CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois alumna Katherine Pollman, of Greenville, Illinois, was named a Schwarzman Scholar, one of 145 recipients selected from an international pool of 4,700 applicants. The program annually fully funds a Schwarzman class consisting of 40% U.S. students, 20% from China and Taiwan, and 40% from the rest of the world.
Schwarzman Scholars are awarded to students who seek a better understanding of China’s role in the world and have the potential to be future leaders. Students and young alumni from any major can apply for this master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The experience mixes practical and theoretical knowledge to train those who aspire to make the world a more peaceful and prosperous place.
Pollman graduated cum laude as a James Scholar honors student in May 2016 with a B.S. in economics and a B.A. in earth, society, and environmental sustainability. Since graduation, she has worked in rural Uganda as a research coordinator for the University of Illinois on a study of a primary education program. Pollman manages a multicultural team and acts as a liaison between local staff and U.S.-based researchers. She writes and presents papers on mother tongue instruction, parental involvement in education and early grade literacy.
According to David Schug, the director of the National and International Scholarships Program at Illinois, Pollman is the first American graduate of Illinois to win the award, joining Illinois alumnus Yiwei Xu, a student from China who was named a Schwarzman Scholar in 2016.