Ong, Vayne

Vayne Ong (she/her) is a doctoral student of United States history. Her research examines the origins of youth and family policing in modern America, with focuses on race, gender, and social work. She is also interested in how social movements imagined and organized alternative forms of community care. Her work engages community-based curatorial and archival practices.

Beyond her research, Vayne is the co-president of the Graduate History Association. She curates exhibitions, convenes the Public History Workshop, and organizes speaker events as graduate coordinator of the Lehman Center for American History. She is also a co-founder of the Carceral History Workshop.

She is a Provost Diversity Fellow and has previously served on the Office of Academic Diversity and Inclusion Student Delegation.

Prior to Columbia, Vayne received her B.A. from Princeton University in history and urban studies. She spent two years working in youth and adult political education, civic engagement, and employment law.