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Glenn Berg Super-Duper Chosen Few Award for Honours Economics Students

The Glenn Berg Super-Duper Chosen Few Award for Honours Economics Students (valued at $1,000) recognizes economics honours students for participation in extracurricular activities while achieving academic excellence.

The award was created by an SFU economics alumnus, Glenn Berg, who was employed throughout his own honours degree and was an entrepreneur who funded his university studies with his own landscaping business. Glenn understands firsthand the challenges of working and being involved in the community, while completing an honours degree at the same time.

Eligibility Criteria

Awarded annually to a full-time undergraduate student who fulfills the following criteria:

  • Enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences as a full-time undergraduate student in the term of eligibility (the term after applications are due)
  • Enrolled in the Economics Honours Program at SFU
  • Is in good academic standing
  • Is working or volunteering during the most recent year of enrollment
  • Preference will be given to applicants who are entrepreneurs.

2020 - Denise Abella

My interest in economics happened almost by accident. I had initially intended to major in another program at SFU, and ECON 103 was one of the required courses for this program. That course sparked my curiosity for economics and ultimately shifted my education path, culminating into a five year journey that would lead me to switching majors and enrolling in the Honours program. After I complete my undergraduate degree, I hope to explore the issues of poverty and inequality, public policy, and labour outcomes of marginalized groups in graduate school. When I am not studying or in class, I serve as the President of the Economics Student Society (ESS), where we aim to connect SFU Economics students with each other as well as with professionals and alumni. In my spare time I enjoy painting, experimenting in the kitchen, and falling off my skateboard.

Past winners

2019: Jordan Hutchings

Jordan Hutchings is a recent honors economics graduate from SFU. He was recruited from Ontario to come play golf on the varsity men’s golf team by the late John Buchanan in 2014. It wasn’t until after taking the Principals of Microeconomics that Jordan learned he had a deep interest in studying economics. Alongside playing on the SFU golf team, Jordan’s main focuses included working as a research assistant for Professor Hendrik Wolff and writing his honours thesis that quantified the impact Yelp ratings have on restaurants. Jordan is currently working at the Bank of Canada within the Canadian Economic Analysis division, and he will be pursuing his M.A. at the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia this fall. His research interests include applied microeconomics, econometrics and environmental economics. Jordan would like to thank his professors, especially his thesis supervisor Professor Shih En Lu, for their constant support throughout his undergraduate experience.

2018: Hamza Abdelrahman

“I first discovered my love of economics in high school. We learned about supply and demand, and it really helped to explain things on the news for me.”

After finishing high school in Italy, honours student Hamza Abdelrahman spent time volunteering in senior homes to help the elderly stay connected with current events. He also volunteered with leadership camps that taught young students about economics.

Abdelrahman's goal is to become prime minister of his home country of Jordan. An economics background, he feels, will provide a solid foundation for a career in politics. Other organizations that he would like to work for include the Bank of Canada, the Central Bank of Jordan, and the Royal Court Offices of Jordan.

About the Donor

Glenn Berg

Glenn understands firsthand the challenges of working and being involved in the community while completing an honours degree at the same time. He was employed throughout his undergraduate degree and was an entrepreneur who funded his university studies with his own landscaping business. After graduating in 1992 with an honours degree in economics from SFU, he then went on to complete a master's degree in economics at McMaster University. Before his retirement, Glenn worked as a Government Industry Manager for Canada at Microsoft Corporation.