Scholarships

The Lida Orzeck Endowed Scholarship supports doctoral degree students in the Social-Organizational Psychology Program. Preference is given to students conducting research in conflict resolution and/or who express an interest in the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution.

The Roy and Deborah Lewicki Scholarship Fund supports doctoral degree students in the Social-Organizational Psychology Program. The scholarship honors TC Professor Emeritus Morton Deutsch, and will be awarded to students conducting research in the field of conflict resolution or social justice, with a preference for those focusing their research in the greater New York area.

The late Morton Deutsch launched the field of conflict resolution during the Cold War, on the premise that cooperation brings opponents to a common ground, while competition undermines trust. Deutsch believed that while humans may continue to engage in violence and war, such conflict is not inevitable. The Morton Deutsch Endowed Fellowship Fund provides ongoing support for students in TC’s Social and Organizational Psychology program who are studying conflict resolution.

The James L. Williams Endowed Fellowship Fund provides support for students who are studying conflict resolution at the Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (MD-ICCCR) at Teachers College, Columbia University. The fellowship honors the late James L. Williams, a long-time associate of the MD-ICCCR. James previously served as co-Associate-Director of the Center and was a beloved and innovative instructor, establishing or contributing to the development of several of the Center’s early courses in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. James was also a highly respected consultant, working with educational institutions, businesses and other non-profit organizations on issues of leadership, diversity, conflict and change. His impact on the Center was foundational and formative.

Lida Orzeck Endowed Fellowship

Lan Phan

Lan Phan is a doctoral student in the Social-Organizational Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She focuses her research on cross-cultural adaptivity, nonhierarchical settings, and informal power in the field of conflict resolution. Before entering the program, Lan worked and fostered long-term partnerships that spanned from Haiti, the U.S., China, Pakistan, Trinidad and Tobago, to her home country - Vietnam. Informed by her international work experiences, Lan dedicated her time navigating the intersectionality of her identities and the balance between taking up and creating spaces to empower discourse.

 Lida Orzeck Endowed Fellowship

 Alexandria Frank

Alexandria Frank is a doctoral student in the Social-Organizational Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Alexandria hopes to utilize her doctoral degree and research in the workplace to make equitable policies that serve the health and well-being of historically underserved employees based on qualitative and quantitative data. She is particularly interested in employee resource groups, masculinity contest culture, and the creation of just organizations. Having graduated summa cum laude from Howard University in 2021 with her B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Classical Civilization, Alexandria carries her love of language and knowledge-sharing into all her academic pursuits.

Roy and Deborah Lewicki Scholarship Fund

Arisa Viddayakorn

Arisa Viddayakorn is a second-year doctoral student in the Social-Organizational Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Arisa was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. She received a B.S. in Finance and Information Systems and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. Her current research at the MD-ICCCR is focused on how employees utilize different forms of strategies to advocate for change within their workplace. More broadly, Arisa is interested in employee well-being and organizations centered around social impact.

Lida Orzeck Endowed Fellowship

 Nicole M. Borunda

Nicole M. Borunda is pursuing their PhD in Social Organizational Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Nicole is curious how organizational dissonance at multiple levels impedes a group's ability to reach their stated goals, particularly in the context of social justice. As a member of the MD-ICCCR team, Nicole’s research focuses on the underlying dynamics and conditions that contribute to constructive and destructive conflict. In all they do, Nicole seeks to create a world with more joy and justice.

James L. Williams Endowed Fellowship Fund

 Melissa Wild

Melissa Wild is a PhD student in Applied Anthropology at Teachers College, focused on conflict dynamics in “tech for good” projects. Melissa is Special Advisor to United Nations affiliated University for Peace, where she co-founded the Global Center for Peace Innovation. She also works as Project Manager at Columbia University for the Sustaining Peace Project. Melissa is a certified mediator with an M.A. in Peace and Conflict Management from University of Haifa and a B.A. in Arabic and Sociology from Georgetown University. She believes in ethnography for peacebuilding research, and impact work requires self-reflection of intent and constant interrogation of impact. 

Morton Deutsch Endowed Fellowship Fund

Pedro Franco

Pedro Franco is a doctoral student in the Social-Organizational Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. His research focuses on political polarization, particularly the challenges it presents for educational institutions. In his home-country of Brazil, he is the founder of ProjetoPrisma.org, a platform dedicated towards promoting research and providing resources for educators and learners navigating ideological conflict. He has a BA in Media Studies and an MA in Intellectual History from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, as well as a MA in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Education and Psychology from NYU.