Pareena Lawrence is professor of economics who has significant teaching and administrative experience working at academic institutions that include the University of Minnesota, Augustana College, and Cleveland State University. A former university president, Pareena Lawrence is currently engaged in conducting research on the effectiveness of elected female officials in local governance in Northern India at Yale University’s MacMillan Center, along with assisting in other administrative projects.The MacMillan Center serves as Yale University’s hub for the study and research of international affairs and global cultures. It hosts and Faculty and Fellows from across the world. The center offers six undergraduate majors, three master's degree programs, and four graduate certificates, as well as an array of programs that foster intellectual innovation and academic research.Currently, the MacMillan Center focuses its research efforts on three areas with global implications. The first focus area, “Identity, Security, and Conflict,” involves research and analysis of global identities to identify similarities and differences. Moreover, the center seeks to apply this research to global conflict areas.“Democracy: Past, Present, and Future,” the second focus area, seeks to understand tensions inherent in democracies and identify best practices in the creation and proliferation of democratic principles. Lastly, the “Justice and Distribution” focus area delves into moral and practical areas of political accountability, law enforcement, and judicial systems.
The recipient of a Ph.D. degree in economics from Purdue University in Indiana, Pareena Lawrence is a former provost and a former president of a university in Virginia. Pareena Lawrence has driven the academic success of numerous students by engaging faculty and staff in developing new academic and co-curricular programs that have fostered student success and she has helped grow the partnership with both international and national higher education institutions together with businesses and nonprofits locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.Also known as tertiary education, higher education is the third level of education after the primary and secondary levels. While the social returns to primary education are often the largest globally speaking, returns to higher education play a critical role in social and economic mobility for most individuals. One can acquire higher education credentials at universities, colleges, polytechnics, and community colleges by earning a degree, diploma, or certificates. Acquiring higher educational training, whether at the associate level, graduate-level or post-graduate level, usually procures significant benefits on an individual and to society as a whole, so its importance can't be minimized.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals who attain higher educational training tend to earn more and are less likely to be unemployed. Individuals who possess some Higher education credentials also tend to have reduced stress associated with unemployment and financial insecurity. By instilling discipline, building character, and providing skills and knowledge to individuals, higher education prepares them for the professional world and for democracy at large. In addition to these, higher education helps individuals gain meaningful networks and connections and develop a growth and learning mindset that fosters adaptability and agility, which helps them in their professional endeavors in a complex and changing world.
