Alumni Spotlight: Xenia Dvoriantchikova

Scheinman Institute alum Xenia Dvoriantchikova,( MILR 19’) discusses her time with the Institute and her work as an EEO Compliance Specialist.

1. What did you do during your time with the Scheinman Institute?

"I graduated from the MILR program in May of 2019. I was one of the founding members of the Scheinman Conflict Resolution Club (SCRC). At SCRC, I helped organize and participated in activities such as mediation and arbitration simulations with my peers and guest ADR practitioners. Throughout my time at ILR, I interned at the Public Employment Relations Board of New York, participated in a rural employee development project in Mysore, India and served as a TA abroad in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

2. What have you been doing since graduation?

I am an Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance Specialist for the City of Philadelphia. As an EEO Compliance Specialist, I investigate cases of alleged sexual harassment and workplace discrimination for employees throughout the various City Departments including Health, Fire, Police, and many others. In the age of the Me-Too movement and anti-racism, I find my work of investigating and mediating conflicts to be meaningful and really stimulating.

3. How were you impacted by your time with the Scheinman Institute and how do you see that playing into your life post-Cornell?

I really enjoyed Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) courses at the Scheinman Institute with Professors Avgar, Scanza and Marty Scheinman, and worked with other really fantastic practitioners including arbitrator Richard Fincher and activist Dr. Balu. I also had the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant in Labor and Employment Law with Professor Leiberwitz, which solidified my understanding of Civil Rights legislation/EEO issues and provided me with the background I use every day at work as an EEO investigator. I appreciate how widely useful and international the field of ADR is and look forward to seeing how it continues to develop at Cornell. "