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NYUAD Graduate Named to the First Cohort of Elite Schwarzman Scholars in China

Portrait of Corey Meyer.

Press Release

A New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) graduate has been named to the first cohort of Schwarzman Scholars – a highly sought-after scholarship at one of China’s most prestigious universities, Tsinghua University in Beijing. Chosen from more than 3,000 candidates from 135 countries, Class of 2015 graduate Corey Meyer will spend 2016  in Beijing studying for a one-year Master’s Degree.

Modeled after the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University, the Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University was created by Blackstone founder Stephen A. Schwarzman to educate future leaders on the importance of China’s role in global trends. Mr. Meyer, who graduated from NYUAD with a degree in Political Science and is currently pursuing a law degree at Yale University, will join a program intended to give the world’s best and brightest students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and professional networks through courses on politics, business and society, focused on China’s emerging role in the world.

Commenting on the scholarship, Mr. Meyer said: “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University. There is no doubt in my mind that my NYU Abu Dhabi experience provided me with the experiences, knowledge, and skills necessary to be successful in the application process. I hope to bring my desire for more inclusive and cooperative global governance to Schwarzman College.”

The inaugural class of 100 scholars will be based in Beijing on the campus of Schwarzman College, a newly-built, state-of-the-art facility, where all classes will be taught in English. Students will pursue a Master’s Degree in Global Affairs, with the choice to focus on Public Policy, Economics and Business, or International Studies. The program’s mission is “to provide future leaders with first hand exposure to China and relationships with its people with the hopes of fostering greater cooperation between China and the rest of the world for decades to come.” Advisors to the program include former French president Nicolas Sarkozy; former British prime minister Tony Blair; Tung Chee Hwa, Vice Chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; and three former U.S. Secretaries of State – Condoleeza Rice, Colin Powell, and Henry Kissinger.

Doug Cutchins, NYUAD Director of Global Awards said: “The Schwarzman Scholars program is an outstanding fit with NYUAD's remarkable students – Corey Meyer among them. Given how cosmopolitan, academically focused, and leadership-oriented our students are, it is not surprising to me that we had four finalists and one scholar in this inaugural selection process. Our students come from all over the world to study at NYUAD's global crossroads; given the vital role that China will play in all of their lives, it's natural that they would want to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the Schwarzman Scholars program as a next step in their education.”

“This class of Schwarzman Scholars represents a remarkable group of individuals who are committed to broadening their world view, undertaking new challenges and risks, and developing an understanding of China necessary to lead in the future,” said Schwarzman Scholars Global Director of Admissions, Rob Garris. “These 111 Scholars represent the first members of a constantly expanding network of future global leaders, who together will have a tremendous impact on the world, and we are happy that Mr. Meyer will join this inaugural class.”

Mr. Meyer intends to pursue the International Studies track Masters track while a Schwarzman Scholar, and later to pursue a career in the U.S. State Department. Kes Rittenberg, an undergraduate in NYU’s College of Arts and Science in New York, has also been named an inaugural Schwarzman Scholar.

For more information about the scholarship program, please visit www.schwarzmanscholars.org.

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 115 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.