Alumna Named Schwarzman Scholar to Study Global Affairs in China
The latest academic honor for Nina Gohel, who won a Yenching Scholarship in 2023, involves a one-year master's degree and leadership program at Tsinghua University in Beijing
Nina Gohel, a recent Rutgers University-New Brunswick alumna and daughter of Indian immigrants, has been named one of the latest Schwarzman Scholars.
The scholarship – founded in 2016 by Stephen A. Schwarzman, the chairman and chief executive of private-equity firm Blackstone Group – involves a one-year, fully funded master's degree in global affairs from Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
Gohel is among three Rutgers students selected as a Schwarzman Scholar this year (one attended Rutgers-Camden and another went to Rutgers-Newark). Scholarship officials said nearly 5,000 candidates worldwide applied, a program record. Officials added that nearly 400 candidates were interviewed, producing a class of about 150 Schwarzman Scholars for the program’s 10th cohort.
To date, nine Rutgers students have been selected for the scholarship. Established in 2013, the program is designed to build a community of global leaders and deepen understanding between China and the world.
“Schwarzman Scholars consists of a cohort of the most influential global leaders in business, technology, politics and nonprofits around the world,” Gohel said. “The beauty of Schwarzman is the ability to live and learn together at Tsinghua University, creating unparalleled connections with peers that will support both my future and theirs.”
“The Schwarzman Scholars program brings together students from all around the world and from a huge range of disciplines and backgrounds,” said Anne Wallen, director of the Office of Distinguished Fellowships at Rutgers. “It’s an amazing opportunity for these future leaders to learn and grow together as a cohort.”
Wallen said an important aspect from Schwarzman’s perspective “is China, building relationships with people there and getting students to know China, in recognition of its geopolitical and economic importance.”
Gohel has been taking graduate-level courses at the Yenching Academy of Peking University in China since the fall of 2023. She will graduate with a master's degree in law and society.
Earlier in 2023, Gohel received the Yenching Scholarship. She graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers-New Brunswick in May of that year, earning dual bachelor of arts degrees in political science from the School of Arts and Sciences and planning and public policy from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy as well as a triple minor in economics, philosophy and philosophy, politics and economics.
“As a scholar at Yenching Academy of Peking University, one of China’s top institutions, I have gained a top-tier academic experience, all while immersing myself in Chinese culture, conducting research on gender policy across China, and making lifelong friendships,” she said.
She credited the Office of Distinguished Fellowships at Rutgers-New Brunswick – specifically its director, Anne Wallen – for helping her apply to both scholarships and being “a guiding force throughout this entire process.”
“Anne has been instrumental in encouraging me to chart my own course and make a positive impact on our world while doing so,” Gohel said.
The Mount Laurel, N.J., resident also credited Art Casciato, the former director of the Office of Distinguished Fellowships before Wallen, “who set me on this path as well as professors Saladin Ambar and Nadia Mian at Rutgers who have been supporting me continuously even beyond my years of graduation.”
“I am indebted to certain individuals at Rutgers for what they've done for me and I am incredibly grateful to have them in my life,” added Gohel, who plans to attend law school after completing her studies in China.
I am indebted to certain individuals at Rutgers for what they've done for me and I am incredibly grateful to have them in my life.
Nina Gohel
Schwarzman Scholar and Rutgers alumna
“Nina was one of the very first students I met when I came to Rutgers, and it’s been a privilege to get to see her develop over the past couple of years,” Wallen said. “She always struck me as being absolutely whip-smart and having a clear commitment to public service. She is also one of those students whom I always have to ask if she’s getting enough sleep – she does so much. Her energy and enthusiasm for her work is inspirational.”
As an undergraduate, Gohel received the Rutgers–New Brunswick Chancellor-Provost Revolutionary Award for her work increasing voter turnout and registration through the Eagleton Institute’s Darien Civic Engagement Project. She also was an undergraduate associate of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, a Ralph W. Voorhees Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
While at Rutgers, Gohel was the first Asian American and Pacific Islander woman to be elected as vice president of the student body. During college, Gohel was an intern at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of General Counsel and the U.S. Department of Interior. She has since gone on to work for the U.S. Department of State.
During her senior year and following graduation, Nina worked as a staff assistant for the White House within the Executive Office of the President.
As a Yenching Scholar, Gohel has been researching China's gender quota system, which aims to guarantee the presence of women in political governing bodies. Gohel said she hopes to take aspects of the system to support women in developing nations worldwide.
“Currently, I am drawing insights from gender quota systems around the globe to develop a transferable, foundational model that empowers women to serve in public office and fosters equitable representation,” she said. “My work in China is crucial due to the limited data on the nation’s quota system. From a broader perspective, for the foreseeable future, China will remain a key factor for U.S. decision making in international politics.”
Gohel added, “This is why the mission of Schwarzman is so important: we need global leaders who are knowledgeable about China to make informed decisions that ensure positive outcomes. I hope to contribute to this effort with a career in the U.S. government.”
