Three Tar Heels named Schwarzman scholars

Jasper Schutt '25, Fridah Mbwaya '22 and Sanjeev Musuvathy '23 have been awarded the prestigious Schwarzman scholarship, which fully funds a master's degree in global affairs at Beijing's Tsinghua University. This is a record number of Schwarzman scholars from UNC-Chapel Hill.

"The Schwarzman scholarship is one of the most prestigious postgraduate opportunities in the world," said Marc Howlett, executive director of the Office of Distinguished Scholarships. "For Carolina to have a record-breaking three recipients is a testament to the excellence of these individuals as well as to the University's position as a global academic leader."

Schutt is a senior double-majoring in global studies and independent studies. Schutt is a Morehead-Cain scholar, Honors Carolina student and founder of the UNC Arabic Debate Club. He is currently studying Russian in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on a Boren scholarship.

Fluent in Arabic, Mandarin and Russian, Schutt plans to study international investment law at Tsinghua University. "What has driven my studies at Carolina is trying to connect with as many different people as possible, learn their languages and seek out the connections between my lived experience and theirs," said Schutt. "At Tsinghua, I'm excited to be with an exceptionally diverse group of people from all around the world."

Mbwaya graduated from Carolina in 2022 with a double major in business administration and economics. The native of Nairobi, Kenya, was a Robertson scholar, a Kenan scholar and a student leader for Accessibility Resources and Service. She currently works for Bain & Company in Atlanta.

Mbwaya's academic and professional interests include economic development, the economic empowerment of women and global business, with a focus on the African continent. "The Schwarzman program offers an unparalleled opportunity to further my passion for education," said Mbwaya. "By exploring the intersection of culture, leadership and policy, I aim to contribute to sustainable solutions that drive growth and empower communities in Kenya and beyond."

Musuvathy graduated from Carolina in 2023, double-majoring in business administration and computer science. He was a Carolina scholar and a GLOBE XVI scholar, and he founded the University's first student-run venture capital fund. Musuvathy currently works for Boston Consulting Group in Dallas, Texas.

As a Schwarzman scholar, Musuvathy will study insights from China's investments in global emerging markets. "Receiving the Schwarzman scholarship feels like a mandate to chase my dreams: transforming emerging markets by supporting technology entrepreneurs," said Musuvathy. "I aspire to build a robust global network of mentors and scholars that will serve as partners for me to invest in, and build, the next unicorns of emerging markets."

Schutt, Mbwaya and Musuvathy will study in Beijing starting this fall, joining an international cohort of 150 Schwarzman scholars selected from over 4,000 applicants. The Schwarzman scholarship is designed to build a global network of leaders who will deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world.