Each year, the Department of Economics honors one or two undergraduate students with the Smale Scholarship for Excellence in Economics.
The scholarship is named after Dr. John G. Smale, Jr., Professor Emeritus and founder of CSU, Chico's Department of Economics. Dr. John G. Smale, born in 1902, taught the first class in economics at CSU, Chico in 1942, but it was not until the 1950's that Economics was organized as a Department within the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Dr. Smale was the first chair of the Economics Department at CSU, Chico.
This scholarship is given in the fall at the College of BSS scholarship ceremony. Smale's daughter, Elizabeth Carlson, has continued her father's tradition of personally handing out this scholarship since her father passed away.
Criteria for the Smale Scholarship for Excellence in Economics is:
- Junior or Senior (continuing enrollment)
- Scholastic achievement above 2.0 GPA
- Strength of applicant's academic records in economics (at CSU, Chico and elsewhere)
- Records of contributions to the economics program at CSU, Chico
- Merits of an essay describing how the economics degree will be applied to the student's post-graduation pursuits
- No financial need necessary
