Congratulations to Dr. Patrick Walsh, the first student to earn a Ph.D. in Economics from the College of Business Administration. Walsh received his diploma during the recent summer commencement. His research area was the impact of water quality in lakes on local property prices. He was impressed with the program and particularly recommends it to students interested in the fields of experimental economics and environmental economics. “There are several faculty members who are well connected to important networks in these areas. Also, the department is very good at obtaining grants and publishing in excellent academic journals. The program enables students to actively participate in research in these fields,” he said. Walsh has relocated to Washington D.C. where he has begun working for the Environmental Protection Agency.