Economics Spotlighted Student: Samanyu Kurra '24
Sam's thesis investigates how efficient real estate developers opt to build taller than profit-maximizing heights to signal their superiority and differentiate from less-efficient competition.
Samanyu Kurra '24 discovered Haverford College through the Hidden Ivies book by Howard and Matthew Greene, and knew it was where he "needed to go." Some of the most appealing characteristics that drew him in were the honor code, social code, as well as the opportunity to take classes through the Quaker Consortium at UPenn, Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore. Without visiting, he researched online from his home in Hyderabad, India, applied Early Decision, and arrived on campus as a first-year student.
He took Prof. Saleha Jilani’s Introduction to Economics first semester, and it was a memorable experience working closely with her and her Teaching Assistants. Learning about microeconomics, how markets function, inflation and the business cycles piqued his interest in the subject. Though the following semester was disrupted by COVID-19, forcing him to go home and finish remotely, he utilized the next year for internships in investment banking and real estate finance during a gap year.
Returning for his sophomore year in the Fall of 2021, he enrolled in more economics and math classes, complementing his studies with classes at UPenn's Wharton School to fuel his interests in business. On the extracurricular side, he was a Co-Head of the Microfinance Club, having been a part of it since freshman year. The club meets weekly with Professor Shannon Mudd to discuss topics on financial inclusion, the unbanked population, and evaluate loans to micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries and small businesses in Philly. Ultimately, Prof. Giri Parameswaran’s Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis class clinched Sam’s decision to major in Economics. Giri’s course covered subject matters that excited Sam, including game theory and coding economic scenarios in Python.
Sam will graduate with a double major in Economics from Haverford and Mathematics from Bryn Mawr College. For his thesis, titled "Signaling through Building Height," he investigates how efficient real estate developers opt to build taller than profit-maximizing heights to signal their superiority and differentiate from less-efficient competition. [He] was inspired to do this after reading Kenneth Rogoff’s ‘Equilibrium Political Budget Cycles’ in Giri’s Political Economy Seminar and adapted their political elections framework to a high-rise building development scenario.
Summer internships have enhanced Sam’s education. The summer after his sophomore year, he interned as a Venture Capital analyst for De-Carceration Fund, an early-stage venture fund that invests in startups “alleviating the suffering caused by the criminal justice system”. He evaluated investments by auditing financial models and conducting market sizing/impact studies. He also supported fundraising efforts and streamlined deal information in the pipeline.
The following summer, through a Whitehead Internship, Sam again served as a Venture Capital analyst for Ben Franklin Technology Partners SEP. The firm focuses on investing and nurturing startups based in Philadelphia and surrounding regions. In addition to evaluating potential investments, he collaborated on a $70 million federal grant proposal aimed at transforming the Philadelphia region into a precision medicine technology hub through partnerships with local governments, hospitals, biotech firms, and other institutions.
The varsity cricket team has been a big part of Sam’s college life. Having only played in middle school, he was a bit rusty when he joined Haverford’s team, but he quickly sharpened his skills under the guidance of Coach Kamran Khan, and once even put up a record partnership of 206 runs with a fellow teammate!
Upon graduation, Sam is embarking on a new venture with the help of Haverford's Incubator Program and a grant from UPenn Wharton Innovation Fund. Along with two cofounders from UPenn, he aims to launch an app that interconnects young adults based on shared hobbies and interests, providing a platform to find buddies to experience specific events together. Wishing you the very best in your new venture Sam!
