Barnard Alum Named Schwarzman Scholar

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In January, Kelsey Chin ’22 was selected as one of 150 scholars worldwide to be awarded the prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship. She is the sixth Barnard alum to be accepted into the program in the past seven years.

Chin — who was chosen out of nearly 5,000 applicants — will pursue a one-year master’s program in global affairs at Beijing’s Tsinghua University. The program’s immersive experience is designed to expose individuals from across the world to a network of exceptional leaders, educators, and innovators dedicated to change-building.

“At this critical time for global cooperation, rather than division, I look forward to studying critical minerals, space policy, and global migration in Beijing next year,” says Chin.

Since graduating from Barnard, she has worked as a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives and as a field organizer for the 2024 Harris-Walz presidential campaign in Arizona. Chin also earned an MPA in urban and social policy with a regional specialization in East Asia at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) through Barnard’s 4+1 Pathway — a dual degree program in partnership with Columbia. In addition to her advocacy work, she became a 2023 Grammy-winning flutist when the New York Youth Symphony’s debut album won the award for Best Orchestral Performance.

 “As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, as a policy advisor, and as an advocate on behalf of the AANHPI diaspora in the United States,” says Chin, “I hope to use the insights gained from this program to better advise U.S. policymakers on areas of collaboration between the United States and China.” 

—Tara Terranova ’25