Baruch College’s Abdourahamane Diallo Named a 2020 Schwarzman Scholar

Zicklin School of Business undergraduate selected for program designed to prepare future global leaders

December 10, 2018

Abdourahamane Diallo ’18 has been selected as Baruch College’s first Schwarzman Scholar, one of the world’s most prestigious graduate fellowships.

The Zicklin School of Business senior is one of 147 students selected among more than 2,800 candidates from around the globe following a rigorous application process that assessed the highest level of leadership potential and academic ability. Along with his fellow scholars, Diallo will pursue a master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University, one of the country’s leading universities, beginning in August 2019.

Diallo vividly recalls when he first learned of being chosen as a Schwarzman Scholar.

“I was on campus reading news on my phone when I got an email alert that said ‘congratulations, you were selected for the Schwarzman Scholarship,”’ Diallo said in an interview. “I screamed a little bit and thought ‘oh my god.’ It was exciting news and a great moment.”

Diallo joins students from 38 countries and 119 universities who comprise the class of 2020. His fellow scholars include a medical doctor who founded a science policy think tank in partnership with London City Hall and the European Commission, a writer of a winning essay that named the NASA Mars rover – Curiosity, and an activist who successfully petitioned the Obama White House to increase the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the United States.

“Schwarzman Scholars are known for their outstanding leadership potential, good character and motivation to work together to create globally minded solutions to the world’s shared challenges,” said Valeria Hymas, Deputy Director of National and Prestigious Fellowships Advising at Baruch College.

Hymas added, “Abdourahamane Diallo is emblematic of these ideals. His remarkable achievement of becoming a Schwarzman Scholar is an example of Baruch’s students’ exceptional level of dedication, rigor, and commitment to envisioning positive global changes.”

Leadership, Character and Motivation

Diallo will graduate in December 2018 from Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business majoring in finance investment and a minor in communication studies (conflict resolution). While attending Baruch, he obtained internships with some of the largest American companies: BlackRock Inc. as a quantitative risk analyst, the U.S. Department of Commerce as an international trade specialist, and JP Morgan Chase as an investment banking risk analyst.

His other activities and interests extended well beyond study time and office hours.

Diallo volunteered for the Baruch Math Department as a note taker for disabled students. He founded the Guinean Students Association at Baruch and expanded the club to other City University of New York campuses, which has become a non-profit organization called Guineans Succeeding in America. Diallo has also held prominent leadership roles in several College clubs, including Le Club Francais at Baruch, Baruch Toastmaster, and Sigma Alpha Honor Society.

Outside of campus, Diallo is actively involved with the community. He is currently the Secretary General of the African Advisory Council of the Bronx and is a member of the Bronx Community Board #3. Diallo is also the founder of the Guinean New Generation Movement.

Goals: Helping Home Country to Harvard University

Originally from Guinea, Diallo is looking to leverage his time in China to build a network with local manufacturers and entrepreneurs. With an interest in international trade, he wants to learn how his native country can essentially be a “bigger player in the global market in terms of trading.”

After completing the Schwarzman Scholars program, Diallo intends to pursue another MBA at Harvard University.

“Abdourahamane’s success should serve as an inspiration to all Baruch students that prestigious fellowships are well within their grasp,” Hymas said. “His time in China at Tsinghua University will provide him with a transformative academic and professional experience that will equip him with the skills, knowledge and community to bolster his continued success in any future endeavor he envisions.”

About the Schwarzman Scholars Program

The Schwarzman Scholarship program is designed to “prepare future leaders for success in a world where China plays a key global role.” The program was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship hosted by Oxford University, but with the goal of confronting the difficult challenges of the 21st century.

Scholars chosen for this program have “demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities and the potential to bridge and understand cultural and political differences.”

Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, chief executive and co-founder of the private equity firm The Blackstone Group, created the Schwarzman Scholars Program. Many current and former world leaders are on the Schwarzman Scholars advisory board, including Tony Blair, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Henry Kissinger, and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Baruch students interested in applying for the Schwarzman Scholarship or other nationally competitive awards can visit the College’s Fellowships website.

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