Second-Year Learning Communities: Economics

By joining the Economics Second-Year Learning Community (SLC) you will be surrounded by a small community of second-year students who are learning to navigate their academic and co-curricular pathways to make the most of their experiences as an economics student. The SLC program is designed to help you make the most out of your degree by engaging in various social, academic and professional development opportunities.

It's recommended that Economics SLC students enrol in at least 2.0 credits from ECO200Y1, ECO206Y1, ECO202Y1, ECO208Y1, ECO220Y1, ECO227Y1, STA237H1 and STA238H1, STA247H1 and STA248H1, STA257H1 and STA261H1.

For more information about Economics, visit the Economics website

Apply to an Economics SLC

Applications for the 2025-26 academic year will open June 2, 2025, and close June 22, 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for a waitlist, pending space. 

Apply here

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Economics SLC you must be a second-year student enrolled in the following economics programs:

  • Economics Major (arts program)

SLC Course Overview

Students in the Economics SLC will meet bi-weekly for core sessions beginning the week of September 8, 2025, with informal hangouts offered in the alternate weeks.

Time: Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Your SLC Team

Olga Denislamova Headshot

Department: Economics

Title: Assistant professor, teaching stream

Years worked for your current department and/or U of T: Five years

Undergraduate major/specialist and institution: Economics and Political Science, University of Edinburgh

Hometown: Moscow

Why you decided to serve as a faculty advisor: I usually teach large numbers of students, and becoming a faculty advisor gives me a chance to get to know some of them better and support them more personally during an important year in their academic career.

One piece of advice for a second-year student: Be consistent with your work, come to office hours even when nothing is “wrong,” and try to take at least one course each term that you genuinely enjoy.

Hobby or interest: Singing

Sally Wong Headshot

Department: Economics

Title: Undergraduate administrator

Years worked for your current department and/or U of T: Six

Hometown: Hong Kong and Toronto

Why you decided to serve as a staff advisor: I decided to serve as a staff advisor because I hope to provide guidance and support to students navigating their academic journey.

One piece of advice for a second-year student: Take a moment to reflect on your experiences during your first year. Consider what worked well for you and what areas you'd like to improve. Reflecting on your past experiences can help you set goals and make adjustments for your second year.

Hobby or interest: Outside of work I enjoy cooking and experimenting with new recipes.

Bell Corapcioglu Headshot

Program: Economics Specialist and Cognitive Science Major

Year: Three

College: University College

Hometown: Istanbul, Turkiye

An interesting fact: I competed in the European Fencing Championship.

What do you enjoy most about your studies: I like that my studies open up so many possibilities.

Hobby or interest: I enjoy travelling and baking.

Madhav Gupta Headshot

Program: Economics Major, Mathematics Major, Statistics Minor

Year: Three

College: Woodsworth College

Hometown: Bangalore, India

An interesting fact:I can speak 6 languages.

What do you enjoy most about your studies: Economics provides a structured way to understand complex real-world problems. I especially like analyzing how individual decisions interact with broader market and policy dynamics. It’s rewarding to apply theory to real situations, like inflation or market behaviour, and see the connections come to life.

Hobby or Interest: Outside of school, I enjoy playing tennis and going to the gym, which helps me stay active and focused. I’m also passionate about community initiatives. Recently, I helped distribute a children’s book on waste segregation and raised funds to install dustbins in public schools. In my free time, I like exploring finance news and keeping up with market trends.