Brown Students Awarded Marshall, Schwarzman, and Pickering Fellowships

Distinguished Scholarships Highlight Brown Students' Dedication and Vision

Founded in 1764, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, is an Ivy League school known for its Open Curriculum, fostering independent thinking and interdisciplinary exploration. The university promotes academic excellence, social responsibility, and global contributions, offering a vibrant campus life, rigorous scholarship, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, inspiring students to become impactful leaders. Three members of Brown University's Class of 2025 were recently recognized for their outstanding academic achievements, earning spots in the distinguished Marshall and Schwarzman scholar programs and as Pickering fellows. Assistant Dean of the College for Fellowships, Joel Simundich, praised the students for their dedication and vision, noting that their recognition serves as an inspiration to others.

Eric Gottlieb received a Marshall Scholarship, which offers full funding for two years of graduate study at the University of Oxford in the UK. He was one of 36 Marshall Scholars selected from 983 applicants across the United States. Similarly, Jing Jing Yang was named a 2025 Schwarzman Scholar, earning full funding to pursue a master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. This year’s class of 150 scholars was chosen from nearly 5,000 applicants, marking the highest number in the program’s 10-year history. Additionally, Michael Ochoa was named a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellow, joining a select group of 45 fellows chosen annually since 1992. The fellowship provides funding for a two-year graduate program, followed by the opportunity to serve as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer in Washington, D.C., or at U.S. embassies and diplomatic missions worldwide. Fellows are committed to a minimum of five years of service in the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service.

For each of Brown's awardees, these prestigious fellowships offer opportunities to further their global impact through study and professional development. Eric Gottlieb, a Brown senior, shared his enthusiasm for his “weird academic interests.” He explained that at Brown, he discovered a passion for interpreting challenging, often inconsistent legal documents and a desire to make a practical, societal impact through his work. Gottlieb’s interests in legal hermeneutics, urban affairs, housing policy, and ancient languages like Coptic, Biblical Hebrew, and Nahuatl led him to pursue the Marshall program. As a Marshall Scholar, he will pursue master’s degrees in history and socio-legal research methods at Cardiff University in Wales, to become an appellate attorney or judge.

He credited his time at Brown for shaping his intellectual growth, stating that the University's approach to liberal education allowed him to explore his interests organically. He appreciated being exposed to different perspectives and expressed confidence that Brown’s ethos of self-discovery would stay with him during his time in the U.K. and when he returned to the U.S.

Similarly, the Schwarzman Scholarship holds special significance for Brown senior Jing Jing Yang, as it will take her back to her hometown of Beijing, where her father studied at Tsinghua University. Yang explained that her international upbringing led her on a lifelong journey of bridging China and the West, and she views the Schwarzman program's diversity and collaborative culture as an excellent platform for building global connections.  Yang, who will graduate with a degree in economics, has been active at Brown, offering mentorship to Chinese-American adoptees as president of China Care, organizing sustainable investing conferences, and consulting for nonprofits and startups. She also co-founded a startup that helped smaller content creators scale and monetize their social media, an experience she sees as foundational for her career goals in product design and business strategy.

As a Schwarzman Scholar, Yang plans to pursue her passions in global affairs and leadership, while also looking forward to spending the year with a diverse group of scholars, learning about their interests and backgrounds. She shared that she values Brown’s culture of finding common ground in both academics and extracurriculars and is eager to bring that mindset to the Schwarzman program.

When Michael Ochoa learned he had been selected for the Pickering Fellowship, he was overwhelmed with disbelief, having aimed for the fellowship since his first year at Brown. He reflected on the years of hard work, including research at Brown’s Watson Institute, studying French and Arabic, and his involvement with the U-FLi Student Center—all leading toward his goal of joining the Foreign Service. As a Pickering Fellow, Ochoa plans to pursue a master’s degree in international affairs and become a political officer in the Foreign Service, focusing on international issues and advocating for greater equity within national security.

Ochoa shared that his parents fled violence in Colombia with little money, English, or documentation, but the American system ultimately improved their lives. Recognizing his privilege in reaching this point, he expressed a strong desire to elevate underrepresented voices in decision-making to strengthen foreign policy through diverse perspectives. Overall, these three remarkable students exemplify the spirit of academic excellence and global engagement that Brown University fosters.

Editor's Note:

It is a moment of pride as the three young talented students of Brown University, Eric Gottlieb, Jing Jing Yang, and Michael Ochoa have been awarded the prestigious Marshall Scholarship, Schwarzman Scholarship, and Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship, respectively. Their achievements not only showcase their dedication and unique passions but also reflect the transformative education and support they received at Brown University. These outstanding students are set to make a global impact in their fields and inspire countless others.

Skoobuzz commends these three scholars and recognizes Brown University's ongoing commitment to excellence in academic development.