By Treven Treece, Student in the M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program, School of Professional Studies
My name is Treven Treece, and I am in my final semester of graduate school in the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (NECR) program at Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS). My journey to Columbia has been unconventional, as I am simultaneously serving as an active-duty U.S. Army officer. Before attending SPS, I served for over six years in Hawaii at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels supporting U.S. Army Pacific and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command missions and priorities. This fall, after completing my studies at Columbia, I will have a rare opportunity to teach America’s best and brightest: the Corps of Cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The NECR program has been a transformative experience, expanding my ability to learn, extending my capacity to connect with others, and broadening my perspective as I’ve received valuable guidance from world-renowned experts and professionals such as my capstone advisor, Lauren Fishel. These experiences within SPS have shaped me into a more well-rounded and compelling future instructor and leader.
From day one, my focus has been to be an intellectual sponge—to absorb all the knowledge, lessons, theories, methodologies, tools, wisdom, and guidance that my professors and mentors across SPS, the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), and the entire Columbia community offer. This is in hopes of becoming a more insightful scholar, transformational leader, and relatable human being—capable of connecting with anyone, anywhere to improve the world and the communities I serve and live in. It can be challenging narrowing down the focus areas of our capstone studies, as they are our foundational projects and serve as a launch pad for follow-on research, such as doctoral studies, and leverage into our areas of interest in our career fields.
My capstone study focuses on an intractable conflict that has persisted for more than 10 years between an Indigenous tribe in the rural Peruvian Amazon and cocaine cartels. These cartels have been gradually displaced from their strongholds in southern Peru and surrounding cocaine-producing countries into and around the tribe’s reservation because of widespread counternarcotics efforts, leading to intense interpersonal tensions, hostile acts of aggression, cartel-related terrorism, and regional instability. Lauren’s extensive background in criminology, sociology, and Middle Eastern and North African studies (with a focus on terrorism) was perfectly suited for my research.
Lauren, an NECR lecturer and alumna, is finishing her doctoral program at the University of Oklahoma. She is someone I greatly admire and hope to emulate. She drew me into her circle of influence and kept me in her orbit. The beautiful thing about receiving capstone advising is the relationships and bonds formed through transparency. There were times when she rigorously challenged my assumptions, directly addressed my implicit and explicit biases, and offered profound, creative perspectives I had not even imagined.
Lauren’s mentorship, transparency, guidance, and insight have deeply transformed my approach to conflict. I now shift focus from immediate causes to understanding the underlying reasons, external conditions, and core interpersonal and intrapersonal factors that influence people's actions. This aims to precisely address unmet needs, enhance cross-cultural dialogue and humanization, and create sustainable solutions tailored to those in need from the bottom up.
Leaders are leaders no matter where you go. They are defined by their actions, not by a uniform or job title. I am humbled and grateful to have encountered pioneering NECR professionals who are intellectually humble, approachable, and committed to making the world a more peaceful place, regardless of how complex or intractable conflicts may be. I hold the highest respect for them because they do the hard work—they go where they are needed most and meet people where they are, all in hopes of improving their lives, whether in Fortune 500 corporate offices, urban communities, or remote regions of the world. Most notably, I am indebted to Lauren! Her time, effort, energy, and wisdom will not be wasted. Her investment in me means more than I can ever express. I will make her and the NECR program proud as I continue working to improve the world.
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
About the Program
Columbia University’s Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution prepares students to analyze the root causes and dynamics of conflict and to transform disputes through reasoned and resourceful interventions. The program focuses on developing self-awareness, tenacity, and interpersonal competency; building common ground; opening lines of communication; ensuring representation and recognition; and building sustainable possibilities for resolution.
The program has on-campus and online (with residency) modality options. The spring 2026 application deadline for the M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution online program is November 1. Learn more about the program here.
