Meet Evan Williams; an economics major, marketing minor, and Taylor Swift enthusiast.
“I first became a Swiftie back in 2011,” said Williams. “I had heard some Taylor Swift songs on the radio and was a causal fan of her. However, my family and I would always watch the Grammys together, and her 2011 Grammys performance of ‘Mean’ was what sealed the deal. I’ve been a diehard Swiftie ever since.”
Williams holds a variety of campus leadership positions, serving as a School of Business ambassador and Charleston 40 tour guide. However, one of his most recognizable roles is being the founder and president of College of Charleston’s Taylor Swift Club.
“The idea of starting a Taylor Swift Club started out as a funny joke when I was giving tours; when I would talk about starting clubs at the College, I always told prospective students that by the time they got to campus, I would be the president of a Taylor Swift Club. People reacted really positively to this, and after realizing there was definitely interest, I ran with it.”
The interest has persisted, with over 75 students attending the club’s meeting in early September. The group meets to test their Taylor Swift knowledge through trivia, dress up as their favorite album ‘eras,’ and even create concert-inspired friendship bracelets. The events have been so popular, that Williams has integrated them with his School of Business ambassador role, hosting a bracelet-making session in the Student Success Center earlier this month. Turns out, the business school is full of Swifties.
View this post on Instagram
The Student Success Center is not the only place where his two passions combine. Williams has enjoyed observing Swift’s career through an economic lens.
“The Wall Street Journal explained that the Eras Tour is helping to recover some of the losses that many industries suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Williams. “When the tour stops in a city, people are coming from all over and staying there, boosting hotel bookings. They are also going out to eat before the concert, boosting restaurant sales. This incredible tour has generated so much revenue for so many different industries beyond just selling out stadiums all over the country, it has been so fascinating to research my favorite musical artist along with my education.”
While Williams credits the Grammys for his love of Swift, taking Dr. Witte’s classes sparked his interest in economics.
“I first thought about wanting to be an Econ major after taking micro and macro economics; I realized it was something I really enjoyed doing. Dr. Witte made me fall in love with Economics and kept it interesting and fun,” said Williams.
As he looks beyond his undergraduate years, Williams has his sights set high on career plans, hoping to continue to unite his passions.
“Who knows, maybe I’ll be Taylor Swift’s economic advisor one day.”
