Three Duke Alumni and One Senior Named Schwarzman Scholars for Graduate Study in China

Scholars are selected based on leadership potential and entrepreneurial spirit, among other criteria

Anya Button, Yutao Gong, Hope Jackson and Jie (Vincent) Liu were among the 150 Schwarzman Scholars, a nationally competitive award that funds a year of graduate study in China.
Anya Button, Yutao Gong, Hope Jackson and Jie (Vincent) Liu were among the 150 Schwarzman Scholars, a nationally competitive award that funds a year of graduate study in China.

Three Duke alumni and a senior have been named Schwarzman Scholars, a program that funds one year of graduate study in Beijing.

From an initial pool of nearly 5,000 applicants, they are among approximately 150 Scholars chosen from around the world.

Anya Button, Yutao Gong, Hope Jackson, and Jie (Vincent) Liu will develop international leadership skills through the fully funded one-year master’s degree program in global affairs, designed to enable future leaders of the 21st century to engage with China.

Scholars are selected based on leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, and a curiosity and interest in understanding other cultures.

Anya Button, from Belmont, Massachusetts, will graduate this spring with a degree in sociology and a Markets & Management Certificate. A Dzialga Fellow and Lime Connect Fellow, her professional experience includes roles at Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and Serena Ventures.

Driven by a strong interest in the nexus of sports, media and economic development, she advised on digital strategy for Duke Athletics as well as on projects for the NBA, WNBA and NWSL at Sportsology Group.

Additionally, Button founded Victress FC, a women’s sports media company credentialed by international leagues and federations. As a Schwarzman Scholar, she plans to explore the global media and entertainment industry to develop innovative financing and business models for sports.

From Shanghai, China, Yutao Gong is a 2020 graduate who double majored in environmental sciences and statistical science. While at Duke, Yutao led a team of students to organize Duke U.S.-China Summit, bringing together different people and their diverse perspectives on U.S.-China relations.

After graduation, she joined Boston Consulting Group where she worked on projects across manufacturing operations, M&A diligence and sustainability strategy. Gong spent two years in Chicago and a year in Greater China as a Global Ambassador within the consulting group, sharing global expertise with the emerging market.

She is enrolled at MIT as a Leaders for Global Operations fellow, getting a dual degree of MBA and master in engineering. Gong is committed to advancing efforts to achieve sustainable development, especially through energy transition and industrial decarbonization.

From Virginia Beach, Virginia, Hope Jackson’s career has centered on reproductive justice and women’s health. She works with Needed, a supplement startup that advances nutrition for women.

As a class of 2020 graduate and Ron Brown Scholar, Jackson double majored in biology and global health and went on to earn an master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University with the support of P.E.O International.

In 2022, Jackson was named a Duke Hart Fellow and explored the birth experiences of Black women and provided free birth support services for people of color and other marginalized groups via the nonprofit For the Village. Through her experience as a Schwarzman Scholar, Hope will hone her global understanding of reproductive health policy and economics to help create entrepreneurial solutions for women’s health issues. 

Jie (Vincent) Liu, from Chengdu, China, graduated in 2021 with a major in computer science and a minor in economics. He is the Founder and CEO of MyTeaPal. Established in 2020, Liu’s community-focused mobile app and subscription service supports more than 25,000 tea enthusiasts globally and ships tea to over 50 countries.

While at Duke, Liu founded the CommuniTEA club and a tea association with five other universities, participated in the Clinton Global Initiative University, and was a member of the Melissa & Doug Entrepreneurs program. As a Schwarzman Scholar, Liu plans to build and strengthen international tea communities, enabling him to advance his mission to use tea as a bridge for cultural understanding and international diplomacy.

Launched in 2016, the Schwarzman Scholars program seeks to bring young leaders from around the world to learn from and study in China. Scholars engage with China by attending lectures, traveling, immersing in the culture, and exploring their area of academic focus.  

To receive support in applying for opportunities like the Schwarzman Scholarship, interested Duke students and young alumni should contact the in the Office of University Scholars and Fellows.