The Schwarzman Scholars core curriculum is evaluated and refined to ensure that Scholars are well prepared to meet current and future challenges in global affairs. Watch as Professor Zheng Lu, who has taught the global affairs core course since the program’s inception, discusses his experience in the classroom and the development of the Schwarzman Scholars curriculum throughout the past decade.

Beyond the core curriculum focused on leadership, China, and global affairs, Scholars also have the opportunity to take a number of electives on cutting-edge topics, from AI ethics to Chinese political institutions to global entertainment and media industries. Over the past ten years, Schwarzman Scholars’ course catalogue has evolved to meet the moment and offer classes that address current global developments in industry, politics, and academia. One elective offered in 2025-26 is ‘Cybersecurity and Global Affairs.’ Through lectures, seminars, and workshops, this course explores some of the most important factors that complicate cybersecurity at the international level. Understanding how social, technical, economic, and diplomatic factors combine to enhance or undermine more secure systems can provide insight into how states approach the common goal of deploying emerging technologies to improve the human condition and respond to challenges of sustainability, equity, and security. Learn more about the various courses on offer on the curriculum page on our website.

One of the hallmarks of the Schwarzman Scholars academic experience is the Capstone project that Scholars must complete. Similar to a master’s thesis, the project requires students to probe a topic of their choice and conduct deep research on a global affairs issue. Working individually or in groups, Scholars have examined Chinese social issues, conducted case studies for major companies, and written outstanding projects on topics as diverse as healthcare, tech, history, media, music, aerospace, and more. Below, hear from Professor Paul Pickowicz who reflects on his experience working with Scholars, and learn more about our featured Capstone project on space debris.

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Professor Paul Pickowicz has taught Schwarzman College’s China core course for many years. In addition to this, he has also overseen a number of Capstone project — an experience that, in his words, has been “insightful and fulfilling”:

“Mentoring a Capstone project is like embarking on a mysterious cruise. I urge students to do grassroots research in order to learn about the fascinating twists and turns of life on the street. I’m always surprised by the stunning topics they propose in response to my challenge. And I’m delighted to say that my adventuresome advisees have won the Schwarzman College Outstanding Capstone Award in three of the last four years: Bill Seaton’s “The History and Future of US-China Film Coproduction” (2022), Olivia Fu’s “All Eyez on Me: The Rise and Fall of Beijing Hip Hop” (2024), and Eric Stinehart’s “Case Study Analysis of the Beijing Queer Film Festival” (2025). I sometimes wonder why Bill Kuhl’s “How Extraterrestrial Beliefs in China Reflect Spirituality and Society” (2023) didn’t win the Outstanding Capstone Award. (Were extraterrestrials at play?) Conclusion: it’s possible that my capstone advisees learned a few things from me. But in the end, I learned more from them.”

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Committed to answering this question, Nainika Sudheedra (2024) presented a remarkable Capstone project (featured) about the danger of debris currently floating in our space system. Featuring research from American and Chinese experts, Nainika’s paper presents a thoughtful exploration of the crowding of orbital space because of the growing amount of abandoned satellites and other space debris, creating the potential for collisions and an inhospitable orbit. Nainika and her work were featured on the Sinica Podcast, a podcast devoted to discussing current affairs in China with writers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and more. Listen for a snippet of the episode. To hear the whole thing, head to the Sinica Podcast’s website.

Taylah Bland (2022) came to Schwarzman College after an undergraduate education at NYU Shanghai. “It made logical sense for me to continue taking Mandarin throughout my time at Schwarzman College.” With the time and support Schwarzman College allowed, Taylah cultivated her Mandarin skills to the level that would enable her to communicate across a variety of contexts, from academic and cultural institutions to global policy forums.

Along with improving her language skills, her time at Schwarzman College provided the ideal environment to learn the nuances of Asia policy and international leadership. After taking David Sandalow’s course on clean energy implementation, Taylah’s career trajectory in climate policy came into focus. She then joined Asia Society Policy Institute’s China Climate Hub, where she is currently a Senior Program Officer.

As Taylah looks ahead to the future, she has her eyes set on a career in Australian politics. Since she was eight years old, Taylah has dreamed of being the Prime Minister of Australia and, in fact, worked for former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Eventually she’ll return to Australia, but first she’d like to pursue a job at the United Nations where she can further her climate change work — another challenge Schwarzman Scholars has prepared her for: “As someone who now works with and adjacent to these organizations, it was beneficial to hear how to engage with them and how they’re structured to deliver on mandates, including peacekeeping and non-proliferation.”

How meaningful is it to be a part of the Schwarzman Scholars selection process? Just ask Shelly Lazarus, the Chairman Emeritus of Ogilvy & Mather:

“I have been interviewing for Schwarzman Scholars since its inception in 2015 and have loved being a part of it since then. I look forward to participating in interviews every year for two main reasons. The first is that it renews my faith in the future of the world. Each year, the applicants are amazing. They have such diverse talents and incredibly interesting backgrounds. They are interested in everything, and they are passionate about their interests. Above all, they are determined to change the world, and I have little doubt that they will.

The second reason is my fellow judges, who are another incredible group of people — so accomplished and so interesting. It really is an international community, from the judges to the alumni to the Scholars. Every year I make new friends among my fellow panelists. And every year I look forward to seeing the old ones. We hug. And we mean it.”

Ashley Shaw Scott Adjaye, the Co-Founder & CEO at The Stories of Us, sees Schwarzman Scholars interviews as not just an opportunity to select a new cohort, but as an opportunity to learn about tomorrow’s solutions. She says:

“Every year, I look forward to Schwarzman Scholars interviews. It is a privilege, and rare opportunity, to experience the state of the world through the eyes of these young people, and then to be a small part of their journey towards tomorrow’s innovations. Many times, I have emerged from interviews more informed than when I started because the candidates have expanded my perspective on topics they are passionately researching or actively impacting.”

“I am grateful that Schwarzman Scholars invests in these interviews because essays, grades, and even recommendations are limited in their ability to reflect the real candidates. These 25-minute micro-communities we experience together offer a space for exchange and growth on both sides of the table.”

English journalist and former editor of the Financial Times Lionel Barber has been interviewing for Schwarzman Scholars since its inception. Here, he discusses the importance of building a global cohort, as well as how rewarding it has been to participate in the interview process.

The Deep Dive course has been a hallmark of the Schwarzman Scholars experience since the very beginning. Each year, Scholars travel throughout China for a one-week immersive learning experience in their region of choice. Focusing on topics as diverse as rural development, technology, local governance, textiles, the arts, and more, these trips provide an unparalleled look into China’s industries, governance, and culture. As Assistant Dean Chad Futrell puts it, it’s important for Scholars to get off Tsinghua University’s campus and learn about China on a deeper level: “While Beijing is an amazing city and represents China in a lot of ways, if you want to understand China, you can’t just stay in Beijing.” Watch here to learn more about the Deep Dive course.

Neil Reddy’s (2023) Deep Dive left a lasting impression. His travels to Guiyang revealed the many ways the Chinese government was using infrastructure to connect regions and facilitate trade and travel. The experience inspired Neil to see the potential governments have to provide solutions that don’t just connect people but ameliorate their situation. Watch to see the impact Deep Dive trips can have.

Watch as Schwarzman Scholar Andrew Talone (2025) discusses his Deep Dive experience in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi. Hear his insights from this intimate experience that brought to focus the city’s potential for revitalization, expansive culture, and appreciation for art. A testament to the power of our Deep Dive course, Andrew provides a stirring account of his unforgettable trip.

At Schwarzman Scholars, the Deep Dive course gives our students the opportunity to expand their perspectives. This one-week immersive learning experience gives Scholars the chance to leave Beijing and see how different industries function throughout China. Caleb Annobil’s (2025) Deep Dive trip to Guilin “gave him a different perspective to China’s approach to foreign relations,” providing insights into supply chain management, urban planning and infrastructure, and cross-cultural trading. Through the interactions he had with locals and visits to manufacturers, including Esquel — one of the biggest textile manufacturers in the world — Caleb came away from his trip rethinking the “global narrative and perspective about China.”

While it’s true that Schwarzman Scholars get to speak with leading faculty and experts every day in the classroom, they also have access to way more than just their course materials. Each year, dozens of illustrious guest speakers come to Schwarzman College to share their expertise and leadership experience on a number of topics, from sustainability to business, government and policy to cutting-edge technology, and non-profit to the arts. Interacting with these experts is a key component of the Scholar experience.

Over the past decade, past speakers have included former Prime Minister of Great Britain & Northern Ireland Tony Blair (featured here), NBA star Yao Ming, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and many more. Here, Tony Blair describes his experience:

“I have been to Schwarzman College twice, most recently in 2023 to speak about ‘Leading with Ambition and Optimism.’ It was a pleasure to meet with the Scholars at Schwarzman College and discuss leadership, the difficult decisions leaders must make, climate change, and sustainable development. Having the opportunity to speak with emerging leaders in such an intimate setting gives me hope that the future is in capable hands.”

Each guest who arrives at Schwarzman College has the opportunity to share their own leadership experience and journey with our Scholars, providing illustrative examples and inspiring the emerging global leaders in our program. In 2018, Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank and former Managing Director of the IMF, joined our Scholars to share her perspectives on the changing nature of international commerce, as well as her experience leading as a woman in major international organizations:

“Travelling to Schwarzman College and interacting with the Scholars is a wonderful experience. As Managing Director of the IMF and frequent visitor of China, I was able to share some of my expertise and my journey with these remarkable young people, and also to hear about their own journeys and views on where the world is heading. I hold the Schwarzman Scholars program in the highest regard and applaud its mission to develop global leadership and strengthen cross-cultural understanding – work that feels especially vital as our world becomes more fragmented. The program’s decade of achievements and its growing influence in helping to shape future leaders are truly commendable.”

At the 2022 Schwarzman Scholars Commencement Ceremony, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, delivered a keynote address to the sixth Cohort of Schwarzman Scholars, where he urged them to serve as global stewards and lead with humanity in mind:

“Be a global citizen and love your country by serving the world. Global citizens are those who identify themselves not as a member of a nation, but as a member of humanity more largely. They are understanding and tolerant of other peoples and cultures. They work for the protection of our planet and human rights. They collaborate and innovate across borders. They build bridges rather than erect walls.”

Scholars get so much more than just a lecture when guest speakers come to Schwarzman College. For some, it’s an opportunity to connect with established leaders in their chosen fields. Here, alum Juliana Batista (2017) shares how a visit from a guest speaker propelled her career to the next level.

Stephanie Burrell (2017) is committed to developing sustainable energy solutions and delivering positive environmental and social impact. As the Head of Sustainability at Smart DCC, she leads the sustainability and responsible business function for the UK’s smart meter data network rollout, an essential £500M+ annual infrastructure program underpinning the government’s Net Zero ambitions. As a Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum, she led Climate-Smart Forest Economy initiatives to accelerate the transition towards harnessing the full ecological, economic, and social potential of nature.

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Rza Aliyev (2017) is the Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer at the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), where he drives the strategic growth of one of the world’s largest platforms of former and current heads of state and government, including organizing the Global Baku Forum, an annual gathering of 400+ global leaders attended by heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs, Nobel Laureates, and leading civil society figures.

Fluent in English, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Azerbaijani, Rza has over 15 years of international experience spanning diplomacy, finance, and the energy sector, including work at the largest banks of the Principality of Andorra and service as a Youth Delegate of Azerbaijan to the United Nations. Prior to his current role, he held senior positions at bp, where he managed bp’s shareholding in Lightsource bp — Europe’s largest solar developer — and shaped bp’s external partnerships with global institutions such as the UN, Harvard University, and the Nature Conservancy, aligning corporate strategy with climate diplomacy and sustainable finance.

A Schwarzman Scholar with a Master of Global Affairs from Tsinghua University, Rza also holds an MA in Diplomacy and International Affairs and a BA in Public Administration. He’s a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs, a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University’s Schwarzman College, and a member of the Leadership Circle of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. In 2025, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Georgia in recognition of his contributions to international cooperation and diplomacy.

Originally from Azerbaijan, Zumrud (Zuma) Jalilova (2022) has built her career at the intersection of climate change, ESG, and business sustainability. A former UN consultant, she holds an MSc in Gender and International Relations from the University of Bristol and is a recipient of the British Council’s Social Impact Award. Following a stint as a Sustainability Specialist at Dun & Bradstreet, Zuma currently works as the ESG Manager at Rimm Sustainability, where she remains committed to embedding sustainability in the private sector. Her work emphasizes practical, compliance-driven, and solution-oriented approaches to navigating this rapidly evolving field.

Beyond her corporate role, Zuma founded Unpuzzle, a jigsaw puzzle brand promoting sustainability and inclusivity through purposeful design. She also runs the Gender Talks Platform and has published Azerbaijan’s first children’s book featuring female role models, which share inspiring stories of local women. The book was distributed to over 12,000 children, helping to empower the next generation through representation and storytelling.

Jay Li (2017) is the Founder and CEO of Realeague, a sports holding company based in Hong Kong that is committed to the investment and incubation of pan-regional basketball properties in Asia. The Asian University Basketball League (AUBL), Realeague’s first league initiative, is a pioneering pan-regional competition featuring the best university basketball programs in Asia. Anchored by top university teams from Greater China, South Korea, and Japan, the AUBL plans to provide a “super stage” for elite student athletes to showcase their talent while elevating the culture of Asian collegiate sports to a whole new level. Prior to Realeague, Jay founded LHL Culture, an animation studio that produced the popular basketball anime Left-Hand Layup!. Jay also serves as the Managing Director of the Joe Tsai Basketball Scholarship, the philanthropic program created by the Alibaba Chairman and Brooklyn Nets owner to support youth development in China. Prior to founding Realeague & LHL Culture, Jay was the Chief of Staff to the then President of the Chinese Basketball Association, Yao Ming, overseeing areas including marketing, strategy, and team operations. He started his career at the NBA league office in New York.

Nana Aliyeva (2021) is Chief of Staff at Sager, a drone technology company shaping the future of geospatial intelligence. A Schwarzman Scholar and the first Azerbaijani to lead ELSA International, she has built a career at the intersection of strategy, communications, and culture — driving global initiatives from Europe to the Gulf that advance technology, sustainability, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Shanti Kumar (2021) is on a mission to build global food security — a world with no hunger.

She is a Senior Specialist at BRAC International, the world’s largest non-governmental development organization, and focuses on the joint challenges of poverty alleviation and climate adaptation. She bridges emerging evidence with policymakers to improve the inclusivity and sustainability of government-led social programs. She has worked on projects across diverse contexts, including in Burkina Faso, Chad, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guatemala, India, Madagascar, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, and Tunisia.

Previously, she worked in strategic planning and business development at UN-FAO and the NGOs, Trickle Up and One Acre Fund. Shanti has devoted field research to the obstacles farmers face in adopting sustainable agricultural methods, enhancing environmental and economic protections in the global supply chain of coffee and cocoa and promoting digital networks to better reach underserved populations. She is currently writing two books, identifying research topics for doctoral study, and seeking to expand her reach through the private sector and multilateral actors.

Ella Cheng (2017) has worked to grow economic freedom at Coinbase over the last five years and is currently expanding the footprint of the digital dollar for large institutions as the Institutional Stablecoins & USDC Product Manager. She was inspired to dive into next-gen fintech to bridge gaps in financial access by her travels to over 35 countries and a stint at Pathao, a growing super-app in Bangladesh, which expanded beyond ride-hailing and food delivery to incorporate fintech. Ella aspires to apply her skill sets of injecting innovation and bringing order to chaos towards eventually growing and disrupting old-school industries as well as emerging markets in the U.S. or abroad.

Sietse Goffard (2019) is the Senior Program Coordinator and Research Manager at the Asian Law Caucus, a nonprofit legal aid organization serving immigrant communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. He leads the organization’s civic engagement work, runs educational programming for new U.S. citizens, and directs the largest nonpartisan election observer program in California. He also serves on San Francisco’s Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC) and has presented his research on language inclusion to the California State Senate.

Previously, Sietse worked at the Boston Housing Authority, where he helped design a citywide initiative to help thousands of families using Section 8 assistance to find affordable apartments in Boston. He has also served as an aviation specialist at Agora Strategy Group and a researcher at Harvard University’s Department of Economics. His work has been featured in or used by The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Brookings Institution, and the National Bureau of Economic Research. He received his BA in Economics from Harvard College and holds master’s degrees from Harvard Kennedy School and Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University.

With a home base in Washington, DC, Elsa Alvarado (2020) has built a career at the intersection of politics, government, and the private sector. In 2021, President Biden appointed her to serve as Director of Strategic Communications for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, becoming the youngest director at the Pentagon at just 24. Currently, Elsa is an Associate Vice President at Precision, a political consulting and strategic communications firm, where she leads high-stakes media campaigns and provides strategic counsel to mission-driven clients across tech, government, and advocacy. In 2025, she was named a Rising Star by the PRNews Top Women Awards for her leadership and impact in the field. She’s also been awarded an Alumni Achievement Award from Middlebury College, was recognized with a medal by the Secretary of Defense, and has worked with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Hispanic Heritage Foundation.

A recognized leader in supply chain sustainability, Savitri Restrepo Alvarez (2017) specializes in combating modern slavery, including forced labor and child labor, while promoting responsible recruitment, migration, human rights due diligence, and ESG strategy. She advises multinational companies across industries, guiding them to identify, address, and remediate complex labor rights challenges in alignment with international regulations and trade policies. Her work directly impacts over 2.5 million workers and spans thousands of worksites worldwide.

A Schwarzman Scholar and Wellesley College graduate, Savitri has dedicated her career to driving systemic change. At Esquel Group, she championed sustainable fashion initiatives across manufacturing in China. She co-founded Ariana Tejiendo Vidas, a reintegration center for Indigenous women, and launched Soñar Despierto in Cali, Colombia. She’s also interned at the Clinton Foundation and Social Accountability International (SAI) as an Albright Fellow, studied at Science Po in Paris, and served in leadership roles at Wellesley.

Hanyuan (Karen) Wang (2024) is the founder of Climind, a platform that delivers actionable climate data infrastructure through AI technologies to facilitate mitigation and adaptation solutions. She is the first Chinese woman to be selected as a Young Leader for the SDGs recognized by the United Nations. Additionally, she serves on the boards of NGOs globally, including as the youngest member named to the Board of Directors for the Foundation for the Museum of the United Nations – UN Live.

Hanyuan was a research assistant at Imperial College London’s Centre for Climate Finance and Investment (CCFI). She was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30. In addition to her climate-focused pursuits, Hanyuan has gained valuable experience in the data sector through her work with Merrill Lynch and Microsoft. She attended Hong Kong Baptist University, Imperial College London, and Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar.

With her Bai ethnic background, Karen also dedicates her time to preserving the disappearing Bai dialect in China.

Schwarzman Scholars alumni hail from over 100 countries and dozens of unique industries. They’re making an impact in countless fields all around the world.

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Daria Kurushina (2023) is a Business Development Specialist at Richard Attias & Associates and a former Schwarzman Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, where she researched economic and sustainability challenges in East Asia. She has published work on China-Russia relations, climate litigation, and green urban development. Daria holds a Master of Global Affairs from Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar and a BA in Asian Studies from Far Eastern Federal University.

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Mallie Prytherch (2022) is the Assistant to the Director at the Centre for Contemporary China and the World (CCCW) at the University of Hong Kong, where her research explores Chinese politics, youth, and US-China relations. She previously worked at the Brookings Institution’s China Center, publishing work on China’s climate priorities and political narratives. She also served as a field director, finance director, policy researcher, and campaign manager for American political campaigns. Mallie is a Schwarzman Scholar alum and holds an MPA from Syracuse University and a BA in mathematics from Bard College.

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As a Schwarzman Scholar, Amos Wittenberg (2018) became increasingly interested in impact tech. With the help of fellow Scholars, he moved from financial journalism into tech — first setting up the climate team at Palantir Technologies before moving on to found Unwritten, a climate risk platform. Unwritten turns a vast array of economic and weather data into decision-useful information about the financial risks posed by climate change to companies and portfolios.

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Lorem Aminathia (2018) is the founder of Kinyeti Academy, a high-performing K-12 school in Juba, South Sudan. Since 2021, Lorem has been dedicated to building Kinyeti Academy into a world-class institution that nurtures students’ talents and prepares graduates to be globally competent, innovative, and competitive leaders.

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Toshin Sequeira (2020) has built a career partnering with governments to further socioeconomic development. Currently, he is a manager at the Asia Pacific Advisory practice of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Toshin has worked with several leaders across the region, including serving as an embedded advisor to Nobel Peace Prize Laureate President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste. His work is focused on strengthening state capacity, translating national visions into actionable priorities, and navigating complex governance challenges. Toshin’s prior experience includes developing a framework for measuring resilience for the UK government’s National Preparedness Commission, co-authoring the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Risks Report, and serving as a Senior Advisor to the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (Youth). He has also represented both India and Singapore at global leadership forums.

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Anqi Xu (2021) is passionate about making art more accessible in everyday life. With a background in art history and a focus on connecting the U.S. and China, she has worked at the intersection of culture, design, and technology. After driving VR growth at Meta’s Reality Labs, she now leads SHEIN X, SHEIN’s external partnerships arm, where she oversees supply chain as-a-service, IP licensing, and new business incubation, including investment in emerging brands and founders.

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From practicing on the COVID-19 hospital frontlines to leading in health policy and diplomacy between the UK and China during the pandemic, Dr. Ruby Wang (2019) has never shied away from a challenge. As a Schwarzman Scholar, she used the program to rethink her approach to medicine and further her aspiration to drive innovation in healthcare. Ruby has served as the Head of Health for the UK government at the British Embassy in Beijing, Health Advisor for the United Nations RCO in China, and Director of Strategy and Partnerships at health tech company Holmusk. Currently, she leads as the Managing Director of LINTRIS Health, an award-winning consultancy firm connecting Eastern and Western cultures through life sciences and global health, and serves on the Digital Health Council of the UK’s Royal Society of Medicine. She continues to work, speak, and publish regularly on the intersection of medicine, policy, and innovation — including work featured on the widely read ChinaHealthPulse newsletter — which is the subject of her first book.

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Igor Patrick Silva (2022) is an award-winning journalist with a degree from PUC Minas and two master’s degrees from Peking University and Tsinghua University. A former China Scholar at the Wilson Center and U.S. correspondent for the South China Morning Post in Washington, DC, he now serves as SCMP‘s first-ever Latin America correspondent based in Rio. He co-founded Observa China, Brazil’s leading China affairs think tank, where he remains a senior advisor, and also writes a weekly China column for Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil’s newspaper of record. Igor is also the author of “Hearts & Minds, Votes & Contracts: China’s State Media in Latin America,” published by The Kissinger Institute in 2024.