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Trinity graduates win Schwarzman scholarships

Posted on: 04 December 2018

Two Trinity graduates—Conor McGlynn and Conor O’Meara—are among the 147 individuals that comprise the 2020 cohort of the Schwarzman Scholars, which is one of the world’s most prestigious graduate fellowship programmes, located at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Conor McGlynn is a graduate of Trinity and the University of Cambridge, where he studied philosophy and economics. His focus is on how philosophy can inform and improve public policymaking.

For the last two years Conor McGlynn has worked on EU affairs in Brussels, learning about transnational governance and working on the regulation of cutting edge biotechnologies. He is also a director at a social justice start-up that promotes access to justice in developing countries, conducting projects for the UN and NGOs.

Conor O’Meara graduated from Trinity as Business Student of the Year in 2016, with a first-class honours BA in Economics and Business. He now works for a technology start-up focused on data analytics and behavioural science in New York and London.

An avid entrepreneur, Conor O'Meara co-founded a social enterprise to improve food distribution for refugees during the European Refugee Crisis, and previously interned in the US Senate. An opera singer and performer, he trained in Dublin’s Conservatory of Music.

The 2020 cohort of the Schwarzman Scholars includes students from 38 countries and 119 universities, with 40% originating from the United States, 20% from China, and 40% from the rest of the world. The Over 2,800 students applied, with those who were successful set to enrol in August 2019.

Stephen A. Schwarzman, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Blackstone, and Chairman of Schwarzman Scholars, said:

Our newest class includes a diverse group of future leaders from around the world. They join a global network of Scholars who have committed themselves to being a force for change, regardless of where their professional or personal passions take them. My hope is that a year in Beijing will inspire and challenge these students in ways they haven’t even imagined. I look forward to seeing how this new class will leave its mark.

The Scholars were selected based on their academic ability, leadership potential and strength of character. The selection process relied on readers from different regions and backgrounds who provided insights to identify the highest level of leadership and academic excellence across the world. More than 400 semi-finalists were invited to interview in either Beijing, Bangkok, London or New York, and went before panels of distinguished figures comprised of CEOs, former heads of state, university presidents, non-profit executives, journalists and other leaders from around the world.

Schwarzman Scholars continues to innovate its curriculum and co-curricular activities, bringing in leading faculty from around the world and hosting prominent thought leaders. The program’s curriculum, which awards Scholars a Master’s degree in Global Affairs, was crafted by talented academic leaders from some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Oxford, and Tsinghua.

In addition to a core curriculum, Scholars will pursue an individually designed concentration, drawing from Schwarzman Scholars courses in public policy, international studies, and economics and business, as well as from other departments at Tsinghua University. Classes are taught by leading professors from Tsinghua and visiting faculty members from distinguished institutions around the world.

Beyond the classroom, Scholars will gain unrivalled exposure to China and a broad network of important relationships through unique internships, mentorship opportunities, high-profile speakers and opportunities to travel throughout the country. Scholars will also have access to career services support that will help prepare them to make the best of their time in Beijing and beyond.