Previous Scholars

 Class of 2024

Traevia Morris

Project Title: Institutional Pathways to Operationalize Diversity Initiatives

Year 1: Developed partnership with Columbia University’s Summer Pipeline Program, educating undergraduates from various ethnic minorities about different careers in healthcare where ethnic minorities are underrepresented. Topics discussed included who genetic counselors are, the role of a genetic counselor within a healthcare team, and the intersection between ethics and genetic counseling.

Year 2: Exploring dynamics related to Black program leadership through informational interviews with key individuals within the genetic counseling community about their thoughts on important aspects to consider when creating a genetic counseling program at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). These interviews will hopefully result in the creation of a resource that will inform the larger genetic counseling community of the unique implications of creating a program at an HBCU. 

Kathleen Garvey

Project Title: Liberation Calendar

Liberation Calendar is an electronic calendar available to students, faculty, and staff at Columbia University that provides education about the people, events, injustices, and movements that have inspired the growth in healthcare reform and civil rights of today. World holidays and celebrations are also represented as a way to learn about various cultures, religions, and beliefs systems.

Class of 2023

Emma Mizrahi-Powell

Project Title: Genetic Counselors for Choice

Developed a student-led organization, Genetic Counselors for Choice, which fights for reproductive rights with support from genetic counselors and allies.  Emma and her cohort raised $10,000 after the Dobbs decision for the National Abortion Federation’s Dr. Tiller Patient Assistance Fund in honor of Dr. George Tiller.

Amanda Chan

Project Title: Affinity Group Needs Assessment for Columbia GC Students and Faculty

The Needs Assessment came out of a desire to create affinity spaces for students of the Columbia genetic counseling program. A program-wide survey was sent out to assess utilization of current support/affinity groups and determine areas of growth. Results were presented to the Columbia genetic counseling community and resulted in the creation of an affinity resource section in the GC student handbook and a workshop reviewing these resources during student orientation.