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Senior Michael Avicolli (New Britain, Conn.), a double major in Spanish and economics and business, is examining the economy of Argentina to determine how the International Monetary Fund has affected wages, union strength, working conditions, and employment levels.
In a senior honors thesis advised by James DeVault, associate professor of economics and business, Avicolli is attempting to discover whether the IMF really helps struggling economies.
“The IMF is involved throughout the globe, and I think everyone has a right to know whether the organization is truly helping,” says Avicolli.
He says he finds the topic interesting because the agency, which is designed to help developing economies, has received much criticism.
“I chose to write my thesis on labor situations in Argentina because it had one of the most promising Latin American economies during the 1990s,” says Avicolli. “Laborers are often the first to endure the negative effects of any economic change.”
Avicolli, who is studying in Spanish, calls DeVault one of the most qualified professors on campus, especially in the field of international economics.
“He has already given me a great deal of direction in choosing and narrowing my topic and tips on finding valuable resources,” says Avicolli. “I have the highest confidence in him as a mentor.”
DeVault notes that Avicolli is in the preliminary stages of the project, reading previous literature to establish the policies of Argentina and what the IMF “does and doesn’t do.” He adds that Avicolli is an excellent student.
Avicolli calls Lafayette “a great environment for an honors thesis” and is pleased that the College encourages students to write honors theses.
“A thesis isn’t the easiest thing for a student to commit to, but faculty members do all they can to get students to consider it,” he says. “By the same token, advisers would never let a student continue with a thesis without confidence that he or she is putting enough work into it to make it a successful project.”
Avicolli is a tutor for the Office of Dean of Studies, studied abroad in Florence last fall, and presented a paper titled “The WTO and the Chinese Economy: A Turning Point” at Lafayette’s globalization symposium in spring 2002. He was awarded the David A. Portlock Study Abroad Memorial Prize at the end of the 2000-2001 academic year, which is given annually to an outstanding student who will benefit most from studying abroad. He also plays varsity lacrosse.
Michael Avicolli ’03 researched the Argentine economy under the direction of James DeVault, associate professor of economics and business.