Leading up to the arrival of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars, we invited a few students to reflect on why they decided to apply and offer their advice to future applicants.
Emma Campbell-Mohn, USA: Building relationships that stretch across the Pacific and around the entire globe
I was daunted by the Schwarzman Scholars Program application when I first considered applying. After viewing such an impressive selection of advisors and supporters of the Program, I did not know how I would fit in at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. But then I remembered why I wanted to apply: I want to understand Chinese foreign policy and its actions abroad in order to craft U.S. foreign policy.
This program is more than merely a Master’s degree or brief exposure to China; it is about building relationships that stretch across the Pacific and around the entire globe. When writing my application, I thought about the conversations the Scholars will have, whether debating the South China Sea or the future of energy markets. It was that excitement for building a new set of global relationships that shown through in my application as I discussed not only my past achievements but also my ideas on foreign policy and dreams for the Program. Those relationships will be critically important as I build a career in U.S. foreign policy, and I am thrilled to be heading to Beijing soon to meet my fellow Schwarzman Scholars.
You can also read reflections from Julian Busch (Germany), Tomas Fuentes Benitez (Argentina), Kumiko Mita (Japan), Jintian Li (China), Blaise Buma (Cameroon) and Leyla Sudbury (United Kingdom).