Damian James Murray, ’21SPS, Technology Management, has been named a Schwarzman Scholar. The program funds a one-year master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The Schwarzman Scholars is one of the world’s most prestigious graduate fellowships. The seventh class of Schwarzman Scholars includes 151 students, selected from more than 3,000 applicants through a rigorous application process designed to identify leadership potential, intellect, and strength of character. The program’s curriculum explores the economic, political and cultural factors that have contributed to China’s increasing importance as a global power.
Damian Murray is a Columbia HBCU Fellow who recently completed his M.S. in Technology Management. In 2019, he received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Jackson State University. Through his work with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, he provided HBCU students with over $100,000 in scholarships to study Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Damian is a Venture Capital Fellow in HBCUvc and Black Venture Capital Consortium (BVCC), training to increase the number of people of color check writers in the venture ecosystem. Through Schwarzman Scholars, Damian intends to research how entrepreneurship and investing can create wealth in communities of color and close the wealth gap.
"I hope to use the Schwarzman Scholarship to build global relationships with fellow Scholars and thought leaders from around the world while deepening my understanding of China's role in Global Affairs,” said Murray. “There are so many historical things happening in China, and I'm excited to be right in the middle of it starting in August 2022. I am grateful to Columbia University and my HBCU Fellowship family for helping me land such a fantastic opportunity."
“Schwarzman Scholars isn’t just about what you learn–it’s about becoming a leader and forming global relationships that can be activated over a lifetime,” said Stephen A. Schwarzman, the Founding Trustee of Schwarzman Scholars, and the Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Blackstone Inc. “The seventh cohort is an impressive group. The world needs Schwarzman Scholars now more than ever before. We are confident that these extraordinary young people will seize this opportunity to act with intellect and integrity, address pressing global issues, deepen cross-cultural connections, and fulfill the mission of Schwarzman Scholars: to create a steadfast network of future global leaders.”
The Schwarzman Scholars Class of 2023 includes two other Columbia University alumni, Darren Chen and Cian Saunders. Learn more about the Schwarzman Scholars.
