A senior from the University of Pennsylvania, Eric Tse of Beijing, has been awarded a Schwarzman Scholarship, which will fund one year of graduate study leading to a master’s degree in global affairs at China’s Tsinghua University.

Tse is one of 142 selected to receive the third annual Schwarzman Scholarships, including students from 39 countries and 97 universities. This year, more than 4,000 people applied to the highly selective program for students who have demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities, along with the potential to bridge and understand cultural and political differences.

Designed to prepare future leaders for success in a rapidly changing world in which China plays a key role, the Schwarzman Scholarship will allow Tse to return to Beijing and live at Schwarzman College on the Tsinghua campus, which was constructed specifically for the scholars program.

Born in Seattle, Tse attended primary school in Beijing and secondary school in Hong Kong and will graduate with a degree in finance from the Wharton School in December. His Schwarzman Scholarship will begin in September 2018.

During his freshman year, Tse founded the Penn Wharton China Summit, which has grown to be the largest student-organized summit in the United States. In April, 1,500 students from 35 states and more than 84 cities came to Philadelphia to attend it. He also founded the China Summit Foundation, a non-governmental organization with 501(c)(3) status that helps charities and supports forums and educational and cultural initiatives launched by international students.

Inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship, Blackstone co-founder Stephen A. Schwarzman contributed over $100 million to the Schwarzman Scholars program and is leading a campaign to raise an additional $500 million from others to endow the program.

Tse applied for the Schwarzman Scholarships with assistance from Penn's Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. The complete list of Schwarzman Scholars is available at http://schwarzmanscholars.org/scholars/.