“I think every discipline requires creativity of some sort,” says Marcelus “Maco” Dacanay, a Fordham student with a double life thanks to his unique double major in economics and music.
In a single day, Dacanay may go from poring over Keynesian economic concepts to composing counterpoint at the keys. A trained pianist, Dacanay also picked up guitar and clarinet as he made his way through elementary school—you can find about six instruments in his dorm room at any given time. When he’s not there, he can usually be spotted in the Robert R. Grimes, S.J. Music Studios on campus, honing his chops or playing with student ensembles.
The Art and Science of Decision-Making
While music was an early passion, Dacanay found economics later on, as he began to think about his college studies and explore what motivates him.
“Economics spoke to me because I was interested in learning about systems and problem-solving and people—really, it’s the study of human decision-making,” he says.
His chosen fields of study don’t appear to have much in common, but Dacanay sees connections.
Take improvisation, for example. A jazz guitarist, Dacanay frequently breaks down complex harmonic structures in real time to improvise on the bandstand. To do it successfully, he and his bandmates need to share a deep knowledge of scales, modes, and chord progressions—and listen closely to each other.
Economic policy isn’t so different, he says. “It’s a lot about weighing outcomes and taking risks and deciding what you’re sacrificing by doing one thing or another.”
In New York, a World of Possibility
For Dacanay, there is no better place to take on his dual majors than New York City, a global center of business and finance, music and culture.
“For both, I’ve gotten to meet really incredible people and professors,” says Dacanay, who has played gigs ranging from Fordham alumni gatherings and cocktail hours to political fundraisers, all while still an undergrad. “None of that would have happened if I didn’t choose Fordham.”