Mavis Gyesi is originally from Ghana, West Africa. She is a Ph.D. candidate in the Educational Policy and Leadership Studies Department in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program. Having grown up in an ethnically homogeneous society like Ghana, she had not yet formed an understanding of international students’ mobility and their academic experiences in U.S. higher education. However, enrolling in an R-1 university and a doctoral program centered on student affairs sparked her interest in studying overlooked research topics. She was motivated to ask critical questions such as: (1) What student group experiences are ignored or centered within international students' research? 2) What structures and systems influence research with international students, and how can her work reshape practices and policies in higher education?

Mavis' scholarship draws from critical educational theories, sociology of education, and sociology of immigration. Her research primarily investigates how systems of inequity and limited opportunities impact the educational pathways of culturally and linguistically diverse students, particularly sub-Saharan African international students.

Mavis’ research hopes to broaden perspectives on internationalization in higher education and contribute to a deeper understanding of the diverse factors shaping access and success. Different parts of her research in press and/or presentations have attracted national and international audiences through The Conversation, a news organization committed to making knowledge accessible for the public good, leading to increased interest from global news outlets. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, playing the acoustic guitar, gardening, and watching true crime dramas.