Irina Liu and Danny Li, both AHS alumni, have been selected as part of the Schwarzman Scholars Class of 2021. The two “demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities and the potential to bridge and understand cultural and political differences.” 

Schwarzman Scholars is a scholarship program that allows college graduate students to study for a year at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Only 3% of 4,700 applicants from 41 countries have been accepted to the program this year. The Schwarzman Scholars program helps students pursue a Master’s degree in Global Affairs and focuses primarily on China, global affairs, and leadership. According to their website, “Schwarzman Scholars is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century.” The goal of the program is to assist students in analyzing the connection between China and the rest of the world. 

Irina Liu, who is a 2018 graduate of Columbia University, graduated from AHS in 2014. Liu is also an alumna of the Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po which allows selected undergraduate students to learn about France through first-hand experiences. During her internship, she studied political and environmental science and served as a research assistant at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Liu looks forward to being in the Schwarzman Scholars program so she can further understand how scientific discoveries and technologies affect China and its citizens along with how China and the U.S. collaborate in fields of science and technology. 

Danny Li, who graduated from Dartmouth in 2019, was class president for four consecutive years. Li was also an intern at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training and wrote memoranda on the 2018 National Defense Strategy. He founded two student organizations and showed meritorious leadership and citizenship, graduating from Dartmouth Law Journal as class marshall. Li is presently an analyst at The Asia Group, working on researching and examining economic and political trends in mainland China. 

“Growing up as a first-generation Asian American, I was always curious to learn more about Asia and to explore the dynamics and complexities of U.S.-Asia affairs. Through high school, I developed my passion for public service and studied domestic public policy and international relations at Dartmouth” Li stated. He hopes to deepen his understanding of the cultural, political, military, and economic aspects and ties between China and the U.S. with faith that his experiences in Beijing will make him a more effective public servant and leader back in America.

Li sees the Schwarzman internship as a “unique opportunity to interact with the best and brightest young leaders from around the world who are already making an impact in their respective fields. The opportunity to engage with them in Beijing – to exchange ideas and viewpoints and to build those professional and personal relationships – is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I believe that Schwarzman will become a formative step in my career path to shape and inform the U.S.’ policy and relationship with Asia.”