NYU Undergraduate Named Inaugural Schwarzman Scholar for Study in China

Kes Rittenberg, an undergraduate in New York University’s College of Arts and Science, has been named an inaugural Schwarzman Scholar, an honor that will support master’s degree study at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“The caliber of this first class of Schwarzman Scholars is truly exceptional,” said Stephen A. Schwarzman, the program’s founder. “Each Scholar has demonstrated tremendous leadership potential at a young age and differentiated themselves through a myriad of academic and non-academic pursuits. It is my intention that the Schwarzman Scholars will return home and provide leadership in a changing, complex and dynamic world. I have every confidence that this class will be such leaders.”

The 111 inaugural Schwarzman Scholars, selected from more than 3,000 applicants, will receive full funding, including travel costs and a personal stipend, for their study in China. The class will both take classes and live at Schwarzman College on the Tsinghua campus beginning in September 2016.

An economics major who graduates from NYU this year, Rittenberg will pursue a concentration in business and economics as a Schwarzman Scholar. Rittenberg, a California native, has worked as a summer analyst at Goldman Sachs and interned at Primavera Capital, MDB Capital Group, and Reliance Capital.

Joining Rittenberg as an inaugural Schwarzman Scholar is Corey Meyer, a 2015 graduate of NYU Abu Dhabi who is currently pursuing a law degree at Yale University.

“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.”

Scholars will pursue degrees in Public Policy, Economics & Business, and International Studies, and spend a year immersed in an international community of thinkers, innovators and senior leaders in business, politics and society.

“We have mobilized the global academic community to build a highly specialized and intellectually stimulating curriculum to prepare the next generation to leaders for the unique challenges of the 21st century,” said Schwarzman Scholars Dean, David Daokui Li. “We are thrilled by the caliber and breadth of skills, accomplishments and potential represented by these individuals, and look forward to providing the framework for them to gain a deeper understanding of China, create a network of global mutual understanding, and prepare them with the skills necessary to tackle the unique challenges of the future.”

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 $350 million from private sources to endow the program in perpetuity. The $450 million endowment will support up to 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. Admissions opened in the fall of 2015, with the first class of students in residence in 2016. Learn more at www.schwarzmanscholars.org, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SchwarzmanScholars and follow us on Twitter at @SchwarzmanOrg.