Professor at Boston College
Dr. Stella M. Flores is the John E. Cawthorne Millennium Chair Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. Her research focuses on the impact of U.S. policy—federal, state, and institutional—on the college access and success of low-income, underrepresented, and immigrant students across the K–20 pipeline.
Dr. Flores employs large-scale datasets and quantitative methods to study topics including demographic change in education, diversity in higher education, financial aid policy, college completion, and the role of Minority Serving Institutions. Her co-authored research was cited in the dissenting opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Gratz v. Bollinger decision (2003) and in multiple amicus briefs related to affirmative action in higher education.
Her current projects examine the long-term outcomes of state financial aid programs, the role of immigration and citizenship status in shaping educational attainment, and the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support research and policy analysis in education and workforce systems.
Prior to her academic career, Dr. Flores served as a congressional evaluator with the U.S. Government Accountability Office and as a program specialist with the U.S. Economic Development Administration. She brings a deep commitment to interdisciplinary research, public service, and mentoring. Her work has contributed to national policy conversations and has been featured in both scholarly publications and major media outlets. She has presented her research internationally—in countries such as Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Spain—and at prominent institutions including the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, the National Press Club, and policy forums sponsored by the White House.
