George Spencer

George Spencer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology at NYU’s Steinhardt School. He holds a PhD and MA from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, and a BA from Northwestern University. His research focuses on college access, policy evaluation, and student pathways, with a particular emphasis on socioeconomic disparities and policy levers to improve educational outcomes.

His work has been supported by grants from AERA, TIAA Institute, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Notable awards include the AERA Dissertation Fellowship (2015-2016) and Russell Sage Foundation Pipeline Grant (2021). Prior to academia, Spencer directed programs for high school students with the I Have a Dream Foundation and worked at the Consortium on Financing Higher Education.

Research interests include dual enrollment policies, articulation agreements, transfer student trajectories, and the effectiveness of individualized learning plans. His scholarship appears in top journals like American Educational Research Journal and Review of Higher Education.