Berkeley Social Sciences alumnus Peihang “Marshall” Li, who recently graduated with a degree in political economy and Vishwaa Sofat, a senior double majoring in political science and science, technology and society, have been named as 2024–2025 Schwarzman Scholars. They will be heading to Tsinghua University in Beijing in Fall 2024 to enroll in a fully funded one-year M.A. program in Global Affairs, joining a highly selective and diverse cohort of 150 students to learn about Chinese culture and commerce and its role on the global stage and to develop their leadership skills.
Li is currently pursuing his MPhil study in economics and social history at the University of Cambridge in England. He is researching the history of U.S. pharmaceutical market regulations. At Cal, Marshall was recognized four times with the California Alumni Leadership Award. He served as Vice President of the California Lightweight Rowing Team, Chair of the Datong Society of China Studies, and as Student Assistant to Berkeley Disabled Students’ Program. Marshall seeks a scholarly understanding of the interplay between market regulations, innovation, and health outcomes. He has interned across litigation, professional services, and NGOs. While with Asia Society Northern California, he delivered an assessment of Sino-American drug development and AI synergies. Beyond his academic pursuits, Marshall is also an award-winning poet with a poetry collection published in China.
Sofat has interned with the State Department’s Office of China Coordination, the White House (WHIAANHPI), the NYC Department of Education, and three times in Congress. At Cal, he taught a course on the U.S. Indo-Pacific alliance structure, edited for The Daily Californian’s Weekender section, worked for Fortune 500 companies through Voyager Consulting, and led the Model UN team to third in the nation. Additionally, he serves as an IIS/CPD Undergraduate Fellow in International Studies at the Berkley Risk and Security Lab and is the co-founder of Project NextGen, a nonprofit that engages high school students in policy. A deferred admit to Harvard Law School (matriculating in 2026), Vishwaa aims to shape technological advancements through regulation and legislation.
This year’s good news from the Schwarzman Scholars Program brings the number of recipients from Cal in the past eight years to thirteen! Go Bears! For more information on the Schwarzman Program and other nationally competitive scholarships, please visit Cal’s National Scholarships Office website.