Associate Professor @FIU. Researches higher education finance and policy. Alum @UW @UUtah. Chinese-American immigrant. Wifey, mom. Tweets my own.

Joined November 2013
56 Photos and videos
Pinned Tweet
22 Oct 2025
Just published #openaccess in AERA Open. Through interviews with promise program administrators, we find that promise students face basic needs security, financial literacy challenges, and are counseled to avoid student loans. #highered #edpolicy journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.…
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Congratulations to the 2026 graduates!! The faculty are so proud of you! @FIU @FIUCASE
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13 Nov 2025
If you’re at #ASHE2025, consider attending our presentation on tuition-setting and college affordability (via net price and other costs) with @xiaodanh @ItsPGR. Saturday 2 pm in governors square 16. I’m not in Denver this year cuz I’ve been with my newborn Mason❤️ #secondson
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22 Oct 2025
Just published #openaccess in AERA Open. Through interviews with promise program administrators, we find that promise students face basic needs security, financial literacy challenges, and are counseled to avoid student loans. #highered #edpolicy journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.…
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22 Oct 2025
Our findings suggest that tuition and fee coverage (which promise programs typically offer) are likely insufficient to ease the financial stress that many promise students experience. We also describe how a program changed from last- to first-dollar allocation.
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Amy Li retweeted
22 Sep 2025
📣 💼 Come work with us @ThirdWayEDU! We're currently looking for our next Higher Education Policy Advisor to join our team focused on improving the higher ed system to focus more on student success. Info and application: thirdway.recruitee.com/o/hig… #HigherEducation #highered

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12 Aug 2025
Our commentary is out: administrator perspectives on promise/free-college programs, support services, and financial sustainability. Summarizes research findings @BrookingsInst Brown Center Chalkboard, co-authors: M Billings, D Gandara brookings.edu/articles/admin… #highered #edpolicy
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26 Apr 2025
Had an enjoyable time at #AERA2025 seeing old colleagues and new. #denver
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24 Apr 2025
Join me tomorrow to hear about the policy implementation of support services at community colleges with promise programs. Friday, 9:50 am, Terrace level, bluebird ballroom 2E. Joint work w/ @GandaraDenisa Meredith Billings #AERA2025 @AERADiv_J tinyurl.com/24afnejn

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10 Jan 2025
Consider applying to Florida International University's Master's program in Higher Education Administration. We offer an in-person program with graduate assistantships (due Jan 31), and a fully online program. Come learn and work with amazing faculty and students! @FIU @FIUCASE
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17 Dec 2024
Open-access: latest publication w/@GandaraDenisa MBillings @xiaodanh-Colleges w/ privately funded promise programs increased their institutional support spending after program initiation, while publicly funded programs saw increases to student services $$ journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.…
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5 Dec 2024
New publication with @xiaodanh--We quantitatively analyze the policy mechanisms and political dynamics around states who say "Goodbye" to performance-based funding policies. #highered Full-text available to read without paywall. rdcu.be/d2ucX

New @ #RIHE: Many people study policy adoption, but few study policy discontinuation. @amyliphd & @xiaodanh find that states show evidence of policy imitation, but not of policy emulation, in the discontinuation of performance-based funding (PBF). doi.org/10.1007/s11162-024-0…
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23 Nov 2024
Presenters at an ASHE session said that I was the first discussant they’ve seen who had PPT slides. I remember years ago, many discussants had slides for @ASHEoffice! #ASHE2024
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24 Nov 2024
Wow, thanks! 😊
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Amy Li retweeted
20 Nov 2024
Please come to our paper session, Thur Nov 21, 1:00-2:15pm CST, Marquette III, 2nd Floor. @GandaraDenisa, Maria Cormier, @AmyLiphd and colleagues will talk about their recent work on college promise. @taylor_odle will serve as a discussant. Stay warm and see you soon @ASHEoffice
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4 Nov 2024
New publication showing that statewide need-based aid programs fail to increase the number of entering Pell grant recipients at public, 4-year colleges. Similar findings for performance-based funding equity metrics/bonuses for low-income students. journals.sagepub.com/eprint/…
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29 Oct 2024
Thank you so much to the amazing @kaylaCelliott for guest speaking in my policy class. The students learned so much and they loved you! :)
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15 Oct 2024
Thank you to @MichelleDimino @ThirdWayEDU for guest speaking in my policy class. Always a delight to hear from you!!
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