a data analyst for a major esports company, where I meet with industry professionals both in and outside of esports every day to provide content to our audience. Overall, my experience in esports was originally completely unexpected; however, I have learned to love the enthusiasm and ambition that the industry contains.