Scholarships

The Edward and Estela O'Brien Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Award

Pardee RAND is committed to creating a diverse graduate community in order to tackle the most critical issues of relevance to the public policy debate. Scholarships provided through the Edward and Estela O'Brien Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Award (IDEA) program place an emphasis on supporting domestic students who can add diversity to our Ph.D. program, the academy, and the field of policy analysis.

This scholarship seeks to support and strengthen the work of outstanding and diverse students admitted to the Pardee RAND Ph.D. program. Interested applicants should mark the O'Brien IDEA Scholarship checkbox when filling out the Pardee RAND application.

The O'Brien IDEA scholarship is funded by award-winning journalist Soledad O'Brien, a longtime Pardee RAND Graduate School supporter and member of the Pardee RAND Board of Governors, in honor of her parents. The scholarship is intended for students who are underrepresented in the student body population; have overcome obstacles such as socioeconomic or educational disadvantage; or are the first generation in their family to attend college and/or pursue an advanced degree.

Jeremy R. Azrael Scholarship

The Azrael Scholarship was given in memory of Jeremy R. Azrael, a RAND researcher and Pardee RAND professor who dedicated his life to promoting better understanding between the United States and the former Soviet Union. It is designed to support exceptional Ph.D. students from all the states of the former Soviet Union.

Kerr Family Scholarship

The Kerr Family Scholarship is designed to support exceptional Ph.D. students who are citizens of countries in the greater Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, preferably those who have prior degrees in the humanities and social sciences and plan to return to their home country to share what they have learned at Pardee RAND, be a leader in public policy, and act as a catalyst for positive social change.

Funding for the scholarship comes from longtime supporter Ann Kerr-Adams. To be considered for this honor, the student must be a citizen of the MENA region, hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and receive a score of 100 or higher on the TOEFL exam. No additional application is required.