NEW YORK, NY, USA and BEIJING, CHINA, June 22, 2025 – Schwarzman Scholars today celebrated the Commencement of its ninth cohort – the Class of 2024-25. The ceremony took place in the iconic Forum within Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. 143 Scholars from 38 countries received their Master of Global Affairs degrees, surrounded by over 350 family, friends, faculty, and peers.
The celebration featured Commencement Speaker Stephen A. Orlins, President of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Stephen A. Schwarzman, Founding Trustee of Schwarzman Scholars, also delivered remarks to the graduating class.
The ceremony began with an opening address by Executive Dean and Master of Ceremonies, David Pan, followed by remarks from Dean of Schwarzman College Xue Lan, Executive Director of Schwarzman Scholars Amy Celico, and Ninth Cohort Student Speaker Matthew Chew.
In his Commencement address, Orlins spoke to the need for cooperation in order to advance a better world. He charged the graduating class with the responsibility to lead and spearhead this collaboration: “You have been given a year at this incredible institution and will join a group of alumni that can shape the world. Now you must give back.”
Schwarzman encouraged the ninth cohort to dream big, work together and stay engaged with fellow alumni across the world. He also focused on the present-day importance of Schwarzman Scholars: “I encourage each one of you to think about the ways that you will work across borders and cultures and continue to collaborate with one another to address the defining opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.”
Congratulating the new graduates, Dean Xue also implored them to consider not just their past years as Schwarzman Scholars, but to look to the future and their collective work as an alumni network: “The true success of this endeavor will be measured by the number of lives you influence and uplift in the years to come.”
Adding to these remarks, Celico encouraged the Scholars to embrace their unique skills and the diversity of the Schwarzman Scholars network as they take the next steps in their careers: “Our network has leaders in every trade, in every discipline, from such diverse backgrounds. There is no one path for graduates of this program.”
Chew celebrated his fellow classmates’ achievements over the past ten months, as well as the remarkable effort the cohort put into supporting one another and fostering community at Schwarzman College: “As Scholars brought their history, each of you demonstrated a love for the place you call home, but also a vision for a future you looked to bring to life.”
The Commencement ceremony celebrated the exceptional achievements and global impact of Schwarzman Scholars and its successful collaboration with Tsinghua University, which recently took first place for the seventh year in a row in the Times Higher Education’s prestigious Asia University Rankings.
Over the past year, Scholars improved their leaderships skills, deepened their knowledge of China and global affairs, and learned from esteemed faculty who are world-renowned leaders in their fields. The Scholars completed outstanding Capstone projects on critical topics such as global health diplomacy and the use of artificial intelligence in the global financial system, showcasing their dedication to addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025 for their remarkable achievements.
About Schwarzman Scholars
Schwarzman Scholars is a fully-funded, one-year Master’s degree program in Global Affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. An unparalleled learning experience, it is the first scholarship of its kind created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century and designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders.
Each year, up to 200 candidates from around the world are selected to join a diverse cohort. Schwarzman Scholars seeks candidates with leadership qualities and the potential to foster cross-cultural understanding. Scholars come from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds, such as business, technology, politics, healthcare, and more.
Schwarzman Scholars’ dynamic curriculum–based on the pillars of China, leadership, and global affairs–is designed to provide Scholars with the knowledge, skills, and firsthand experience needed to navigate the complexities of the evolving global landscape. Through an immersive experience in China, Scholars spend a year living in Beijing, studying at the prestigious Tsinghua University under the guidance of leading academics and global thought leaders.
Schwarzman Scholars was established in 2013 by Founding Trustee Stephen A. Schwarzman. Inspired by his vision, Schwarzman Scholars aspires to create a global network of leaders who will shape the future.