The California School of Professional Psychology has developed a scholarship program in partnership with the Department of Psychology at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) to support the advancement of psychology education and training in Cambodia. The Cambodian Psychology Education Scholarship provides a full five-year scholarship for a Cambodian student to attend the Clinical Psychology PhD program at the San Diego, California campus of Alliant International University. Upon completion of the doctorate, the visiting scholar will return to Cambodia to assist in the training of psychology students at RUPP.

To further support the recipients of this academic scholarship, CSPP has launched the Cambodian Psychology Education Fund, to raise funds to supplement the cost of living throughout the five year doctoral program and ensure these visiting scholars have every opportunity to succeed alongside their classmates. All contributions will be used to pay for living expenses such as monthly rent, health insurance, and among other things, the cost of food, clothing and transportation. While the fund will provide important financial support for each scholar, it is also our hope that it will create a community of professionals with a shared interest in the education and training goals of this program.

The first recipient of this scholarship for the 2010-2011 academic year is Mr. Vannavuth Sochanvimean (pictured below).  When this international scholar has earned his doctorate and returns to Cambodia, he will be one of only a few doctoral level psychologists in the country, leading the way in providing mental health services for the people of Cambodia.