ASU student earns prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship to study in China
Global studies and political science major Jordan Harb, the first in his family to go to college, has won one of the world’s most prestigious and selective graduate fellowship programs, the Schwarzman Scholarship. Photo courtesy of Schwarzman Scholars program
The day that Schwarzman Scholarship candidates began getting notified that they had been chosen for the prized scholarship, Arizona State University student Jordan Harb kept an eye on the group chat. One by one, fellow applicants announced that they had received a call. As the minutes went by and the deadline approached, Harb had accepted that his call wasn’t coming.
“But then five minutes until the office closed, I finally got the call,” he says.
The Schwarzman Scholarship is one of the world’s most prestigious and selective graduate fellowship programs. Students like Harb chosen for the experience attend a one-year master’s degree program in global affairs at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
There, they learn leadership skills and deepen their knowledge of China and global affairs. The goal of the experience is to impart an understanding of China’s changing role in the world, which will be necessary for students who are interested in a future role as a global leader.
At first, the Schwarzman Scholarship wasn’t even on the Barrett, The Honors College student’s radar.
“I did not have a background in East Asian studies, but Dr. Mox suggested it would be a good fit and guided me through the process,” says Harb, a global studies and political science major in the School of Politics and Global Studies.
Dr. Mox is Kyle Mox, associate dean for national scholarship advisement in ASU’s Office of National Scholarship Advisement. That’s the team that helps ASU students compete for national and international scholarships and fellowships.
“Jordan’s achievement demonstrates what is possible for ASU students who have the courage to step forward and accept the invitation to lead, especially now in this time of such uncertainty,” Mox says. “I hope that his narrative of persistence inspires others in our community to follow his example.”
Schwarzman Scholars are selected based on their leadership potential, intellect and strength of character. Harb says he was grateful for the advisement of Mox’s office, as the application process was rigorous.
“I went through a few iterations of my essays, with feedback from ONSA and friends,” Harb says. “The interview was 25 minutes with an intimidating panel of experts such as the deans at Yale and American University, business executives and industry leaders.”
Schwarzman Scholars’ days are spent taking core and elective classes, and the experience culminates with a capstone project. Students also hear from guest speakers, enjoy networking opportunities and explore various parts of China.
Harb, a senior in the School of Politics and Global Studies and the first in his family to go to college, says he is excited for the program to start.
“I will spend a year surrounded by leaders from countries all over the world and incredibly motivated, inspiring people,” he says. “I’ve spent most of my career organizing and advocating for vulnerable communities, and a key aspect of that work has been leveraging relationships toward a common goal.”
Five thousand students applied to be part of this year’s cohort of Schwarzman Scholars. Harb is one of just 150 students, or 3%, who were awarded the scholarship. The students represent 38 countries and 105 universities around the world — many of them Ivy League schools. Harb says his experience at ASU helped prepare him to earn the scholarship.
“The biggest contributor to my success was the diversity of experiences ASU provides,” he says. “For instance, I was able to gain research experience through the College of Global Futures and The Melikian Center, and use scholarships and financial aid to study abroad in India and Morocco, which inspired me to turn my interest in policy and advocacy internationally. It was also surprising how effective cold-emailing professors, advisors and other faculty for opportunities worked, especially when compared to the experiences of friends who attended ultracompetitive institutions.”
Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost, echoes the sentiment about the “diversity of experiences” — ASU students have numerous opportunities and resources they can leverage to help them achieve their goals.
“Jordan’s achievement exemplifies the potential of all ASU students,” Gonzales says. “With access to a multitude of support services, mentor professors who act as sage guides and a high-quality academic experience delivered in a customizable manner, ASU students possess the resources to accomplish whatever they strive for.”
Harb’s resume is extensive. He is a Flinn Scholar, was a finalist for the Truman Scholarship and was selected for the prestigious PPIA Junior Fellowship. He also took part in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals program in Germany. Additionally he is the former field director at March For Our Lives in Arizona and a former Arizona Department of Education School Safety Task Force leader.
What lies ahead for him after completing his Schwarzman Scholar experience? He wants to combat collective generational trauma.
“My central motivation is addressing this crisis through global cooperation on mental health policy, education and international aid,” Harb said. “I plan to work in policy, advocating for expanded access to education and early trauma interventions, or in international development.”
Harb is the second ASU student to be named a Schwarzman Scholar. In 2016, Jessica Hocken, an accountancy major, was part of the inaugural Schwarzman Scholar cohort.
The Schwarzman Scholar experience will begin for Harb in August.
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