After receiving her MS in economics at Purdue University, Pareena Lawrence continued her education at the university, graduating with a PhD in economics, with a focus on econometrics and international development economics. During her studies, she also earned an award for her work as a teaching assistant. In the years following the completion of her PhD program from Purdue, Pareena Lawrence launched her academic career as a professor of economics, teaching at Cleveland State University, the University of Minnesota, Morris and finally at Augustana College, where she served as provost and dean and professor of economics. In 2019, Pareena Lawrence became a visiting fellow at Yale University. There, she continues her research work on grassroots development efforts in India. She is also assisting in a few administrative projects at the Office of International Affairs and the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies. Throughout her career, she has served on the boards at institutions and organizations such as Virginia Tech, Go Virginia, and the American Conference of Academic Deans to name a few. In her free time, she enjoys hobbies such as running, hiking, and extreme training.