Li named dean of Raj Soin College of Business

Joanne Li will assume the role of dean at Wright State’s Raj Soin College of Business on July 9.

Joanne Li, professor and chair of the Department of Finance at Towson University in Maryland, has been named dean of Wright State University’s Raj Soin College of Business.

Li has a Ph.D. in finance from Florida State University and is a recognized scholar in the fields of corporate governance and international finance. She has been a CFA Charterholder since 2001 and is a selected speaker for the CFA Institute and CFA Institute Asia-Pacific. Li is currently the associate editor for Financial Analysts Journal and editor for Baltimore Business Review, a Maryland journal.

Li spearheaded the creation of a soon-to-open T. Rowe Price Finance Laboratory at Towson University and planned an international joint finance concentration with Shanghai Finance University in China. Over the years, she has also developed strong relationships with the local business community. She is currently on the board of the Baltimore CFA Society.

“Dr. Li has a deep knowledge of international finance and has written extensively about banking and markets in Asia,” said Wright State Provost Steven Angle. “She is a great fit for Wright State. We are proud of our partnerships with local businesses, and Dr. Li brings with her a rich history of community engagement. In addition, our flourishing student exchange programs will benefit from her background and experiences.”

Li obtained her bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State University and did her Ph.D. dissertation on the role of boards of directors in corporate governance. She was promoted to the rank of associate professor of finance at Loyola University in Maryland before assuming her role as a chair and full professor of finance at Towson in 2006.

At Towson, Li worked closely with multiple constituents to take on initiatives such as an interdisciplinary major in mathematical finance with the Actuarial Science and Mathematics departments and the joint finance program with Shanghai Finance University. She was also the project manager for the T. Rowe Price Finance Lab, proposing the budget, negotiating with vendors and taking part in fundraising. The finance lab is scheduled to open this August, with over $600,000 in pledges and donations as of today.

Li says the finance department at Towson emphasizes analytical skills and financial modeling and nurtures curious minds to become passionate about the social and economic welfare of the community through rigorous academic training.

“Striving for academic excellence, we cultivate a forward-thinking environment for students to grow professionally with an emphasis in ethical behavior and a curriculum that is responsive to the demand of the market,” Li says. “Upon graduation, our students are expected to be model corporate citizens who bring common good to the global business environment.”

Li will assume the role of dean at Wright State’s Raj Soin College of Business on July 9.