A Program of the 
The CLS Program is delighted to recognize two alumni, Genrietta Churbanova (Chinese 2022) and Elliott Mokski (Portuguese 2021), who were named 2024-2025 Schwarzman Scholars. Genrietta and Elliott will pursue a one-year fully-funded master’s degree in global affairs at Schwarzman College on the campus of Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of the top ranked universities in Asia and the world.
Throughout their Schwarzman year, Genrietta and Elliott will deepen their understanding of China’s role in the global economy and global affairs equipping them with the knowledge to serve as a cultural bridge between China and the rest of the world.
When asked about his motivation for applying, Elliott shared, “I decided to join the Schwarzman Scholars program for many of the same reasons I took part in CLS. Through the CLS Program in Brazil, I understood that spending time on the ground and learning the language is one of the most powerful ways of building mutual understanding.”
Genrietta also applied to Schwarzman after CLS affirmed her commitment to learning Chinese as a gateway to cultural understanding, “Participating in CLS helped cement my longstanding interest in learning Mandarin and pursuing graduate studies in China. The close relationship I formed with my language partner—with whom I met twice a week to practice Mandarin—reinforced my commitment to engaging with China through its people.”
Genrietta continued, “CLS highlighted the importance of cross-cultural communication to dispelling stereotypes, forging stronger international ties, and building a more peaceful global community, all of which I hope to promote as a Schwarzman Scholar.”
Congratulations to Genrietta and Elliott on this outstanding accomplishment. We wish them the best of luck as they pursue their graduate studies in Beijing this year. Read more about Schwarzman Scholars here.
Stay tuned as we celebrate more CLS alumni who have received selective awards throughout the next month. Also, the CLS Program team wants to hear about your accomplishments, whether specific to your career or your life in general. Share with us the good news at clsalumni@americancouncils.org.