Clarissa Iliff earns 2026 Horowitz Foundation award to investigate whether it takes a village to heal
In his announcement to the Department of Criminology, Law & Society community that congratulated Ph.D. candidate Clarissa Iliff for earning a 2026 Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy dissertation research award, Associate Professor Christopher Seeds noted “this was a competitive pool.”
How competitive? Out of nearly 850 applicants nationwide, only 20 doctoral scholars received the prestigious honor.
With her dissertation, “Does It Take a Village? How Neighborhood Collective Efficacy Moderates the Impact of Gun Violence Exposure on Substance Use in Young Adulthood,” Iliff is tackling one of the most pressing crises in American communities: the enduring trauma of gun violence. Her research moves past simply documenting tragedy, asking a critical question that could reshape public policy: Can a supportive neighborhood act as a shield to protect young people from the long-term scars of violence?
“My dissertation explores how lethal violence shapes the lives of individuals and communities and how research can help inform more effective violence prevention policies,” Iliff says. “While part of my research examines patterns of homicide, the project supported by the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy focuses on the long-term consequences of exposure to lethal gun violence during adolescence. Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, I examine whether young people who are exposed to nearby lethal gun violence are more likely to experience substance use in young adulthood and whether supportive neighborhood environments can help protect against these negative outcomes. Ultimately, my goal is to better understand not only how violence affects young people, but also what characteristics of communities can foster resilience and promote healthier outcomes.”
That folds nicely into the mission of the nonprofit foundation, which was established in 1997 by Irving Louis Horowitz and Mary Curtis Horowitz and has been funded by contributions from them since its inception. The organization’s stated general purpose is to support the advancement of research and understanding in the major fields of the social sciences, specifically by providing grants to aspiring doctoral students at the dissertation level to nurture the studies they are undertaking for their projects.
The idea for the foundation emerged from the late Irving Horowitz’s experience working with doctoral students. The influential Rutgers University professor of sociology and political science found that many seeking their Ph.D.’s faced financial barriers to completing their research, which initially led Horowitz to provide assistance to these scholars personally. That eventually led to the creation of the foundation that issued its first grants in 1999.
Today’s recipients receive a $10,000 cash award, with $7,500 bestowed up front and the remainder distributed once the dissertation is complete.
“Receiving this award from the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy is an incredible honor,” Iliff says. “Beyond the financial support, it is meaningful to know that leaders in social policy see value in my research and its potential to inform efforts to reduce violence and improve community safety. This award motivates me to continue producing research that is both academically rigorous and directly relevant to practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders working to create safer communities.”
— Matt Coker