Community Assistants
Our Community Assistants (CAs) at Teachers College, Columbia University drive the creation of an exceptional residential experience for our residents. They play a crucial role in fostering academic, social, and personal growth within our vibrant community. Our CAs organize exciting events, promote community growth, and provide unwavering support during challenging times. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with our CAs through their brief bios below, and feel free to contact them for any assistance or questions you may have.
If you're interested in joining our team, we invite you to learn more about the application process.
Bancroft Hall
Grant and Sarasota Halls
New Residence Hall
Sarina Alavi is a 2023 graduate of TC’s Clinical Psychology MA program and a current PhD student in the School Psychology program. Sarina is Persian-American, speaking both Farsi and Spanish, and she grew up in Northern Nevada and Southern California. She completed a Bachelors in Psychology and a Bachelors in Education at University of California, Riverside, and she completed part of her undergraduate education at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Sarina is passionate about bridging research, practice, and policy to advance systems-based interventions to support the wellness and success of children and families of at-risk populations. In her free time, Sarina loves to enjoy fine arts and nature with her loved ones, and she loves to travel.
Icon Email: sha2141@tc.columbia.edu
Vik Joshi (he/him) - from Mumbai, India - is a third-year doctoral student in the Philosophy and Education Program at Columbia University (Teachers College). He is a member of the International Interfaith Research Lab, under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, and serves as the Director of Research and Strategic Partnerships at Reimagine Resilience and Project Belonging - two programs funded by the Center of Prevention, Programs and Partnerships (Department of Homeland Security) that support Educators, Educational Staff, and Middle- and High-School students in countering Educational Displacement, Othering, Radicalization, and Targeted Violence through Professional Development and Innovative Programming. He has served as part of the faculty of a College-in-Prison program (working in Maximum and Medium-Security Prisons in Up-State New York). He has held fellowships at the Center for Justice (Columbia University) and was an inaugural fellow at Mr. Harry Belafonte's The Gathering for Justice. He is currently completing a manuscript, upon request, of the life of Justus Rosenberg, a spy in the French Resistance during the Second World War. Vik is deeply humbled and honoured to begin another year serving as a Community Assistant with the values of social connectedness, empathy, and mutual respect as foundational to his work within the Office of Residential Services.
Icon Email: vhj2103@tc.columbia.edu
Whittier Hall
Edith Middleton is pursuing her Ph.D. in English Education with research focus on teacher education, mentorship, and wellness. She was adopted from a Transylvanian orphanage at the age of eleven and grew up traveling the world. For Edith, education is not only a lifelong passion, but the beacon that guides every aspect of her life. When her nose is not in a book, Edith loves to be active; she is especially fond of pilates, kitesurfing, wingfoiling, skiing, biking, swimming, surfing with her service dog Hemingway (yes, he surfs), and spending time with her beloved two daughters. Edith is humbled and honored to serve the TC residential community and looking forward to connecting and building community.
Icon Email: epm2133@tc.columbia.edu