In This Issue:
- What's New in the Economics Department?
- Economics Majors Benefit from Scholarships
- Behrend Student Team Launches Artificial Intelligence Consulting Company
- Faculty Spotlight
- Alumni Spotlight
- Student Spotlight
- SUE Club Updates
- SUE Spring Trip Plans Underway
What's New in the Economics Department?
Kerry A. Adzima, PH.D., Discipline Lead, Business Economics and Economics programs, Associate Professor, Economics
The Economics department is off to a great start for the 2025-26 academic year. The faculty recently met with advisory board members and discussed possible initiatives to ensure the Business Economics and Economics majors align with an AI-driven landscape. In addition, we hope to add new faces to the board to garner even more specialized advice, ensuring graduates have the AI-related skills employers are expecting.
In other news, Dr. Ken Louie is on sabbatical for the 2025-26 academic year, working on a multi-year research project. A $775,438 grant from the National Science Foundation supports his research, which focuses on radically transforming the operation and management of facilities by introducing digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to improve operational efficiency. His specific focus is on analyzing the broader economic and social impact of this technology. Although we know students miss Dr. Louie in the classroom, we are pleased that he can take this year to focus on research, and we look forward to learning more about his findings.
Finally, I encourage all students currently taking (and enjoying) an introductory microeconomics or macroeconomics course to consider a Business Economics and Economics major or the Applied Economics minor. Economics pairs very well with so many other business majors (as well as non-business majors) and the skills you gain from taking economics courses can be applied to so many different fields—so it deserves a second look. Get in touch with me and I’ll tell you all about the possibilities!
Dr. Kerry Adzima, Discipline Lead, Business Economics and Economics programs
Economics Majors Benefit from Scholarships
Students are reminded that Penn State Behrend offers two scholarships for students pursuing a degree in Economics.
The Heintz Family Scholarship for Economics was established in 2020 and is for full-time undergraduate students majoring in, or plan to major in, Economics at Behrend.
The Larry D. Neizmik and Charlotte A. Neizmik Scholarship in Economics was established in 2021 and is for full-time undergraduate students who are at least in their third year and are pursuing a degree in the Black School of Business. Preference is given to students who are majoring in Economics or Business Economics.
Behrend Student Team Launches Artificial Intelligence Consulting Company
Andrew Jack Bond and Cadence Rand studied the effects of artificial intelligence on the workforce while doing undergraduate research in Penn State Behrend’s Black School of Business. Now, they’ve spun what they learned into a business of their own.
Cadence Rand and Andrew Bond were recently featured in a Penn State news piece highlighting the company they co-founded, Bond-Rand Technologies. Bond, a 2024 business economics and computer science dual-major graduate, and Rand, a business economics and finance student, met while conducting research at the Economic Research Institute of Erie (ERIE), an outreach center at the Black School of Business.
Over the summer, they launched Bond-Rand Technologies, a consulting firm that helps organizations integrate AI in ways that protect workers. The business conducts on-site analysis of a company’s operations to identify where AI can boost efficiency with minimal disruption to the workforce.
Learn more about these two students and their journey.
Faculty Spotlight
Larry Neizmik, Part-Time Lecturer, Economics
Larry Neizmik, Part-Time Lecturer, Economics
Larry Neizmik, a long-time adjunct, teaches ECON 102 Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy, ECON 104 Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy, and ECON 351 Money and Banking. The introductory courses establish core tools—constrained optimization, equilibrium reasoning, and basic data literacy—so students can analyze incentives and market structure with discipline. ECON 351 then applies those tools to banking.
Every semester, practitioners from Northwest Bank, Erie Bank, Marquette Savings Bank, Nextier Bank, and Raymond James join Professor Neizmik’s classes to translate classroom methods into hiring expectations and workflow.
How long have you taught at Behrend, and what was your last position prior to joining Behrend?
I started in August 2014, and this is my twelfth year teaching. I worked at Northwest Bank for over 28 years, retiring as corporate vice president in charge of education and training.
What made you decide to teach?
Teaching is something I have always wanted to do. I enjoy being part of the campus and working with young people, especially since I graduated with an undergraduate degree in business economics from Penn State and later received an M.B.A. from Behrend. I have strong ties to the school.
What’s the proudest moment of your career as a part-time faculty member?
What I find most rewarding is sitting down with a student who is struggling and working with them to help them understand the material. When you see them understand the material better, it is very rewarding to know that I was able to help in a meaningful way.
Alumni Spotlight
Nicole Kittelberger '20
Nicole Kittelberger '20
Nicole graduated from Penn State Behrend in 2020 with dual majors in Finance and International Business, complemented by a minor in Spanish. Her professional journey commenced on Wall Street in New York City at UBS, a Swiss bank, where she successfully completed a rigorous twenty-one-month rotational program. She subsequently specialized in equity research, focusing on the industrials and materials sectors on the buy-side.
Desiring a change of pace, Kittelberger transitioned into corporate finance, relocating to Montana to serve in financial planning and analysis for a small biomedical company. While her tenure there was productive, she candidly acknowledges that her primary motivation was indulging her passion for skiing.
She then moved to San Francisco, where she currently contributes her expertise in corporate financial planning and analysis at Lyft, a leading rideshare technology firm.
Reflecting on her educational and professional path, Kittelberger considers living in two major cities—New York and San Francisco—and experiencing life in a smaller city surrounded by nature a unique privilege. She expresses deep gratitude for the professors and resources at Behrend, emphasizing that the college’s Economics and Business departments were instrumental in enabling her to achieve significant early-career milestones, including roles on Wall Street and at a prominent tech unicorn. This trajectory attests to the expansive opportunities a Behrend education can provide.
Student Spotlight
Jack Mong '26
Jack Mong, Political Science and Economics dual major, class of 2026
Jack is a double major studying Political Science and Economics and plans to graduate in Spring 2026.
Why did you choose your majors?
When I first arrived at Behrend, I was in the Division of Undergraduate Studies and had no idea what I wanted to do. I signed up for classes that sounded interesting, and Intro to Macroeconomics and Political Science 001 quickly stole the show. I was immediately drawn to how both fields explain the systems that shape our lives. As I took more economics and political science courses, I realized how well the two disciplines complement each other. After a lot of guidance from some amazing professors and academic advisers, I realized I could pursue both, which made the choice easy.
If you had one do-over at Behrend, what would it be?
If I had a do-over at Behrend, I would get involved on campus sooner. While I don’t have any regrets, joining clubs, organizations, and events earlier would have enriched my experience even more.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received at Behrend?
The best advice I’ve received is not to view education solely as a pathway to a job. While career preparation matters, college is also about personal growth, exploration, and learning how to think critically.
What’s been your proudest moment at Behrend?
My proudest moment at Behrend was organizing my first successful event as a research assistant with the Public Policy Initiative. Seeing the event I helped plan and execute come to life, and witnessing the impact it had on attendees, was incredibly rewarding. It represented months of preparation, collaboration, and problem-solving, and showed me how hard work can create meaningful experiences for others.
What has surprised you about the study of economics?
Many people think economics is just about money, but it’s so much more than that. Economics is fundamentally the study of decision-making and human behavior, focusing on how incentives shape choices and how those choices interact across society. Learning about this deeper relationship is what has surprised me the most.
SUE Club Updates
In the spring, the Society of Undergraduate Economists Club sponsored the Spring Trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, where club members visited Coca-Cola Consolidated, Bank of America, and the Charlotte Knights. The club also hosted students and professionals for an evening of golf, food, and conversation at Five Iron Golf in downtown Erie.
Back on campus, weekly meetings offered club members a chance to debate economic stories of the year and read the club book, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. Club members enjoyed the chance to sharpen ideas and form friendships.
The end of the Fall 2025 semester brought changes to much of SUE’s leadership. President Vladimir Perez graduated in December. Vice President Dylan Donitzen has reached term limits and is helping steward the handoff. Treasurer Andrew Swartfager has moved on to the Business Analytics Team (BAT) Club.
SUE is holding elections for nominees to step into leadership. Along with filling vacancies, the club has two roles—press relations and marketing officer—to strengthen outreach and continuity. These changes are critical to SUE’s next chapter, and the club welcomes applicants from across Behrend’s many majors.
SUE Spring Trip Plans Underway
The 2026 Spring business trip is officially confirmed for March 25-28, 2026. The Black School of Business is heading to the Big Apple to take a lion-sized bite out of the city that never sleeps. In addition to meeting with companies on Wall Street, students will network with alumni at a mixer. Accommodations are at the Residence Inn in NYC, with bus transportation. Watch the trip website for updates, including registration fees and dates.