Student Profile: Xiaoya (Silvia) Li, MPP Class of 2025

Xiaoya (Silvia) Li, MPP Class of 2025, said a volunteer experience with Dream Corps, an NGO in China, in 2021 spurred her interest in economic policy and development economics. “I worked with a primary school in Gansu to develop a sustainable library including over 2,000 children’s books and taught reading classes to inspire the children in the village to read and learn.”

The ways in which COVID-19 impacted this teaching experience left an indelible mark on Li. “With COVID, I saw how hard it became to volunteer in person and how this affected villages in the countryside. In response, I gathered 90 volunteers and launched an online reading program to teach reading courses to village primary school children.”

Li saw this as a start—but not a complete solution. “Some families in the countryside do not have smartphones, so the children could not participate in the virtual programming. That realization inspired me to pursue economic development policy and find ways to give people in rural areas access to technology, because I saw how important it was for children—especially girls— to receive education.

“Plus, as a woman, I think it’s crucial that young girls can see themselves doing work in these spaces—that they can see themselves making an impact, not only in their community but beyond.”

After her volunteer experience, Li returned to Pennsylvania to complete her undergraduate degree in economics and political science at Bryn Mawr College. “I pursued internships in fields from media to private equity to technology, but I always came back to policy and a passion for change.”

This passion led Li to Harris to pursue a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree. “At Harris, I hope to learn how to develop efficient ways to have a positive impact and make data-driven decisions that answer big questions. The MPP at Harris combines my interest in economics and political science, and I look forward to supplementing my experience in econometrics and data analysis through the Core courses.”

One skill Li is looking forward to strengthening is data analysis. “I only used Stata in undergrad, so I am looking forward to learning R and Python.” Li said she also hopes to take advantage of the strong economics department at the University to learn more about development.

“In addition, I am excited to network with those who have interests similar to mine. I am especially eager to work as a Harris Ambassador, where I will be able to meet prospective students, learn their stories, and discover why they are interested in policy.” 

After graduation, Li said she plans to pursue economic consulting.  “This will serve as a good pathway to think about an economics PhD or other further graduate work, in addition to having the opportunity to apply my Harris skills to real world, complex business and economics problems and make a deeper impact.”