When Michael Wheeler arrived at the University of Kentucky, he planned to study finance through the Wall Street Scholars Program. Four years later, he leaves the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics as a triple major, national fellowship participant, student government leader and one of the university’s highest student honorees.
This spring, Wheeler was named one of two recipients of the Otis A. Singletary Outstanding Senior Award, recognizing sustained leadership and service to the University of Kentucky. He also recently represented UK and Gatton College in Washington, D.C., as a 2025-26 Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC) Presidential Fellow, presenting original research on economic development policy and leadership.
For Wheeler, the experience reflected years of growth shaped by leadership and relationships formed throughout his time at Gatton College.
“This year, we had 29 universities participate, with over 240 students competing,” said Darshak Patel, director of undergraduate studies and assistant professor of economics at the Gatton College of Business and Economics who co-founded and now helps lead the competition. “The geographic and institutional diversity continues to grow, which is a strong indicator of the competition’s national reach.”
The University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics has announced that Bank of America will serve as the naming partner for the 2026 Econ Games, one of the nation’s leading undergraduate competitions focused on applying economics and data analytics to real-world challenges. The event will be officially known as The Bank of America 2026 Econ Games.
LEXINGTON, Ky. A recently published national study on economics education research highlights the growing influence of Gatton-affiliated scholars whose work is shaping how economics is taught across the country.
The Economics of Altruism course uses a “learning by giving” model that combines economic reasoning, service learning and philanthropy. This fall, a cohort of 23 students partnered with five nonprofits, developed comprehensive analyses tailored to each organization’s work, and ultimately selected Camp Hero as the top grant recipient, with the other organizations also receiving grant funds.
The Gatton College of Business and Economics is proud to recognize Kenneth Troske, PhD, Richard W. and Janis H. Furst Endowed Chair in Economics, for his role as a co-author on a newly released National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report.
Join us for the 36th annual Economic Outlook Conference, where experts from Gatton College of Business and Economics, Bluegrass REALTORS, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, will discuss the economic trends shaping our world.
The University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics Excel team has achieved remarkable success, culminating in a #3 world ranking in the Microsoft World Excel Collegiate Competition.
