Kelly Zhang – an FSU alumna and current Master’s in Applied Economics Kaul Fellow student – was selected for the 2022-2023 North American College Model United Nations All-Star Team for her excellent contributions to FSU’s Model UN Team: the World Affairs Program.
Zhang competed with FSU’s World Affairs Program as an undergraduate from 2020 to 2023, during which time the program rose to its highest in-person ranking at #6 nationally. She was nominated by fellow members for her diplomacy and leadership in competitions.
“Model UN was my most impactful experience as an undergraduate at FSU,” Zhang said. “I was able to travel around the country and meet amazing individuals to make the world a better place. Besides the competition, we all recognized that we were trying to get better at some common things: leadership and public speaking. We supported each other and came out the other side better than we began.”
Zhang earned dual Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from FSU, with minors in Computer Science and Political Science, respectively.
In her time with the World Affairs Program, Zhang also served as the organization’s Assistant Director of Involvement, recruiting and mentoring incoming students. Additionally, she served as the President of the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society in her senior year. She was also a member of the FSU Marching Chiefs for four years and served as a row leader.
When asked about why she chose Florida State, Zhang said, “I love the campus atmosphere over any other campus in Florida. I also wanted to keep doing marching band in college and the World-Renowned Marching Chiefs was my top choice. FSU gave me a sense of what a college community should be, and the campus is just beautiful.”
Zhang considered her options and chose to further her education with a Master’s in Applied Economics to expand her opportunities after graduation. The one-year, applied program has over a 90 percent job placement rate for graduates. The program differentiates itself from traditional economics programs with a curriculum that goes beyond theory to give students the chance to apply their knowledge in practical settings.
Because of her stellar accomplishments, she also received a prestigious Kaul Fellowship, which helped to fund her graduate studies. Only three to six Kaul Fellowships are awarded each year, with the median Kaul Fellow boasting a 3.9 Upper Division GPA, earning A’s in all or most of their past economics courses, and demonstrating strong leadership and teamwork skills.
Currently, Zhang is interning with the Department of Commerce with the Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research.
“At the Florida Department of Commerce, I am currently working as an OPS Research Assistant on the Local Area Unemployment Statistics/Current Unemployment Statistics team working on unemployment statistics across Florida,” said Zhang. “I am also pursuing research on the impact of the nationwide labor shortage and how that is manifesting in Florida alongside the SB 1718 on undocumented workers in Florida and its impact on our economy. Applying knowledge that I have gained in Econometrics and data analytics in the classroom has helped in secure and succeed in my internship position with the Department of Commerce.”
After graduating, Zhang aims to continue her work with the Florida Department of Commerce to advance its mission of supporting Florida’s economic development and providing citizens, businesses, communities, and visitors with state and federal resources. She aims to work with the United States Chamber of Commerce in the future.
For more information about FSU’s Master’s in Applied Economics program, visit coss.fsu.edu/maep. For more information about FSU’s International Affairs program, visit coss.fsu.edu/internationalaffairs.