Amanda Assalone

Amanda Assalone is the Postdoctoral Research & Policy Analyst at the Southern Education Foundation (SEF). Her research focuses on improving post-secondary access and outreach initiatives for underrepresented students, with a particular interest in advancing research and policy aimed to support Asian American and Pacific Islander community college students. Amanda’s recent publications report on the influence of model minority stereotypes on Asian American community college students, developmental education initiatives at Minority-Serving Institutions, and outcomes based funding and race in higher education.

Prior to joining SEF, Amanda collaborated with colleagues on grant-funded research projects implemented to develop Latina/o family college access initiatives, explore American Indian and Alaska Native community college student transfer experiences, and recognize promising practices of Tribal Colleges and Native American Serving Non-tribal Institutions. Her professional background consists of extensive experience working in community college outreach, academic advising, educational programming, and high school counseling. She currently serves on the program committee for the Research on the Education of Asian and Pacific Americans (REAPA); a special interest group of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and is co-chair for the Asian Pacific American Network (APAN); a subcommittee of the Coalition of Multicultural Affairs (CMA) in the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). Amanda received a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of North Texas, and her M.A. and B.A. from The University of Tulsa.