Highly selective international scholarship program now accepting applications
Successful fundraising effort now targeting $400 million
Announces new major donors
NEW YORK AND BEIJING, April 30, 2015. Two years ago, Blackstone Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder Stephen A. Schwarzman announced a $100 million personal gift and $200 million fundraising campaign to build and endow Schwarzman Scholars, a highly selective international scholarship program at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Based on the Rhodes Scholarship, the program is designed to prepare the next generation of leaders for the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century. Due to considerable international recognition, fundraising has been highly successful and the ultimate target was recently increased to $400 million. The program has raised $333 million and today announces major new donors who are contributing to the single largest internationally funded philanthropic effort in China’s history.
“Thanks to remarkable support from donors around the world, we have built a program that provides an unrivaled window into China and a unique leadership opportunity,” said Schwarzman Scholars Founder Stephen A. Schwarzman. “The skills, relationships and insights gained through this program will position talented young people for leadership in their chosen fields.”
The program has been supported by a group of high-profile corporations, corporate foundations, private foundations, and individuals drawn from across the globe. New Founding Partners announced today include: Masayoshi Son of Japan’s SoftBank Corp. and Chairman Wu of China’s Anbang Insurance Group.
“I would especially like to thank our newest Schwarzman Scholars Founding Partners Masayoshi Son and Wu Xiaohui who have made significant contributions to the endowment,” said Schwarzman. “We share a desire to promote a more stable and mutually prosperous future and I appreciate their generous support.”
Masayoshi Son, CEO & Chairman of SoftBank Corp., said, “As a person who came from Japan to the United States to study as a youth, I can truly attest to the power of education coupled with cultural immersion. I am very excited to be a part of Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University and am sure the program will help foster a new generation of leaders who can make a positive impact across borders through their greater understanding of China.”
“Anbang Insurance Group is dedicated to helping clients realize their dreams,” said Chairman Wu Xiaohui of Anbang. “We firmly believe in social responsibility and actively support public welfare. With great enthusiasm, we contribute to Schwarzman Scholars, a program that will surely promote greater understanding and exchange between nations.”
Other significant program donors announced today include: J.P. Morgan, the Walt Disney Company, the Motsepe Foundation of South Africa, Mr. Lee Shin Cheng (Tan Sri), Tata Consultancy Services of India, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnolgica of Mexico, Hengchang Litong Investment Management (Beijing) Co. Ltd., and Siemens Ltd., China.
Schwarzman continued, “I am extremely appreciative of our donors who are helping us build a world class program and ensure it has sufficient endowment to support Scholars for decades to come.”
James B. Lee Jr., Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co., said, “J.P. Morgan is a proud partner of the Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University. This innovative new program will prepare the next generation of leaders from around the world for the shared global opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.”
Tan Sri Dato’ Lee Shin Cheng, Executive Chairman of IOI Group, said, “I truly believe that education is the most powerful weapon that can be used to change the world. I am passionate about education, and thrilled to support students who have the positive attitude to push their knowledge. Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University is such an important educational platform that will surely have a profound impact in the near future by fostering leaders with visions for shaping a better world.”
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, CEO of Tata Consultancy Services, said, “In an integrated global economy, it is important to be able to collaborate across economies and cultures. Programs like Schwarzman Scholars help increase cross-cultural understanding, intensify engagement and foster the development of new leaders with enhanced insights into a growing region of the world.”
Hongtao Qin, Founder & CEO of Hengchang Litong Investment Management (Beijing) Co. Ltd., said, “China’s rise as a leading economy has inspired young Chinese business leaders to gain global perspectives and achieve business success abroad. Tsinghua University has been at the forefront of this effort by providing first-class education. My contribution to the Schwarzman Scholars program is a testament of my support to this great endeavor.”
Lothar Herrmann, President & CEO of Siemens Ltd., China, said, “A strong commitment to good corporate citizenship is a core value of Siemens. We have donated to the Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University in order to contribute to this important cause of cultivating future Chinese and global leaders.”
In addition to this exciting fundraising milestone, the last two years have yielded considerable momentum on all aspects of the program’s development. The program’s elite Academic Advisory Council, comprised of academic leaders from top schools around the world has convened regularly in Beijing and New York to develop various program areas and curriculum with an eye toward ensuring that each component of the program is of the highest caliber to appeal to and challenge the world’s top students. Visiting professors have been hired, renowned thought leaders have agreed to serve as guest lecturers, top companies and organizations in Beijing have agreed to offer internships, and leading individuals have signed on as mentors. Construction at Schwarzman College is well-underway and on-schedule for completion.
Earlier this month, Schwarzman Scholars announced that it is now accepting applications for its inaugural class of scholars, set to matriculate in June 2016. The global recruitment effort has hosted regional launch events, campus information sessions and live webinars, all yielding considerable interest. In less than a week from the time the application went live the program received more than 1,000 applicants.
To apply to Schwarzman Scholars, please click here.
About Schwarzman Scholars:
Schwarzman Scholars was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship, which was founded in 1902 to promote international understanding and peace, and is designed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond. Blackstone Co-Founder Stephen A. Schwarzman personally contributed $100 million to the program and is leading a fundraising campaign to raise an additional $300 million from private sources to endow the program in perpetuity. The endowment will support 200 scholars annually from the U.S., China and around the world for a one-year Master’s Degree program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of China’s most prestigious universities and an indispensable base for the country’s scientific and technological research. Scholars chosen for this highly selective program will live in Beijing for a year of study and cultural immersion, attending lectures, traveling, and developing a better understanding of China. Applications opened in Spring 2015, with the first class of students in residence by the summer of 2016. Learn more at www.schwarzmanscholars.org.
Media Contact:
Christine Anderson
(o) +1 646-313-6500
(m) +1 917-697-8795
pressroom@schwarzmanscholars.org