Joanne Li Selected to Lead the University of Nebraska-Omaha

Joanne Li has been named the priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She must undergo a 30-day public vetting period before her appointment as chancellor can be made official. If approved, Dr. Li would be the first woman of color to lead the university and the first Asian-American in the history of the University of Nebraska system to hold an executive leadership role.

The University of Nebraska-Omaha enrolls more than 12,000 undergraduate students and nearly 3,000 graduate students, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. Women make up 54 percent of the undergraduate student body.

When the appointment was announced, Dr. Li said: “My own life has taught me so much about the value of higher education – not only the degree itself, but the faculty, staff, and mentors who dedicate themselves to making sure every student, no matter their background, is successful. In UNO, I see a university that is poised to embrace and shape the future. The entrepreneurial spirit, the strength of partnerships, the deep commitment to the student experience and the acute sense of responsibility to the community that I’ve witnessed among UNO’s students, faculty and staff is truly impressive. I am humbled to be considered for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to spend more time getting to know the community of people who make UNO a premier metropolitan university.”

Dr. Li is currently the dean, professor of finance, and holds the Ryder Eminent Scholar Chair in Business in the College of Business at Florida International University in Miami. Earlier, Dr. Li was dean and professor of finance in the College of Business at Wright State University in Ohio. She also has served as chair of the department of finance at Towson University in Maryland and associate professor in the School of Business at Loyola University of Maryland.

A native of Hong Kong, Dr. Li earned bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in finance from Florida State University. Her areas of expertise include corporate governance, executive compensation, investments, and international finance.