Graduate Spotlight: Diana Esters (WCU 2024)
We are always excited to highlight outstanding student-scholars who have played a vital role in Center’s projects and events. Diana Esters is a perfect example of such a student-scholar. In the fall of 2023, Diana was selected for the gift-funded, seminar class: Lunch over Liberty. The academic seminar hosted guest scholars who presented their ongoing research projects. Diana always offered excellent insights. Her questions often served as a focal point for ways the scholar could improve their working paper. In the spring of 2024, Diana was one of two WCU students to be named Lee Barnes Student Debate Fellows for the 2024 calendar year. As a fellow, Diana worked with me, another Western Carolina Student, and a College and Debates Discourse Alliance representative to hold two campus-wide debates in the spring and two in the fall. In the summer of 2024, Diana was intern at the American Institute of Economic Research (AIER) in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Just before the final fall debate, I interviewed Diana to learn more about her experience at WCU and AIER.
Diana Esters (second from the right) at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, Merrill Award Dinner, Reagan International Trade Center, Washington, DC, Oct. 24, 2024. Photos by: Zaid Hamid Photography. Copyright 2024. zaidhamid.com.
SM: Tell us a little about yourself.
DE: I am a senior at Western Carolina University studying Economics and Management. I am currently the lead Econ tutor with the Writing and Learning commons, as well as the Director of Communications for WCU’s Society for Human Resource Management chapter.
SM: What did you learn while interning at AIER?
SM: What was a typical day like at AIER?
DE: The workday mostly consisted of independent work and any discussion seminars or lunch talks being held that day. Often work would take the shape of collaborating with other interns, grad fellows, and AIER scholars to advance each other’s research projects, or just to discuss and explore topics of interest.
SM: You also attended a week-long seminar this summer. Tell us a little bit about the seminar.
Is a vote for a third-party candidate a wasted vote?
Election Day is less than two weeks away. As of Oct. 4, 2024, polls showed that 46.5% had an unfavorable opinion of Kamala Harris and 52.6% felt unfavorably toward Donald Trump. So, what about voting for a Presidential candidate from a different party?
On Wednesday, October 30th, the CSFE is co-sponsoring a debate on the resolution:
“A vote for a third-party candidate is a wasted vote.”
To participate, please register here: WCU Braver Angels Debate 10/30.
The event will take place in Forsyth 101. Food and beverage will be available at 6pm and the debate will begin at 6:30pm
See you soon!
Campus-wide debate No. 1 on the 2024 Election was a success!
On September 25th, the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise, Braver Angels, and the College Debate and Discourse Alliance cohosted a debate on the resolution:
Is Donald Trump a threat to democracy?
Over 95 students, faculty, and staff offered their views in support of and against the resolution. Speakers provided reasons for their opinions, and audience members asked questions to gain further insight into the speakers’ reasoning. Questions ranged from the robustness of our institutions to vote counting in Georgia, from Presidential power to January sixth, and from military authority to media bias. Many important avenues of thought were civilly and respectfully investigated and discussed. In the debrief, many students expressed how thankful they were that all speakers had a platform to offer their genuine thoughts and that those in attendance listened intently. One participant noted that there are so few welcoming spaces that allow for courteous, and yet probing questions on polarizing topics. 
The debate would not have been possible without Braver Angel Fellows Kevin Lavery and Diana Esters. Kevin was an outstanding chair who ensured speakers and audience members had ample time to voice their opinions and ask questions in a seamless manner. Diana Esters served as the whip by encouraging audience members to present their thoughts and ideas to the entire group by speaking from the podium.
The debate was may possible by the generous support of the Barnes Family Foundation.
The second debate will take place on October 30th at 6pm in Forsyth 101. The resolution will be: “A vote for a third-party candidate is a wasted vote.” Registration for the October 30th debate is here: WCU Braver Angels Debate 10/30.
Hosting two campus wide-debates this fall: September 25th & October 30th
This fall the CSFE will continue to co-sponsor events that offer students the opportunity to listen, learn, and discuss potentially polarizing topics through two campus-wide debates. Because 2024 is an election year, we polled students about eight possible resolutions pertaining to the election. Therefore, the debates will share a common theme of voting and democracy.
On September 25th at 6pm in Forsyth 101, the College Debates and Discourse Alliance and The Center for the Study of Free Enterprise at Western Carolina University will cohost a debate: “Donald Trump poses a threat to democracy.” Registration for the September 25th debate is here: WCU Braver Angels Debate 9/25.
On October 30th at 6pm in Forsyth 101 participants will debate: “A vote for a third-party candidate is a wasted vote.” Registration for the October 30th debate is here: WCU Braver Angels Debate 10/30.
Both debates will kick-off with two speakers presenting their arguments in favor of the resolution and two speakers presenting their arguments against the resolution. The chair of the debate will encourage the audience to question the speakers’ ideas and provide a platform for attendees to offer their own perspectives on the resolution.
The debates will be facilitated by Braver Angels fellows Diana Esters (’25) and Kevin Lavery (’25). At each debate, one will oversee the parliamentary format and ensure civility in disagreement as the chair of the proceedings. The other will facilitate the debate by encouraging audience members to present their thoughts and ideas to the entire group by speaking from the podium.
Food and drink will be served beginning at 6:00pm followed by the debate at 6:30pm.
First Economic Analysis Degree Graduates from Western Carolina University
Campus-Wide Debate: Gun free zones make people safer
Learning how to fully listen to others and respectively debate ideas is crucial to growth and learning. On April 22nd, Braver Angels and The Center for the Study of Free Enterprise at Western Carolina University, with support from the Barnes Family Foundation, cohosted a debate:
Gun free zones make people safer.
Over 70 students and community members participated in the discussion. The evening was full of thoughtful speakers for and against the motion. Braver Angel fellows Diana Esters (’25) and Kevin Lavery (’25) facilitated the debate by serving as whips to encourage audience members to present their thoughts and ideas to the audience by speaking from the podium. Numerous speakers provided insights to why they were for or against the idea of gun free zones.
The successful event would not have been possible without Kayla Johnston, Matt Kircher, Braver Angel fellows Diana Esters and Kevin Lavery, Melanie Lewis, Whitney Mcall, Brynne Elizabeth Murphy, and Teresa Starrs.
Former Student Update: Siobhan McAlister
Liberty over lunch: Economist Rachel Sederberg
On December 2nd, the Liberty over Lunch student hosted Lightcast Economists and Research Manager, Rachel Sederberg. Sederberg and her team collect labor market data in real time by collecting job postings and candidate availability post in online job search websites. The team also collects data from employers on future needs and provides forecast for future skill needs to institutions of higher education. During Sederberg’s zoom presentation, she gave, in-real time, an interview with USA Today where she fielded questions about the recent uptick in layoffs in the tech industry. The students enjoyed watching a seasoned industry researcher provide insight into the labor market. Sederberg’s quotes appeared a few days later in this USA Today article.
Liberty over lunch: Economist Craig Richardson
On November 10th, the Liberty over Lunch students hosted Craig Richardson where he presented his work on housing availability and affordability. Through a discussion of his paper, “Did the 2010 Dodd–Frank Banking Act Deflate Property Values in Low-Income Neighborhoods?” published in Public Choice, Professor Richardson reveals that the Dodd-Frank Banking Act had the unintended effect of reducing the mortgage funds available for low priced homes. The Dodd-Frank Act caused this by increasing the cost of loan processing by increasing the regulatory requirements, such as a more detailed income verification process that led to the closure and consolidation of many community banks. By increasing the cost of every loan, banks needed higher value mortgages to cover the increasing cost of loan origination. Second, Dodd-Frank limited the revenue banks could generate through loan origination. These combined effects made it nearly impossible for potential borrowers to find a lender for homes under $100,000.
Professor Richardson also chatted with the students about how to look for policy questions that can help improve the lives of low-income families.
Liberty over lunch: Economist Celeste Carruthers
On November 3rd, the Liberty over Lunch students hosted Professor Celeste Carruthers of the University of Tennessee. Professor Carruthers holds the William F. Fox Distinguished Professorship of Labor Economics in the Haslam College of Business.
Professor Carruthers presented her work examining the “free community college” program on college credit accumulation, college completion, and medium-term labor-market outcomes. The Knox Achieves Program pledges tuition-free community college to any Knox County, Tennessee high school graduate and served as the model for the statewide Tennessee Promise program as well as local and state initiatives across the U.S. She and her coauthor find that Knox Achieves eligibility led to a 24% higher likelihood of attaining an associate’s degree within nine years of high school, alongside positive but insignificant changes in the likelihood of attaining a bachelor’s degree, and negative but insignificant changes in in-state earnings.
Professor Carruthers also fielded questions about her life as a graduate student at the University of Florida, her experience looking for a job after earning her Ph.D., and how students should prepare for graduate school.