Cheltenham Ladies’ College – KO WOO ECONOMICS PRIZE AND TALK
03 May 2016
On Saturday 19th March, Athena Ko Woo came to College to speak about her career in finance. Ms Ko Woo studied economics while at College and went on to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford, before beginning a successful career in the City of London.
In her talk, Ms Ko Woo spoke about her career experiences, first in investment banking and now in running her own company, which was really interesting to hear. We were also able to ask her about anything economics related, whether it was about careers in finance or economic issues in general. This prompted a diverse and eclectic array of questions, ranging from the effects of a potential Brexit, to the importance of being genuine and trustworthy, and the challenges of striking a balance between work and family life. It was a fascinating talk and proved to be a thought-provoking discussion for everyone.
Ms Ko Woo has also kindly donated the Ko Woo Economics Prize, which was awarded by the Economics Department for the first time this year. The competition was assessed in two stages. For the first stage, we had to outline what economics means to us, as well as write an essay of 1,000 words on one of the following prescribed titles:
- Is there a better way out of the debt crisis than fiscal austerity?
- A breakup of the euro provides the best hope for a durable recovery of the European economy. Discuss.
- Does the international mobility of talent make it impossible to tax the rich?
- To what extent can we use ideas drawn from behavioural economics to help address specific social and economic problems?
The second stage involved an interview with Ms Jardine-Young, in which we discussed the essays from the first stage, as well as broader economics-related topics. Writing my essay, on the third title, was a new and enjoyable experience as I had never previously written an economics essay external to the Sixth Form curriculum. I was able to explore an unfamiliar topic without constraints and could draw from wider reading and interests.
I’d like to thank Ms Ko Woo for donating such an exciting prize and for taking the time to return to College to speak to us all.
Emma Jing (SFC2)