CWU helped graduate discover her passion for economics

Kaelan Kavanaugh graduated earlier this month with two degrees from Central Washington University, but in the grand scheme, she’s barely getting started.

The economics and public policy double major will continue her education at CWU next year after enrolling in the Cultural and Environmental Resources Management (CERM) master’s program. She will also serve as a graduate assistant in the College of Business while exploring additional grad school opportunities for 2027.

Once she completes her second master’s degree in economics in a couple of years, Kavanaugh may decide to pursue a PhD. But, for now, she’s just taking things one year at a time.

“More like one day at a time,” she said with a laugh. “With my two undergrad degrees and a Master of Applied Science next year, you’d think I would know what I wanted to do for my career. It might sound a little ridiculous, but I’m honestly not sure yet.”

Kavanaugh opted to enroll in the CERM program at Central to gauge her interest in becoming an educator. She also enjoys data analysis and has thought about going into government work, specifically public administration. But her true passion is economics and the many ways it overlaps with society at large.

After taking a behavioral economics class from CWU Professor David Zuckerman, Kavanaugh realized that she wanted her work to make a difference in the world.

“Economics kind of fits into everything, whether it’s geography, geology, anthropology, or other scientific disciplines,” she said. “It just depends on the lens you see it through. What I like about economics is that it’s not tied to one specific discipline.”

One research project that has been particularly inspiring for Kavanaugh is her ongoing analysis of housing as a resource for college students. She spoke to Zuckerman about her interest in understanding the impact of housing costs and availability on CWU students, and that inspired her to start collecting new data.

“There have been lots of studies on the impact housing has on students in big cities like New York or Seattle, but there’s not much data available for smaller towns like Ellensburg,” she said, adding that the research crosses over well with the work she will be doing in the CERM program. “I’m hoping to look at how occupancy levels have changed, what some of the differences are with various residence halls, and how the pricing structures have changed over time.”

Kavanaugh has already been accepted into four economics master’s programs, and she plans to apply for more during the upcoming year. One of the schools she was accepted to is Trinity College in Ireland, and she is seriously considering an invitation to study there after being offered a deferred enrollment option.

Just as she did when she moved to Ellensburg from her hometown of Silverdale, Kavanaugh wants to leave the door open to any possibilities that may come her way.

“I would definitely like to go to Ireland, but I also want to see what other schools I can get into before I make my final decision,” she said. “I’m hoping the applied science skills I learn in the CERM program will help me broaden my scope on economics so I can be even better prepared for my what's next in my education.”

No matter where she ends up, Kavanaugh believes she will make the most of every opportunity. After growing up on the more densely populated west side of the state, she wasn’t sure Ellensburg would click with her, but she admits learning to appreciate its small-town charm.

Her experiences with the CWU Economics Association and her office assistant job in the Human Resources department also gave Kavanaugh a sense of belonging, helping her realize that another year on campus wouldn’t be all that bad.

Looking back, CWU ended up being just what Kavanaugh needed as she pursues a wide range of professional paths.

“I feel like CWU did a really good job of setting me up for future success,” she said, adding, “Central is kind of known for punching above its weight class, and I would definitely say that’s true. Everything we do, we do well.”