CHAIR: Grace Zhao

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“Recession” has become the go-to buzzword for every economic hiccup. But for those who lived through the 2008 Great Recession, the word still hits like a foreclosure notice. It was a global economic rollercoaster no one wanted to ride, but everyone got strapped in anyway. 15 years later, its legacy pops up in Dodd-Frank Act’s regulating energy speculation to the rapid response during the 2023 banking crisis. Behind every crash is bad math, blind optimism, and one guy insisting, “Housing prices only go up.”

In this crisis committee, delegates rewind to July 2007: Bush is deep into his second term, low-rise jeans still reign supreme, and your unemployed cousin just bought his second house. With hindsight as your secret weapon, can you survive the crash and write a better recovery? Will you save Lehman Brothers, double the bailout, nationalize banks, or let “nature” take its course? You’ll play the many interlocking gears of this economic machine. From the Federal Reserve to mortgage lenders, the US government to Wall Street titans. Amidst the chaos, scheming begins: which CEO gets thrown to the wolves, and can Congress stop bickering long enough to pass anything?

Economics and finance, while useful, often rest more on luck, panic, and vibes than anyone wants to admit. No prior knowledge required (but please read the background guide). As long as you know a middle schooler with no job probably shouldn’t buy a house on a maxed-out credit card, you’re ready to reimagine the 2008 crisis. By the end, you’ll appreciate the once-mythical phrase “too big to fail” and the disastrous consequences of building a house out of dominos.