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Globe, the Graduate Institute Review
18 May 2021

Alumni Show Solidarity with Students in the Form of Scholarships

The Graduate Institute has three main scholarships funded by its alumni: the Alumni Community Scholarship, the Washington, D.C. Alumni Chapter Scholarship and the New York Alumni Chapter Scholarship. Each year, these scholarships raise money to fund one year of studies and living expenses for students from all over the world. 

ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
Dongcai Chen is pursuing his Master of International Law. From Guangxi province, China, he already holds a Master in International Economic Law. Currently, he is trying to explore more branches of international law and acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the discipline. His desire is to further enrich his theoretical foundation and contemplate ways for enhancing the status quo of human rights and environmental protection in China.

It is my dream to study at the Graduate Institute as it is among the foremost international law research centres in the world. This scholarship is literally vital for helping me realise my dream and pursue my ambitious career goal of promoting human rights, environment and other international rules under the Belt and Road Initiative.


The Alumni Scholarship was established in 2013 to fund the academic and living expenses of a student in financial need for a year. Funds for the scholarship are collected through direct donations on the Alumni Scholarship webpage and also during a raffle and silent auction held at the annual Alumni Reunion, which reunites alumni from around the world each year.

WASHINGTON, D.C. ALUMNI CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP
Kulani Abendroth-Dias is a first-year PhD candidate in International Relations/Political Science. She holds a Master in Social Psychology from Princeton University, and a Master of Science in European Integration, specialising in Economics and Security, from the Institute of European Studies in Brussels, Belgium. Previously, she worked for the UN Development Programme, UN Peacebuilding Fund and UN Institute for Disarmament Research. She is a German national born in Sri Lanka.

"I am thrilled to have won the Washington, D.C. Alumni Chapter Scholarship as it will allow me to continue my doctoral studies at the Institute, looking at the influence of the development of artificial intelligence and machine-learning technologies on human security. It is particularly relevant for me to explore this interdisciplinary project at the heart of the academic and policy-oriented setting that is international Geneva.


The Washington, D.C. Alumni Chapter Scholarship was created in 2009 to promote awareness of the Graduate Institute in the United States, while also helping the Institute recruit graduate students of high calibre. The Scholarship is available to first-year master or doctoral students – irrespective of nationality – from American universities who wish to study at the Institute. It is awarded based first on academic achievement and secondly on economic need and funds nine months of study.

NEW YORK ALUMNI CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP
Prachi Jha is from Jamshedpur, India, and is working towards her Master in Development Studies. She holds a dual Bachelor in Psychology and English Literature from Lewis and Clark College. Previously, Prachi worked with high-impact education organisations in India such as Teach for India and Ashoka University. For the last five years, she has been running her own education not-for-profit, Life Lab Foundation.
 

Having worked more than nine years in the field of education with underprivileged communities, I’ve seen how education can transform lives. Thanks to the generous New York Alumni Scholarship, I’m able to embark on this journey myself. With the strong academic foundation in development combined with the professional and personal networks I gain at the Institute, I hope to continue to make a difference in the lives of the most marginalised communities in the world.


The New York Alumni Chapter Scholarship was created in 2019 to promote awareness of the Graduate Institute in the United States, while also helping the Institute recruit graduate students of high calibre. The Scholarship is available to first-year master or doctoral students – irrespective of nationality – from American universities who wish to study at the Institute. It is awarded based first on academic achievement and secondly on economic need and funds nine months of study.