Attending the University of Washington Bothell felt like a second chance for Thomas Purchas. One he intended to capitalize on to ensure his career plans could come true.
Now 27, the?Economics major?first?enrolled at?a different university when he was 17. 足彩app哪个是正规的n life took a tragic turn. On the day?he graduated from?high school, his best friend was killed?in a motorcycle accident.?His first?year?in college found Purchas depressed and living?far from his support network. He faltered.?As his grades tanked, he?left for the workforce.?
But?he did not give up on his dreams of higher education. “I was always going to earn my degree,” Purchas?said.?
He?enrolled?in UW Bothell in 2024?and?—?supported by?strong faculty and dedicated mentorship — transformed both his scholarship and his life?path.?
In recognition of?Purchas’?exceptional?academic?record,?high-caliber research and well-rounded skill set,?he?was presented with the 2026 President’s Medal at Commencement on June 14.?
“I’m so grateful and so shocked, honestly, to have received it,” said Purchas, who discovered he?was chosen for?the award just before taking the?stage?at the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium?in May. “I’m so thrilled, so surprised and honored.”
A passion for research takes root
A?turning point in Purchas’ academic?journey?came in Dr. Xiahua (Anny) Wei’s “Introduction to Econometrics” course.
Offered in spring 2025,?the class?was not for the faint of heart.?Dr. Wei’s syllabus emphasized both econometric theory and empirical applications. It also required strong foundations in probability theory,?statistics?and economic theory.??
Purchas?entered well prepared, said Wei?when nominating him for the award, and “distinguished himself as the top student in this quantitatively demanding class.” He led?a team of?peers?in a quarter-long empirical project that examined carmaker Ferrari’s F1 performance and stock returns.??
“He initiated non-linear modeling approaches?—?uncommon among students in their first econometrics course —?and frequently consulted with me on model specification and interpretation, said Wei, associate professor in the?School of Business. “His leadership, analytical rigor and clarity of communication elevated the entire team’s quality and depth of work.”??
Although Purchas had no prior experience as a researcher, his potential was clear to Wei. She? encouraged him to pursue an independent project and apply for the UW Bothell Summer Research Award.?She also offered to mentor his research.?
An exceptional trajectory
Accepted into the?2025?summer research program, Purchas went to work investigating the financial impact?of weather extremes?— especially heatwaves and cold snaps — on stock prices in U.S. energy firms.?
“It was so rewarding, so fulfilling,” said Purchas. “I learned what it was like to do real research. I quickly realized it was something I wanted to do more of.”
As his mentor, Wei marveled at his rapid learning curve.
“Thomas quickly learned to formulate research questions, develop testable hypotheses, manage large datasets and implement econometric models,” she said. “Within just half a year, he progressed from?a student learning econometrics?to a researcher capable of engaging in higher-level discussions connecting empirical patterns. His growth has been remarkable to?witness.”?
足彩app哪个是正规的?summer research project, buoyed by Wei’s mentorship,?shifted Purchas’ academic trajectory. He had been pursuing a Business major with a Finance option but?pivoted to major in?Economics with double minors?in Business Administration and in Mathematics.
On an international stage
Wei continued to mentor Purchas even after the summer research program concluded.
“She exposed me to different ideas in my research, guided me on the path and opened up?so many opportunities along the way,” he said.?“It was such a transformative experience that I can’t even put into words how much has happened over the course of that mentorship.”?
Wei encouraged Purchas to present?their joint?research?at the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences annual meeting?in fall 2025. Typically the province?of graduate students and faculty, the international conference rarely?counts undergraduates in its ranks.??
“Presenting at INFORMS as an undergraduate is an exceptional achievement,” said Wei.?
“Throughout these experiences, Thomas has demonstrated professionalism, strong communication skills and the clear trajectory of an emerging independent researcher.”
“Within just half a year, he progressed from a student learning econometrics to a researcher capable of engaging in higher-level discussions connecting empirical patterns. His growth has been remarkable to witness.”
Dr. Anny Wei, associate professor, School of Business
Direct entry into doctoral program
As he worked with Wei and other faculty, Purchas’?academic interests continued to evolve.?He initially intended to pursue?a master’s degree in financial engineering, but his?newfound passion for research pointed him in a new direction: a doctorate in economics.?
It was the right call.?Last year,?Purchas?received an offer of direct admission to the prestigious Ph.D.?program in?economics at?the State University of New York at?Stony Brook.?He will begin his program?in August.?
“Direct entry into a doctoral program is an exceptional achievement for any undergraduate —and particularly rare for students from teaching-oriented institutions like UW Bothell,” said Wei.?
“It is deeply rewarding for me to know that this path can be traced back to Thomas’s embrace of research on applied econometrics in?my class just a year ago, the class where our paths crossed and our mentorship started.”
Purchas called?the experience of attending UW Bothell completely transformative.
“Especially as an older student who has been in the workforce and?lived on my own,” he said, “I’m amazed at how much growth UW Bothell has caused in me.”????
