Lya’s journey is not just about her achievements a collective hope of aspirations of her family.

Ya “Lya” Li’s journey to the University of Michigan embodies resilience and determination. As the first woman in her family to attend college, Lya has paved the way for future generations. She is currently enrolled in the specialized program in design and technology for learning across culture and context at the Marsal Family School of Education, focusing on leveraging technology to enhance learning.

Lya dedicated over ten years to teaching English in China. Despite majoring in neither education nor English, she mastered English language instruction through self-learning and extensive practice. Lya accumulated over 10,000 hours of teaching experience, and she significantly improved her students’ exam performance. Her dedication to education is evident in her personal perseverance and financial planning, as she saved for many years to realize her dream of studying at U-M.

Lya is most passionate about frontline education and teaching work. Her personal experiences, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, have driven her to provide better educational resources online to students in developing countries, particularly women, helping them realize their potential and life ambitions. In fall 2024, Lya is interning at EdHub, where she will collaborate with faculty to find innovative solutions in the field of education.

Coming from a small city in China, Lya’s parents worked hard to establish themselves after growing up in rural areas. She is grateful for their steadfast support. Lya’s journey is not just about her achievements but also about the collective hope and aspirations of her family. Her vision is to democratize education by guaranteeing fair access to top-notch learning opportunities for people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and geographical locations. With her unique blend of experiences in offline and online education, Lya is eager to expand her efforts toward the evolution of global educational practices.

CEW+ recognizes Lya’s extraordinary vision and names her a Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar.https://www.cew.umich.edu/story/lya-li

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