Steven Bednar
Professor of Economics
Department: Associate Provost, Honors, Undergraduate Research
Email: sbednar@elon.edu
Phone number: (336) 278-5935
Brief Biography
Steve Bednar received a PhD in economics from Yale University in 2010 and an undergraduate degree in economics and applied mathematics from UC Berkeley in 2003. Steve's research primarilly focuses on the economics of education and diversity in the labor market. He has taught statistics for decision making, business economics, econometrics, public finance, economics of poverty and the senior seminar in addition to advising senior theses and honors theses. Steve is currently the Director of the Honors Program.
News & Notes
Education
Ph.D., Economics, Yale University, 2010
M.Phil., Economics, Yale University, 2007
M.A., Economics, Yale University, 2006
B.A., Economics (with honors) and Applied Mathematics (statistics) double major, University of California Berkeley, 2003
Employment History
Associate Professor of Economics, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ, August 2018 - present
Assistant Professor of Economics, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ, August 2010 - July 2018
Courses Taught
Statistics for Decision Making, Business Economics, Econometrics, Economics of Poverty, Public Economics, Senior Thesis Workshop
Research
Publications
(with and ) Small Business Economics, 2021, 56(4), 1591-1599
(with , , Quynh Nguyen and ) Review of Economics and Statistics, 2020, 102(2), 395-407
"" (with Katy Rouse) Health Economics, 2020, 29(4), 393-405
(With ) Education Finance and Policy, 2019, 14(2), 272-292
Applied Economics Letters, 2018, 25 (10), 713-717
(With ) Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 2018, 71 (2), 426-457
American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, 2014, 104(5): 370-75 (With )
Economics of Education Review, 2013, 36, 181-197, (With )
Book Chapter
Bednar, S (2025). ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ: Program Profile. Honoring the First-year Seminar: Exploring High-impact Learning Experiences for the First Year in Honors, Vander Zee, A., & Folds-Bennett, T. H., National Collegiate Honors Council Monograph Series, 297-300
Working Papers
"Universal Testing Mandates and the Composition of Students at Selective Four-year Colleges" (with ) new draft coming soon
(with Katy Rouse)
(With Seth Gatto)
Work in Progress
"The Impact of Abortion Clinic Closures on Eviction" (with Maria Mendoza)
"Clinic Closures and High School Dropouts: How Access to Abortion Impacts Female Educational Attainment in Texas" (with Sarah Mirrow)
Pedagogy
(With ) See shorter version on the
Dormant Working Papers
“Would You Like Paper or Plastic? Food Stamps Disbursement Method and Take-up”
Professional Activities
Referee Service
Applied Economics Letters, Economics and Human Biology, Economics of Education Review, Health Economics, Industrial Relations, Information Systems in Accounting Finance and Management, Journal of Economic Education, Journal of Health Economics, Journal of Politics, Journal of Public Economics, Obesity, Review of Economics and Statistics
Service Activities
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Director of the Honors Program, 2022 - present
Member, Retirement Committee, 2021 - 2022
Member, National Fellowships Advisory Committee, 2019 - 2022
Interim Associate Director, Honors Program, Spring 2019
Member, Honors Advisory Council, Fall 2015 - Spring 2018
Member, Geographic Information Systems faculty, 2014 - present
Member, Academic Support and Advising Advisory Committee, Fall 2013 - Spring 2015
Member, Lumen Prize Committee, Fall 2012 – Spring 2014
Member, Poverty Studies Minor Advisory Board, 2012 - 2022
Chair, Economics Department Hiring Committee, 2021
Member, Economics Department Hiring Committee, 2012, 2013
Vice Chair, IRB Committee, Fall 2013 – Spring 2015
Member, IRB Committee, Fall 2011 - Spring 2015
Economics Department Seminar Organizer, Fall 2011 - Spring 2016
Member, Ad-hoc Committee for Faculty Research and Development Release Time,
Fall 2011
UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING
Senior Thesis
Jaden Ryan, Eric Sabatino (2024), Molly Cummings, Luke Stephenson (2023), Will Alexander, Andrea Sheetz (2022), Tyler Cranston (2021); Kelly Mahoney (2020); Monique Hanna (2019); Amanda Feldman, Cal Mincer (2018); Seth Gatto, Zach Lyons, Nick Suarez (2017); Ameya Benegal, Rudy Biagi, Willie Kenyon (2016); Taylor Dick, Meaghan Walsh (2015); Esther Lazarus (2014); Liam Flaherty, John Newman (2013); Zach Gillis, Benjamin Kanne (2012); Randall Andersen, Kyle Fisher, Adam Walton (2011)
Honors Thesis
2022-2024: Sarah Mirrow
2020-2022: Maria Mendoza
2013-2015: Caroline Crew
2010-2011: Allison Stolte
Awards
Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean's Award for Excellence in Scholarship, 2020
Beta Gamma Sigma Professor of the Year, 2018