Dominique J. Baker

Dominique J. Baker is an Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the College of Education and Human Development and the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware. She holds the John and Patricia Cochran Scholar of Inclusive Excellence endowed position, reflecting her commitment to equity and inclusivity in education.

Degrees:

• PhD in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies (2016), Vanderbilt University
• MEd in Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education (2012), University of Virginia
• BA in Psychology (2008), University of Virginia

Research Focus: Dr. Baker's work examines how education policy affects access and success for minoritized students in higher education. Key areas include financial aid structures, admissions policies, campus climate inclusivity, and systemic racial disparities. She employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze policy impacts.

Article Trends: Her recent publications (2023-2025) emphasize racial and class disparities in college applications, state financial aid mechanisms, funding formulas for public institutions, media representation of student debt, and policy responses to systemic inequities. Methodological approaches include latent class analysis, NLP-driven application reviews, and comparative policy analysis.

Scientific Recognition:

• AERA Early Career Award (2023)
• Diverse: Issues in Higher Ed - Top 40 Women in Higher Education (2025)
• Association for Education Finance and Policy Early Career Award
• ASHE Excellence in Public Policy Award
• National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

Public Engagement: Dr. Baker has testified before the US Senate on race and student loans, serves on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine - Board on Higher Education and Workforce, and her work appears in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR.