RAE'JOHNESMITH
This winter break I will be participating in a study abroad program that will take me (along with 40 other students) across the Caribbean by ship and will dock at roughly 8 locales. While on the ship and once we return for the next semester, we will be studying Caribbean literature and linguistics. This course (and study abroad experience) will help me to build upon my knowledge about the Caribbean and contribute to my professional writings about the West Indies.​
SENIOR THESIS
I am currently enrolled in Senior Seminar for economics majors where I am tasked with writing a senior thesis on the macroeconomic or microeconomic topic of my choosing. I have partnered with two other Spelman students to write an econometric paper on whether or not educational attainment has the propensity to eliminate the gender wage gap. We estimate that this thesis will be over 100 pages in length. I plan to post a copy of this thesis upon completion.​
This semester I was contacted by the Department of Economics to serve as a notetaker for students in the department who have received proper documentation from the Office of Disability Services that they need assistance with notetaking. Instead of receiving compensation, I decided to do this for free as a way of giving back to the Department. I hope to continue this volunteerism into the next semester.​