Scholarships

Scholarship Recipients and How to Apply


2021–2022 Scholarship Recipients

Aleksandra Gracheva

Having traveled to many countries and learned multiple languages at a young age, Aleksandra Gracheva has witnessed issues of conflict and cultural frictions. She joined the Columbia University and Sciences Po Dual BA Program to engage in a multinational and critical educational path that allowed her to build strong foundations in the humanities to better understand causes and solutions for global conflict.

As a Student Scholar at Columbia University’s Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, as well as a Columbia/Cambridge GLOBES Scholar, Aleksandra uses her academic research as a tool for furthering her and her audiences’ understanding of cultural and political differences. Her recent work has been presented and published in multiple outlets, including in a co-authored journal article in the prestigious Nature: Human Behavior.

Aleksandra was drawn to the Jérôme Lohez Foundation due to the strong parallels she saw between her own values and those of the Foundation. She is honored to represent this mission alongside her fellow recipients and the Foundation’s members.

Saboura Salari Rad

Saboura is currently a graduate student studying Financial Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. She received her bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran. After graduating, she worked as a business developer and financial analyst at several start-ups, eventually shifting her focus from the fundamental to the applied. She became more determined to pursue a degree in Finance during the economic turmoil in her home country. Her ultimate goal is to earn a PhD in Economics in an endeavor toward making a positive impact in Iran and worldwide.

As a woman from the Middle East, she is also dedicated to women’s rights, equal opportunities, and empowerment. Saboura is actively involved in the Women in Business Club, Girls in Tech, R-Ladies and other peer female support groups that promote gender equality. With her extensive network of resources, she supports women from her home country who wish to pursue higher education and careers outside of Iran.

She is also a yoga practitioner with over 10 years’ experience. She obtained her 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teaching Certificate and currently is a yoga instructor with focus on mindfulness meditation to help bring personal growth and holistic well-being.

Shardul Shinde

Shardul Shinde works as a Graduate Student Assistant at Stevens Institute of Technology and as a Business Data Analyst Intern while pursuing his MS in Business Intelligence and Analytics. During his undergraduate years at Symbiosis Institute of Technology in India, where he studied Computer Science, he served as a community volunteer. Post completion of his undergraduate program, he co-founded a non-profit organization named YOUNG Foundation which is a youth-run organization for the underprivileged, in need, and gifted.

At Stevens, Shardul Shinde serves as the president of the Business Intelligence and Analytics Club and public relations chair of the Indian Graduate Student Association.  He is the master’s peer mentor for the graduate students. Shardul is an avid soccer enthusiast and is passionate about music.

Shardul is honored to be a part of the Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Scholarship Foundation and wants to develop as a leader using the multicultural platform offered by the Foundation. He is keen to work and learn from the Foundation’s board members and scholarship recipients.

Victor Trolet

Born in the north of France and raised in a tight-knit family environment, Victor Trolet has always been driven by a will to understand the ties that make up societies. His journey at Sciences Po and at Columbia University allowed him to explore such intricacies, immersed in the study of subjects close to his heart: economics, sociology, and art.

In addition to his academic engagement, Victor aims to bring people together in the achievement of mutual uplift and in the fight against self-censorship. This commitment is embedded in his projects in consulting, venture capital and art promotion on both sides of the Atlantic. His current responsibilities in New York City aim to bridge the academic and professional spheres, promoting learning opportunities and diversity outside the classroom.

Victor has decided to embrace a life of discoveries, opening himself up to new cultures through his passions. A dedicated runner and art enthusiast, he has made the best of his time in Europe and is looking forward to getting involved at the Jérôme Lohez Foundation. Victor is convinced that the Foundation will fulfill his ambition to spread values of cultural exchanges and is honored to be part of such a common effort, with his fellow recipients, and with the Foundation’s representatives.

How To ApplyPast RecipientsAffiliated UniversitiesAmbassadors Program

How to Apply

Jérôme Lohez Foundation applicants will be screened by the foundation’s executive board of internationally qualified professionals and academics. The deadline for applications is December 31, 2023. Scholarship winners will be announced in January 2024.

Eligibility

The Foundation will provide scholarships to students, regardless of their nationalities, who participate in dual-degree programs at universities that are associated with the Lohez 9/11 Foundation:

The Alliance Program at Columbia University — Columbia University / Sciences Po / École Polytechnique Palaiseau / Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business Master’s Degree Programs.

The scholarship will be in an amount to be determined by the board of directors. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply.

All Recipients are required to participate in the Ambassadors Program for one year.

Application Guidelines

Applicants must submit two essays.

For students from French universities wishing to study in the United States:

  1. Ideals of religious and cultural tolerance, entrepreneurship, egalitarianism and a spirit of generosity are the essence of the United States. Do any of these ideals inspire you to study in America and in what way?
  2. During your international study experience, how will you encourage opposition to global, violence-based ideologies?

For students from American universities wishing to study in France:

  1. What inspires you to spend some time in France to study?
  2. During your international study experience, how will you encourage opposition to global, violence-based ideologies?

All applicants are required to download, complete and upload the Basic Information response form that is available on the Scholarship Application page.

The deadline for submission of all materials has been extended until January 21, 2024. Late applications will not be considered.

If you have questions regarding applications, please email: info@jl911.org

2019

Laura Ducoulombier 2019

Laura Ducoulombier is a Franco-Danish student currently completing her last year of studies at Columbia University in New York, as part of the dual master’s degree with Sciences Po Paris in international affairs. During her bachelor’s degree undertaken at Sciences Po, Laura already had the chance to study in the United States, spending a year as an exchange student at the University of California, Berkeley. There, she was able to nurture her passion for diplomacy and counterterrorism. She participated in a national policy brief competition whereby she submitted suggestions to the U.S. federal government on how to improve the handling of terrorist events in the country.

The American spirit of coexistence and cultural tolerance is one Laura holds extremely dear. Born in Brussels, Laura holds dual Danish-French citizenship, and is currently studying her sixth language. She strongly believes that in today’s world, violence can no longer be met with violence, and that openness, inclusiveness, and mutual respect must be the pillars of tomorrow. She aspires to join the European diplomatic service to promote equality and inclusion in international relations.

Mary Nyone 2019

Mary Nyone is a current graduate student at the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, pursuing her master’s degree in financial engineering. She is an international student from Nigeria, with a strong internal drive for excellence and an ability to persevere.

She graduated from Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky, with a bachelor’s degree in economics, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the departmental top academic award in her field of study. She is also an active member of both Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. A personal drive for excellence, strong work ethic, and intellectual curiosity recently led Mary to accept an offer to be a 2020 summer associate with the Global Index Research group at JP Morgan Chase; she will work with the Markets Research team in New York.

Passionate about her views on gender equality, Mary also plans to get involved in clubs and organizations that promote feminism, women’s empowerment, and gender equality.  She intends to reach a wide range of audiences, inspiring young girls like herself  to attain great achievements, even when facing limited options and opportunities for advancement. Nyone has also excelled in sports – playing soccer at both the high school and college levels.

Agathe Sadeghi 2019

Agathe Sadeghi is an Iranian-Armenian master’s student in financial engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. She completed her undergraduate studies in Iran in industrial engineering in Iran and  became interested in finance while taking economics courses there. After the hard work of shifting majors, which transferred her focus from more qualitative functions to more computational ones, she enrolled in the financial engineering program and wants to enter the world of  finance. She is the lab assistant at the Hanlon Financial Systems Center at Stevens, supporting students and professors with requested financial data, using Bloomberg terminals; she is also gathering a comprehensive database of funding for the lab itself. Each year, she and her team have provided incoming students with a booklet about the department’s courses, professors, and administrative processes.

Along with her studies, she enjoys meeting people and making new friends in a very different world than the one she had known in Iran. Involved in many extracurricular activities, she has been elected vice president of the  Student Society of Financial Engineering. In her undergraduate years, she was the editor-in-chief of the industrial engineering department’s first Scientific Magazine’s special issues. Editing and managing student articles, she also wrote columns on issues such as finance, healthcare, and e-commerce.

Agathe loves learning new languages and speaks German and Arabic , as well as Armenian, Persian, and English. In addition, she plays tennis and has won titles in singles and mixed-doubles club competitions.

Aditya Narayan Sharma 2019

The grandchild of refugees who fled the pogroms of the Indian Partition, Aditya Sharma is keenly aware of the critical importance of dialogue, politics, and art in countering hateful narratives. He has sought to learn more about these ideas through his studies of government and literature at Sciences Po and Columbia University’s School of General Studies.

Outside of the classroom, Aditya has worked on criminal-justice reform in India and founded Sciences Po’s Ashoka Society for the discussion and promotion of South Asian affairs. His writing on current affairs has been published by several media outlets. He has also represented Sciences Po and Columbia at debate and moot court competitions.

In the future, Aditya hopes to work in the field of law and justice. He is honored to be part of the Lohez Foundation, whose values, rooted in cultural and political understanding, deeply resonate with him; he looks forward to learning from his fellow recipients and the foundation’s board members.

2018

Doina Becker, 2018

Doïna Becker is a Franco-Russian student currently studying at Fudan University as part of the dual master’s degree with Sciences Po in Global Media and Communications.  Following her undergraduate degree in English and Art History at the University of St Andrews, she worked in Spain as Assistant Product Manager for the brand Carolina Herrera, before taking a gap year to travel and discover Asia.

Doïna’s extra-curricular activities persisted in affirming her ambition to work in communications. Her radio show’s growing audience at the University of St Andrews resulted in winning the Best New Show Award in 2014, while her keen interest in writing carried on after graduation, as she participated in creative writing workshops both in Barcelona and Paris, currently has a creative writing blog, and is engaged in various writing projects.  She was also an active part of Student life both at Sciences Po and St Andrews, where she was a member of the Polo Club committee, and president of the students’ polo club at Sciences Po.

With professional experience in communications and marketing, Doïna has worked in customer relations for Chanel, and as assistant product manager for Carolina Herrera, where she helped develop the new pillar fragrance of the brand as well as a niche Unisex perfume line. She also worked in various communications companies, in Paris at the PR agency eWenements, and interned in London at the Ideation Studio of UM, an advertising agency part of IPG Media brands the summer before arriving in China. She is currently doing an internship alongside her studies at Givaudan, the world’s leader in perfumery production.

With a proclivity for stepping out of her comfort zone, studying in China is allowing her to be more daring in her creativity, as well as discover the communication etiquette and culture of a key market with a fascinating heritage.

Pauline Deschryver, 2018

Pauline holds a dual master’s degree from HEC Paris and Sciences Po in Business and Public Administration, which equipped her with advanced problem-solving analytics and an understanding of public and private interactions.  She is a mission-driven woman, with a passion for the nexus between private sector mobilization and development outcomes to solve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Motivated by new challenges, she is now studying in the MPA Program in Development Practice of the School of International and Public Administration at Columbia University. Her curriculum focuses on infrastructure development and international economics. She is dedicated to solving today’s world most pressing issues, with a focus on renewable energy and access to water in emerging countries.

From France, Pauline speaks French, English and Spanish and has four years of experience working in Europe and in Africa. Her strong interest in the nexus between private capital flows and development is supported by her professional experience in strategy consulting for four years. She has lived in Ivory Coast for three years, working as an associate for a strategy consulting firm specialized in private sector development in fragile and post-conflict countries. In Benin, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Rwanda, she accompanied private and public leaders to address socio-economic and financial challenges in large range of sectors. Prior to this experience, Pauline worked for the Prime Minister in France, at the General Secretariat of European Affairs. She participated in challenging negotiations at the government level in France and Belgium regarding competitiveness and international cooperation challenges. Her interpersonal skills were developed when dealing with representatives of related ministries to prepare the European Union–Africa Summit.

At Columbia, Pauline is part of the 2018 MBA Impact Investing Network and Training, a program led by the Wharton School, where she works with a team to identify and support an innovative mission-driven company in a frontier economy market. She is also a Women’s International Leadership Fellow, enhancing her leadership skills, particularly in cross-cultural environments. Pauline is very proud to join the Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Foundation scholar community. She is eager to learn from this vibrant network that embraces three continents and to contribute to its vision and mission promoting tolerance and peace.

Vinzent Wesselmann, 2018

Vinzent Wesselmann is a German-American student from Birmingham, Alabama in the Sciences Po - Columbia University Dual BA Program. Having done a gap year at the German School of Kuala Lumpur and studied Korean in Seoul as a National Language Initiative for Youth scholar, his passion for history and international relations led him to study at Sciences Po’s Europe-Asia Campus in Le Havre, France where he is currently finishing his second year. While his native languages are German and English, he is thankful for the ability to move towards professional working proficiency in French during his studies at Sciences Po.

A graduate of the music department of the Alabama School of Fine Arts, Vinzent has continued to pursue his passion for the arts in Le Havre as president of the Bureau des Arts and choir captain at Sciences Po Campus du Havre. In addition, he is the principal clarinetist of the Orchestre Symphonique Junior of the Conservatoire Arthur Honegger. By combining his interest in the arts and in politics through internships in Le Havre at the conservatory and the Centre d’Expressions Musicales, Vinzent has explored how interactions between government structures and artistic institutions shape local culture and identity. He hopes to continue engaging with this field to foster inter-cultural dialogue within communities and create a more understanding, peaceful world.

An additional interest in environmental policy has led Vinzent to create a photo exhibition contrasting the power of nature in the Arctic with the mass production culture of large metropolitan cities entitled The Production of Destruction. The exhibition will open in Le Havre, France in March and will be fully sponsored by a micro-grant from the Students On Ice Foundation, Canada.

Vinzent is honored to be a Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Foundation scholar and looks forward to learning from its diverse alumni network and board members. During his studies in New York City, he hopes to become involved with creative and political institutions in order to contribute to inter-community and international relations between the U.S., Asia, and Europe.

Annie Whitney, 2018

Annie Whitney, a student in the Dual BA Program with Columbia University and Sciences Po, was recently admitted to the Junior Deferral Program (JDP) at Harvard Law School. This is the first year that students outside of Harvard College have been accepted into the program. The program allows students to apply during their junior year of college, and if admitted, defer enrollment at Harvard for a minimum of two years, allowing them to pursue other interests immediately after graduation. “Once I decided that wanted to go to law school, I knew that I did not want to go directly out of college. I was planning on spending at least a couple of years gaining work experience before applying, so I was excited to find a program like the JDP that afforded me the security of not having to go through the application process while working and the flexibility of taking time to gain some field experience before matriculation,” Whitney said.

Annie’s interest in law school developed during her first two years in the Dual BA Program studying on the Menton campus, located on the French-Italian border. She describes witnessing firsthand the dire circumstances faced by asylum seekers crossing the border and feeling a deep sense of injustice at the fact that as an American passport holder, she could easily move overseas when others could not. Since then, she has been deeply involved in immigration issues, volunteering with the Red Cross at a migrant camp in France and working with the International Rescue Committee’s Refugee Youth Summer Academy in New York City, which focuses on teaching English literacy, math, and learning skills to newly-arrived refugees, asylees and other, vulnerable immigrant youth.

Whitney is now a senior in the Dual BA Program and will graduate this May with a degree in human rights. She is currently applying for a Fulbright Scholarship, and is considering AmeriCorps. “Take advantage of the graduate school support that GS offers—they’re the ones with good advice—especially the Grad School Coaching Series run by Dean Tiffany Decker. It’s all thanks to her that I was able to navigate the law school application process,” Whitney said.

2017

Haicheng Wang

Haicheng Wang, 2017
(Sciences Po / Fudan University)

“My curiosity for new arenas always leads to discovering various experiences, identities and responsibilities, during which I enjoy collisions in thoughts and exploration of diverse cultural values,” reflected Lohez 2017-18 Scholar Haicheng Wang, a student of the dual-degree master’s program between Sciences Po and Fudan University.

Between 2012 and 2016, Haicheng studied international politics in Fudan University. Inspired by a comparative perspective of European studies and Chinese diplomacy, he then chose to pursue the master’s program between Sciences Po and Fudan with one year each in France and China.

Not only has Haicheng held various student leadership positions, but he has completed prestigious internships as well. He went to Yale University for exchange during his undergraduate studies. He led the department serving international students in the student union of Fudan University. In addition, Haicheng completed an internship at the American Chamber of Commerce, where he worked in asset management.   He also worked in risk consultancy as he interned at the European Council on Foreign Relations, a pan-European think tank. Haicheng’s desire to help others led him to visit Cambodia in order to volunteer in a local community. While his past explorations aided him in learning and adapting to new cultures, Haicheng’s current endeavors continue to shape his values and his journey to self-discovery. Reflecting on his studies in Paris, he noted that the experience surpassed his expectations. Haicheng observes, “The program offered me an excellent opportunity to explore Europe as a foreigner and rediscover my homeland of China. Learning about the people of other cultures encourages dialogue and mutual understanding.”

Riccardo Cersosimo, 2017
(Sciences Po / Fudan University)

Between 2011 and 2014, Riccardo Cersosimo of Italy studied International Business Administration at Tilburg University (School of Economics and Management) in the Netherlands, as well as at Peking University (Guanghua School of Management), Beijing. After graduating with distinction, he devoted a year to learning Mandarin Chinese at Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, on a scholarship granted by the Chinese Government. Recalling his experience in Beijing, Riccardo notes that he “nurtured his passion for languages and discovered how the world of communication is changing through the digitalization of the society, particularly in the Chinese context.”

Aspiring to discover a new culture and language while maintaining his bond with China, Riccardo entered the Dual Degree program at the School of Management and Innovation at Sciences Po in France and the School of Journalism at Fudan University in China, from which he will graduate in June 2018. Between the first and second years of his master’s program, Riccardo took another gap year to gain some valuable work experience through two internships. After winning the Sciences Po edition of the Brandstorm competition organized by the L’Oréal Group, Riccardo interned for the Marketing Development department of Lancôme (L’Oréal). He also completed an internship at the Digital Communications department of Guerlain (LVMH).

Riccardo notes, “Through both my first and second internships, I have had the chance to apply the theoretical knowledge stemming from both my undergraduate and graduate studies to a fascinating, dynamic and creative industry.”

He currently serves as one of the 15 Italian citizens holding the Chinese Government Scholarship for the Academic Year 2017-2018. Aside from attending classes at Fudan University, he interns at the Chinese branch of Guerlain.

Ricardo reflects, “Pursuing my academic achievements and eye-opening work experiences abroad in both China and Europe have equipped me with the adaptability and global vision necessary to tackle the globalized world and immerse myself in new opportunities where my creative strengths can align with my ambition to make an impact on the marketing and communication industry.”

Yi Da Jeremy Ng, 2017
(Sciences Po / Columbia University)

Lohez scholar Yi Da Jeremy Ng from Singapore currently studies in the Dual BA Program between Columbia University and Sciences Po Paris (Campus du Havre).

"College, for me, served as a time to explore new interests," reflects Jeremy. "Having studied politics and social sciences at Sciences Po, I decided to take a more quantitative approach to my studies at Columbia, and am now majoring in information science."

His desire to chart new waters also led Jeremy to undertake internships in France, China, Singapore, Tajikistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, working in sectors such as finance and international development. As a result of his work experience, he developed a strong desire to leverage private capital to finance projects in the developing world, particularly in under-served areas such as Central Asia.

"My career goals are definitely a function of my previous internship experiences," observes Jeremy. "I spent a summer working for the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia in Tajikistan, where I helped to design and implement social protection and civil society projects. This was really meaningful work, as I could see from site visits how our projects had improved the lives of vulnerable communities such as people living with HIV, or victims of gender-based violence."

Jeremy, however, remains keenly aware of the challenges faced by development agencies today. “One problem we kept encountering in Tajikistan was the lack of funding from governments and international donors. This is where my experience in the private sector proved enlightening. My internship at Bridgewater Associates showed me the immense potential of private capital, which I hope to ultimately deploy to more socially beneficial ends."

Côme Lefébure, 2017
(Sciences Po / Columbia University)

Côme Lefébure believes that solving conflicts requires an understanding of others.   His experiences in China, France, and the United States fostered his belief concerning the necessity of tolerance. His desire to become a peace-maker of tomorrow brought him first to Sciences Po’s Europe-Asia campus in Le Havre and now to Columbia University.

At Sciences Po, he served as the treasurer of the Sports club. In addition, he became the captain of both the soccer team and the swimming team. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Côme aspires to serve at France’s Foreign Affairs and work with China, a country where he spent his childhood and accomplished his first professional internships.

Côme’s attributes his status as a global citizen to his French and Italian heritage. As a global citizen, Côme feels empowered by cooperation amongst diverse people groups. He believes in the power of cultural and educational exchanges for shaping a peaceful world. Moreover, he feels honored to join the Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Foundation and its cohort of inspiring ambassadors from all over the world. Côme strives to promote dialogue and joint actions across France, China, and the United States.

Raphael Presberg, 2017
(EPITA / Stevens Institute of Technology)

After two years of intensive training in physics and mathematics, Raphael completed two years of multidisciplinary engineering formation in computer science, energy and systems, signal and networks, and electronics. He then completed one year of specialization in computer science engineering & Big Data. Raphael has applied to the Masters of Science in Information System at Stevens Institute of Technology to fulfill his interest in both the technological and strategic aspects of data analysis and data science.

After his first international experience in Tel Aviv University, where he studied 6 months for a spring semester in electrical engineering, he sought a new opportunity abroad in New York. Concerning his move to New York, Raphael explained that he desired “to discover the American way of life, visit the wonderful city and live new experiences.” Moreover, he strives to improve his English and attain his C2 level goal.

Last summer, he worked as a data analyst at Schneider Electric. Upon completion of his Masters of Science at Stevens, he will seek new opportunities in data analysis and data science in American technology companies to develop his technical skills in an optimal environment.

2016

kbuchenbacher

Katrin Büchenbacher, 2016

(Sciences Po / Fudan University Dual-Master’s Degree: Global Media and Communication)

Current Lohez Scholar Katrin Büchenbacher is a native of Liestal, Switzerland.

Between 2012 and 2015, she studied Communication and Media Research at the French and German teaching University of Fribourg, Switzerland. She then studied as an exchange student at the French Press of the University Panthéon-Assas, Paris, on a scholarship granted by the Swiss government. Katrin graduated from the University of Fribourg with a Bachelor of Arts degree, with the distinction magna cum laude, in June 2015.

“I decided to study Media and Communication because I enjoy the interdisciplinary character of my studies,’ says Katrin, “and because I am very interested in Journalism, New Media and Society and Social Sciences in general. During my semester abroad in Paris, I specialized in Cultural Studies and cross-cultural media adoption for my Bachelor’s Dissertation research.”

Having gained the skills and the knowledge necessary to tackle the high academic standards, Katrin entered the Dual Degree program at the School of Communication at Sciences Po in France and the School of Journalism at Fudan University in China, from which she will graduate in June 2017.

“My internships in the editorial office of the Swiss newspaper ‘Volksstimme,’ the political communication department of the Swiss National Youth Council, and the Web-TV of the Geneva-based film production ‘Freestudios’ have encouraged me to specialize further in Global Media and Communication,” she says. “I would like to use the experience gained and the knowledge acquired at Sciences Po and Fudan University to become an international reporter based in China in my future professional life.”

diego filiuDiego Filiu, 2016

(Sciences Po / Columbia University: Dual Bachelor’s Degree Middle East–Political Science)

During the winter of 2014, Lohez 2016-17 Scholar Diego Filiu interned at the office of President François Hollande. Working directly with the President’s adviser for Middle Eastern affairs, he gained an inside look into the daily workings of the French Foreign Service.

“My ability to nurture mutually beneficial policies in high-stakes diplomatic environments, at the Elysée,” says Diego, “as well as in French embassies across the globe, is the product of my unique cross-cultural experience. As a French-American dual citizen who was raised in Syria and Tunisia, I have spent my entire life at the intersection of conflicting worldviews.”

Diego’s cross-cultural upbringing pushed him constantly to reconcile competing perspectives, which often led him to serve as an intermediary between clashing social groups and cultures.

These experiences have drawn him to international public affairs as a natural continuation of his upbringing. Having explored the French Foreign Service through internships in Cairo, Amman, Paris and Tunis, Diego will now pursue his passion in the rigorous academic environment of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).

“My dedication for the Middle East has also taken me to Lebanon and Jordan’s refugee camps, as well as to Jerusalem during the 2014 war,” says Diego. “Highly adaptable, sociable and eager to learn, I am keen on exploring the differences, as well as the underpinning similarities, between the French and the American aspects of my identity.”

vincent-liagre

Vincent Liagre, 2016

(Ecole Polytechnique / Columbia University Schools of Engineering / Business: Dual Master of Science Degree)

“Governments, big industry players and new energy ventures are all striving to reshape the energy sector, and this will have crucial implications for the world we are living in,” says 2016-17 Lohez Scholar Vincent Liagre. “I want to take part in this exciting change.”

After four years of intensive multidisciplinary training in physics, mechanics, mathematics and economics (two years of classes préparatoires and the first two years at Ecole Polytechnique), Vincent chose to major in Energy Engineering at L’X, to fulfill his interest in both the technological and strategic aspects of the energy sector.

Thanks to this program he acquired a global vision of the sector, with courses covering various energy technologies (from carbon capture to nuclear power, with a specific focus on wind and solar power), as well as the energy markets.

Last summer, Vincent worked as a R&D intern in the Energy Management Systems team of Total New Energies.

“I definitely wanted to explore this path further, and coming to Columbia University was the best fit for this,” says Vincent. “The management, science and engineering M.Sc. of Columbia University is unique in the USA: it is a program in conjunction between the Engineering School and the Business School. It enables me to take classes in applied mathematics and data analytics, which are the core skills to design the best energy management systems, as well as business strategy and finance, which are the core skills to build the best ventures.

“I believe that mutual enrichment from cultural diversity is possible,” he concludes, “and I hope to be able to add my small contribution to building a better future.”

le-yao

Le Yao, 2016

(Sciences Po / Fudan University, Dual Degree Master’s Program:  Europe and Asia in Global Affairs)

Lohez 2016-17 Scholar Le Yao is a dual-degree student between Sciences Po and Fudan University. Originally, her desire to pursue the Dual-Degree Master’s Program on Europe and Asia in Global Affairs was driven by her academic interests in European studies and Sino-EU relations, as well as her career goal of having an influence in China’s foreign policy-making.

“Now,” says Le, “looking back to my previous experiences and life in France, I am highly grateful to this program for unfolding the complexity and fascination of European studies before my eyes, as it clarified my responsibility to promote international cooperation and trans-cultural communication.”

During a 2013 semester at Lund University in Sweden, Le began to learn about the EU’s role in geo-political and security issues, as well as interactions between the EU and its member states. After returning from Sweden, Le continued to enrich her knowledge on the EU and its foreign policies. With keen curiosity about EU integration, she conducted research on the European Neighborhood Policy, with a perspective on the Ukraine Crisis.

After commencing her studies at Sciences Po, says Le, “my life experiences in Paris provoked my deeper thinking on how to solve the current crises faced by Europe.”

“All in all,” she concludes, “this program not only laid the foundation for my research in the field of European studies and the Sino-EU relationship, but also broadened my vision of the opportunities and challenges of global governance.”

2015

Rébecca Assouline-Béra, 2015

(Sciences Po / Columbia University Dual-Bachelor’s Degree: Economics)

A native of French Martinique, Rébecca Assouline-Béra graduated from high school in 2013 with a French ‘baccalauréat’ in Economics and Social Sciences, and an average score of 21 out of 20 as the head of the ‘academy’ of 3,000 students. Eager to tackle global issues, she chose Sciences Po’s interdisciplinary program, “in order to acquire the ability to analyze the decision-making process critically, taking a chance to stand back before moving ahead.”

Deeply influenced as a child by Al Gore’s documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ Rébecca’s worldview was also shaped by her involvement as a human rights volunteer in Cape Town. “All these experiences have taught me that public action can make a difference,” she says.

Studying at Sciences Po’s Euro-American campus in Reims, Rébecca became aware of America’s shared values and history with Europe and the continuing importance of close transatlantic relations. Pursuing a fully bilingual curriculum comparing the American and European systems was critical to satisfy her curiosity and prepare her for her studies at Columbia University in the United States. After graduating from Sciences Po as the head of class, she moved to New York this summer where she is studying economics and American Studies.

“Although I am only half-way through my Dual B.A. program experience,” says Rebecca, “I have already learned the value of global education and debate. Enhancing Euro-American unity and trans-cultural understanding will undoubtedly be a guiding principle throughout my professional career.”

Etienne_MariéEtienne Marié, 2015

(EPITA / Stevens Institute of Technology Dual-Master’s Degree: Master of Science in Information Systems)

Etienne Marié believes that living one year in America is an invaluable human experience for anyone coming from another culture. While studying at Stevens Institute of Technology, he expects to gain a higher point of view about the way the IT world works, while learning from his interactions with people from various backgrounds.

“The United States of America is known for entrepreneurship and a leading position in IT innovation,” says Etienne, “and getting an inside view, along with academic formation, on the way things are done there, will allow for exploration of a completely different mindset.”

Meeting, speaking with and understanding as many people as possible in the USA is major an objective of Etienne’s, along with exploration of a new and unknown environment.

“This kind of experience naturally makes one grow as a person and mature,” says Etienne, “but I think there is even more, everything in fact, to be gained from finishing my studies with a year in a prestigious American institution. It is a gateway to an exciting international career, and would in any case be a tremendous asset for anything I might set my mind on doing later.”

Diego Gestoso Menéndez, 2015

(Sciences Po / Fudan University Dual-Master’s Degree: Europe and Asia in Global Affairs)

Diego Gestoso Menéndez is currently in his sixth year of university studies, following his four years of undergraduate China Studies at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and his first year in the dual-degree master’s program at Sciences Po in Paris.

Study at Fudan University in Shanghai represents the culmination of Diego’s specialization pathway. In Shanghai, as in Paris and Madrid before, he is a students’ representative, and he is actively involved in sports and cultural activities and associations.

“I consider that studying abroad has been a source of learning and experiences that will mark my entire life,” says Diego. “However, it hasn’t been a one-way process; everywhere, I have tried to play the same role for other people around me. Starting with Spanish language, going on to Spanish culture, and up to my own opinions about any issue that was brought up.”

Diego describes the “Chinese language possibly [as] the love of my life.” His immediate aims are to build bridges across languages, cultures and experiences, inspired by his international studies opportunities.

Pierre Savary, 2015

(Sciences Po / Columbia University Dual-Master’s Degree: International Affairs)

During his undergraduate years at Sciences Po in Paris, Pierre Savary had already had the opportunity to study in the United States, spending a year abroad at the University of California-Berkeley. There he studied in the Departments of Religious Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies. The American spirit that he discovered in California became of particular significance to him, inciting him to come again to the United States.

While studying in the Bay Area, Pierre perceived that American ideals require citizens to take action, becoming involved in their communities. “Acknowledging the importance of American ideals is a good starting point,” he says, “but this is not enough: we also have to become actors of our time.” In France, Pierre was involved in interfaith work as President of the Sciences Po branch of a youth movement called Coexister.

Pierre considers his enthusiasm for the study of religion to be conducive to greater analytical skills and a refined apprehension of current global problems.

Inspired by the post-Cold War writings of political scientists like theologian Peter L. Berger, Pierre wants to reflect on the importance of renewed religious-based identities in the 21st century. Pierre also acknowledges the damaging consequences such identifications can sometimes effect when coupled with political claims.

Pierre believes that coupling the study of these phenomena with the study of International Security and Conflict Resolution may help to find new paths towards peace, by understanding better the way groups are formed and identities are shaped in a complex and globalized world.

Yaning Zhang, 2015

(Sciences Po / Fudan University Dual-Master’s Degree: Europe and Asia in Global Affairs)

Yaning Zhang is a second-year master’s student in the dual-degree program between Fudan University and Sciences Po.

Raised in a rural area in Central China, Yaning learned that only knowledge and excellence could bring a brighter future. Throughout the years, this idea has encouraged him to strive constantly for a better self.

Ranking 82nd out of almost one million candidates within his province, Yaning was admitted to Fudan University in 2010. During the following four years of undergraduate studies, Yaning has been awarded a National Scholarship and first-class scholarship twice from the university. Last year, when a Chinese academic book on national security councils was published, Yaning contributed one chapter. During his studies at Sciences Po, he was recommended by Professor Bruno Cautres to attend the IPSA & NUS Method School in Singapore, with a full scholarship.

All these achievements and awards reflect Yaning’s enthusiasm for research and academic work. “International understanding and cooperation are not abstract, empty words,” says Yaning. “They are ways of life from what I have experienced during my study abroad. It is not just about recognition of differences, but also about managing cooperation, based on the understanding of and respect for differences.”

2014

Camille_AndrieuCamille Andrieu, 2014
(France / Dual Master’s Degree, Sciences Po / Fudan University, Europe and Asia in Global Affairs)

Successful in athletic competition both in high school and as an undergraduate (training with Aix-en-Provence professional team and selection to the France women’s national group), Camille also pursued a dual degree in Political Science at the Institute of Political Studies (IEP) in Aix-en-Provence and Law at the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.

In her first two years she achieved the status of valedictorian of her class of approximately 200 students. This ranking allowed her to choose to spend her third year of the IEP at the University of Michigan in the United States.

Now in her second year of the dual master’s degree program, “Europe and Asia in Global Affairs” between Sciences Po and Fudan University, Camille seizes the opportunity to investigate Asian issues and relationships between China and the European Union. She plans to use the Lohez Scholarship and the Chinese Government Scholarship to make the most of her academic year in Shanghai, as well as to attend the London School of Economics-Peking University 2015 Summer School, held in Beijing.

After a first experience of the diplomatic sphere with the National Model United Nations 2014 Project, Camille perceives the opening of a door to a career in the French Foreign Affairs sector in direct relation to China.

Barbara_CrepeauBarbara Crépeau, 2014
(France / Dual Master’s Degree, EPITA / Stevens Institute of Technology)

Barbara Crépeau is completing her final year of a French Master’s in Computer Science, specialized in RealTime and Embedded Systems, at EPITA. In 2015, she will be coming to Stevens Institute of Technology to pursue a dual-degree in Computer Science.

Barbara has dreamed since childhood of visiting the United States. She has long admired the American values of individual liberty, cultural tolerance, and egalitarianism.

While studying at Stevens, she looks forward to experiencing nearby New York City, with its real diversity of people and dynamic cultural and business environments.

Soliman_Elcheikh

Soliman Elcheikh, 2014
(France / Dual Bachelor’s Degree, Columbia University / Sciences Po)

Soliman Elcheikh is a sophomore in the Dual Bachelor of Arts Program between Columbia University and Sciences Po. Throughout his education he has been exposed to diverse cultural traditions that have become integral facets of his personality.

Growing up in Egypt, Soliman went to a French school. At home, his mother initiated him to aspects of German culture – and today, he is immersed in the American experience while studying in the Dual Program with Columbia University.

Through his personal yet global experience, Soliman has learned important values, such as tolerance, listening to others and accepting diversity.

Read Soliman Elcheikh’s full profile >

Juliette_FaureJuliette Faure, 2014
(France / Dual Master’s Degree, Sciences Po / Columbia University)

As a student specialized in “Economic and Political Development,” Juliette Faure felt the need to be not merely a thinker but also an actor in international development, which led her to leave Paris to study in India.

Following her encounter with Jean Drèze, a prominent development economist, Juliette went to work with a governmental team in Jharkhand, one of India’s poorest states, on the evaluation of the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Thanks to the Hindi she had learned, she successfully collaborated with her team partners, who were all local people.

Feeling the need to combine her knowledge with new practical experience before heading to Columbia University, Juliette decided to take a gap year off to Myanmar where she has been working for the NGO “Green Lotus,” promoting sustainable development.

Ideally, Juliette would like to work on public policy advising to help countries design efficient development strategies. She looks forward to applying to a Ph.D. program in Political Science, in which her research would focus on the distinction between constitutional liberalism and democracy.

Paloma_MoritzPaloma Moritz, 2014
(France / Dual Master’s Degree, Sciences Po / Fudan University)

Paloma Moritz considers herself a citizen of the world. During her life and academic path, she has always sought new challenges, the discovery of new cultures and different ways of learning, in order to reach a global understanding of our contemporary world. These ideals of international grasp and cooperation have always played a major role in her academic choices.

Having completed her undergraduate studies at Sciences Po and University of California-Santa Barbara, and then her first year of the Sciences Po Communication Master’s Program and her first months at the Fudan University School of Journalism, she is now convinced that she made the right choices.

She describes her discovery of Chinese culture and society as an “everyday wonder,” and she hopes that her grasp of this “intriguing country” will give her a broader scope of understanding throughout her professional activities.

Her professional project is reflective of her desire to combine her creativity with her interest in media-related communication. Before moving to Shanghai, she spent a gap year working in French production companies investigating diverse stories, including international issues, and writing documentary synopses.

Notably, Paloma worked as a host, news editor and interviewer for a political program for Yahoo! News and Sciences Po TV, in which she interviewed numerous prominent French politicians, such as Jean-Louis Borloo, Jean Luc Mélenchon, Bruno Le Maire, Henri Guaino, Valérie Pécresse and Najat Vallaud Belkacem.

As an aspiring journalist, Paloma’s fervent desire is to gather and report the news; to explain the world to the widest audience in order to raise awareness about major contemporary issues; and, in the process, to strive to make a difference.

2013

Annabelle Libeau, 2013
(France / Dual Degree: Sciences Po / Columbia University)

Annabelle Libeau is a dual-degree student at Sciences Po, Paris, and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She will soon obtain her Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree in International Finance with a focus on Emerging Markets.

Annabelle is a financial analyst with international experience in investment banking in developing countries. She also has an advanced degree in Finance and Business Ethics from NEOMA Business School (Reims, MS), France.

In the past she worked as an analyst in international finance and government.

She defines herself as a relationship-building person, passionate about forging strong personal links by sharing her expertise and cultural experiences. Her community engagement is devoted to facilitating the successful emergence of an enlightened community of social entrepreneurs. She sees her study year in New York as an exceptional opportunity to immerse herself in one of the most diverse and multicultural cities in the world.

Annabelle has also received the Rotary Foundation’s Global Grant and the Zonta Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship. She speaks French, English, Russian, and Spanish.

Jean-Sébastien Marre, 2013
(France / Dual Degree: Sciences Po / Fudan University)

Jean-Sébastien Marre is currently a graduate student within the Sciences Po/Fudan University dual-degree program on Europe and Asia in Global Affairs.

A deep believer in multiculturalism and the dialogue between cultures and civilizations, Jean-Sébastien believes that the best way to learn about and share the values of peace, fraternity, and international unity is through an education-based understanding of other cultures.

He was introduced to political science, international relations and law during his undergraduate studies, and he had the opportunity to discover the United States during an exchange program at Georgetown University, where, he says, he “became a member of an incredibly lively and diverse multicultural community.”

Seeking a career in diplomacy at the end of his studies, Jean-Sébastien believes his year spent at Fudan University will enable him to strengthen his knowledge of China’s international and domestic policies. Above all, he looks forward to gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese – and to a larger extent, East Asian – culture and society, including the legacies of historical Chinese civilization as they impact upon modern societal trends.

Jean-Sébastien will use the Lohez scholarship award to finance his short-term study at Seoul National University’s Winter Course on Human Rights and Asia in South Korea.

Elodie Nguyen Thanh Nhan, 2013
(France / Dual Degree: EPITA / Stevens Institute of Technology)

Elodie Nguyen Thanh Nhan is pursuing a dual-degree in Information Systems and Software Engineering between EPITA’s Graduate School for Computer Science and Advanced Technologies and Stevens Institute of Technology’s Howe School of Technology Management. She will obtain her joint degree in the spring of 2014.

Elodie recently completed a six-month internship in France at BNP Paribas Bank as an Assistant IT Project Manager.

Enrolling in a US-French dual-degree program that specifically featured Stevens as its American component was very attractive to Elodie. She views the program at Stevens as being totally in accordance with her initial education and her future career objectives.

She strongly believes that Stevens offers her a remarkable opportunity to learn more about Information Technology and its impact on people (including via Business Intelligence and Social Networking technologies), along with a greatly expanded vision of the knowledge that she has already acquired at EPITA.

She looks forward to studying in the United States, which will afford her an opportunity to begin her professional career in America.

Amy Wang, 2013
(USA / Dual Degree: Sciences Po / Columbia Law School)

Amy Wang is a second-year dual-degree student at Columbia Law School, pursuing a J.D. from Columbia and a French Master’s in Global Business Law from Sciences Po. She will spend her third and final year of law school in Paris through the Columbia Alliance Program in the 2014-2015 academic year.

Amy became fluent in French after participating in the Teaching Assistant Program in Épinay-sur-Seine, where she taught English.

In 2013, she worked as a Summer Associate at Stewart & Stewart, an international trade law firm in Washington, DC. She was recently awarded the Sidley Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship by Sidley Austin LLP, where she will serve as a 2014 Summer Associate.

In 2009, she served as a Congressional intern, attending hearings on behalf of US Senate staff. Amy participates in the Prisoners and Families Clinic, where she represents an incarcerated father fighting to retain his parental rights. She also helps teach a course on parental rights for incarcerated mothers at Bedford Hills, a women’s correctional facility.

Amy hopes to use her diverse experiences abroad and in politics to be an active member of the Jérôme Lohez Scholarship Foundation.

Keli Wang, 2013
(China / Dual Degree: Fudan University / Sciences Po)

Keli Wang studied in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China, which she notes is the location of the famous “ancient army” of Terra Cotta Warriors.

After intensive efforts, Keli was admitted to the prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai. During her undergraduate years, she absorbed the many experiences offered by campus life, learning not only about international relations, but also encountering many new friends from different backgrounds.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, Keli was admitted to the Europe and Asia in Global Affairs dual-degree master’s program, hosted jointly by Sciences Po and Fudan University.

She spent the last year in Paris, enjoying an “adventure in life and study” afforded by her time studying abroad. Keli now has a part-time internship, working for an energy-based NGO. Seeing a great future for NGOs in China, she hopes to devote her passion and efforts to the developing trend of NGOs in her home country.

2012

Côme J. Dechery, 2012
(France / Dual Degree: Sciences Po-Columbia School of International and Public Affairs)

Mr. Côme Dechery is a young global leader in the making. In the 2011 academic year at Sciences Po, Côme served as President of the Paris Globalist, Sciences Po’s magazine of international affairs, a distinct honor for a young man pursuing a dual Master of International Affairs degree, to be awarded in May 2013 by Sciences Po and Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).


Côme has considerable international experience resulting from his pursuit of global internships and educational exchange. During his undergraduate years at Sciences Po, he had the opportunity to spend a year abroad at the University of California-San Diego, where he pursued a graduate-level course of study. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with his bachelor’s degree in May 2010.

Upon graduation, Côme spent a year as Assistant Writer at the Asia Desk in Beijing for the French news magazine Le Point. Working in the field of international journalism, he investigated the new Chinese green-car industry to write an in-depth article, including an interview with the vice-president of BYD Automobile. He also assessed the aftermath of Fukushima’s nuclear accident and its impact on China’s nuclear program.

In summer 2012, Côme served as an intern at the Second Chamber in the Court of Audit of France, a quasi-judicial body of the French government tasked with conducting audits of public institutions and public policies evaluations.

This year at SIPA, Côme will participate in a consultancy project commissioned by a world-class NGO, international organization or private firm.

Alexandre Montfort, 2012
(France / Dual Degree: EPITA-Stevens Institute of Technology)

Having pursued the Global IT Management major at EPITA, Mr. Alexandre Montfort looks forward to his international study experience at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, USA. Having studied for six months in South Africa, he appreciates that he will have the ability to further hone his English skills and absorb the cultural atmosphere studying across the Hudson River from New York City.

After studying cross-cultural management during his specialization studies at EPITA, and working with people from many different nationalities, Alexandre wants to experience the way Americans work. He believes that the Stevens program will give him a better vision of the American way of life, which will enable him to learn how Americans remain competitive in the world marketplace.

Moreover, he views his year in America as a superb opportunity to meet new people, make new contacts and start building an international address book, recognizing that keeping professional or even personal links with people from all around the world is nowadays a very strong asset to one’s career.

Louise Battus, 2012
(France / Dual Degree: Sciences Po-Fudan University)

Ms. Louise Battus began learning Mandarin during primary school in France. Her closest friend at that time was Chinese, and she introduced Louise to the Chinese language and culture, notably through language classes twice a week at the Association of Chinese Residents in Paris. Louise was the only foreign child there.

“While I was probably more interested in chatting with my friend in the back of the class,” she says, “I realize now that it actually influenced my educational and professional choices more than I could ever have imagined.”

Louise continued her Chinese studies in high school, having correspondence courses in Chinese as a third language. She pursued them further at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations while simultaneously pursuing a Médiation Culturelle degree at Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle.

In 2009-2010, she spent a year in Shanghai at East China Normal University as part of her Chinese Language and Civilization degree.

Beginning this fall, Louise will complete studies in the graduate dual-degree program in Communication and Media at Fudan University in Shanghai, which is a joint program between Fudan and Sciences Po.

“In terms of status within a profession and among my peers,” says Louise, “having studied in such renowned schools both in France and China indeed represents a great springboard.”

Silvio Ghiglione, 2012
(France / Dual Degree: Université Paul Valéry Montpellier III-Beijing Normal University School of Social Development & Public Policy)

Mr. Silvio Ghiglione views studying abroad and his ability to earn two master’s degrees in two different foreign countries as life-changing experiences.

Silvio applied to Beijing Normal University’s School of Social Development and Public Policy (SSDPP) in May 2011, as he was studying at the Clinton Institute for American Studies at University College, Dublin. Though his decision to apply to SSDDP was quite spontaneous, he says, Silvio has always appreciated his decision as part of a greater plan to pursue his graduate education abroad.

Silvio’s multi-national leanings were in full evidence during his undergraduate years, when he studied English, Chinese and German at the Université Paul Valéry Montpellier III. His enthusiasm to study abroad intensified once he spent a year in the United States at the University of Minnesota.

While in the US, Silvio realized that he “needed to stay abroad as long as possible to understand who I was, where I wanted to go with my life, and how I could be this global actor [who] works for the good of his community.” Getting his graduate degree in Ireland, he studied the “tortuous relationship between media and international conflicts.” The degree program in Contemporary Development of China at SSDPP seemed the next logical step for him.

Silvio is distinguished as one of the two initial Lohez Scholars to pursue graduate studies in China, and serves as an outstanding example of a future young leader on the global stage.

2011

Antoine Desir, 2011 (France / Dual Degree: École Polytéchnique, Palaiseau – Columbia University)

Mr. Antoine Desir is a mathematically gifted young man. After attending preparatory school at Louis-Le-Grand, Antoine was ranked 7th out of 83 in a national entrance competition to enter École Polytéchnique’s Mathematics and Engineering Science program.

In spring 2011, Antoine worked with Dr. William M. McEneaney in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University California San Diego, to study a method of reduction of the curse of dimensionality in optimal control, using a max-plus, or “tropical,” algorithm, in which the graph of the value function is approximated by a tropical polyhedron. This work led to publication, which is a high honor for a master’s-level student. Antoine also did research on Revenue Yield Management for Air France while he was a student at the Polytéchnique.

A French citizen of Vietnamese origin, Antoine has witnessed the extreme poverty of a developing country, and he has also lived in the Parisian milieu of elite students competing for spots in the French Grandes Écoles. Antoine understands what generosity and humane philanthropy mean. His father, a successful entrepreneur and prominent social activist in Vietnam, established a NGO called “Dust of Life,” to provide computers and Internet access to poor children. Antoine will follow his father’s example with a commitment to serve the needs of underprivileged communities.

Thomas Philippeau, 2011 (France / Dual Degree: École pour L’Informatique et Les Techniques Avancées – Stevens Institute of Technology)

Mr. Thomas Philippeau worked at Accor, as a specialist in the creation and enhancement of new and existing information technologies. He was praised by his professors and supervisors as an open-minded and fast learner who adapts easily to various working methods and unforeseen constraints.

Thomas is very impressed by the diversity of the American population and culture, including the popular election in 2008 of an African-American as the nation’s president. He will enter Stevens Institute of Technology in the spring of 2011, and he looks forward to broadening his vision through the experience of an American graduate education. He hopes that his time in the United States will allow him to promote cultural exchange while here and especially after he returns to France.

Andres Lizcano Rodriguez, 2011 (Colombia / Dual Degree: Sciences Po – Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs)

Mr. Andres Lizcano Rodriguez is a bright and creative individual whose actions are motivated by his desire to serve others.

From an intellectual family in Colombia, South America, Andres received a bilingual education in Spanish and German, and spent his childhood years in Germany.

A mathematically gifted pupil, Andres made the Top 15 for four consecutive years in the Colombian National Olympiad among high-school students nationwide. He then studied mathematics at Colombia’s Los Andes University, graduating with high honors. Meanwhile his desire to contribute to the cause of social justice also led him to pursue the study of law as a minor.

While studying abroad for one year at Montpellier, Andres co-founded the Montpellier Branch of a NGO called Foundacion YOCreo En Colombia. Colombia has been plagued by a decades-long armed conflict involving drug-trafficking and terrorism. Andres seeks to prove to the outside world that Colombia is also a country with a long and distinguished history, diverse cultural heritage, and immense economic potential.

Following the Latin-American intellectual tradition that takes cultural, political and philosophical inspiration from Europe, particularly from France, Andres is pursuing a dual master’s degree in International Development at Sciences Po in Paris and Columbia University in New York. He believes his French and American experiences will prepare him to take the risks that are needed to effect real change in Colombian society.

Inspired by Latin American cultural and political luminaries such as Gabriel García Márquez and Pablo Neruda, Andres’ career goal is to be a public intellectual and Colombia’s official representative (Ambassador) to the United States or France.

Andres is a native speaker of Spanish and German, fluent in French and English, as well as conversant in Italian and Portuguese.

2010

Paula Henin, 2010 (France, London School of Economics – Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne – Columbia University Law School)

Ms. Henin’s academic brilliance was clear at young age. She was recognized by the Mayor de Sevres for outstanding results in the French Baccalaureate exam. Paula then went on to study International Relations and History at the London School of Economics (LSE). She specialized in the Middle East and public international law. Paula was among the top one percent of students in her year. Paula felt compelled to try to shed light on the situation in which there seems to be such misunderstanding and sometimes animosity between the west and the Arab world. Her dissertation thesis, “A French perspective on the British and American interventions in the Levant, May – November 1958,” was commended by the LSE’s Board of Examiners and awarded the Hue Wheldon Prize.

Paula has received a 2010-2011 Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship to participate in a dual degree program at Columbia Law School and Univiersité Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is a board member of the Columbia International Arbitration Association. Paula has a strong interest in international law; her ultimate goal is to work as a legal adviser for a major international organization, the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, or an international court or tribunal.

Ms. Henin speaks French, English, Spanish and Arabic and is a passionate guitar and saxophone player.

Hélène Franchineau, 2010 (France, Sciences Po – Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism)

Ms. Franchineau completed a journalism program at Sciences Po Paris and programs in International Affairs and Chinese Language and Culture at Sciences Po Bordeaux.

Hélène then worked for Le Monde and Slate in Shanghai and Paris; she wrote news on the Shanghai World Expo, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and Muslim minority riots in Xinjiang province. In 2009 Hélèn interned at The Washington Times foreign desk where she covered policies on climate change.

Hélène plans to do multimedia journalism, which she considers to be the future of journalism. She chose to study in the United States because she believes it has been far ahead of European countries in developing this kind of journalism. She enrolled at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism this fall. She is interested not only in story-telling, but also in blogging, radio editing, photography and video, and social media.

Ms. Franchineau speaks French, English, and Chinese.

Alban Pétré, 2010 (France, Ecole Pour L’Informatique et Les Techniques Avancees – Stevens Institute of Technology)

Mr. Pétré worked at Société Générale for the global head of Risk Assessment and Controls. He worked on the creation of a methodology to improve web-browsing control of Societe Generale system users and other security-related projects. He was praised by his professors and supervisors for his creativity and attention to details and his team spirit.

Alban visited New York for the first time in 2009 and fell in love with the city. He will enter Stevens Institute of Technology in spring, 2011. He looks forward broadening his vision through an American educational experience, and he hopes that his time in the United States will allow him to promote cultural exchange while here and when he returns to France.

2009

Captain Jordan Becker, 2009 (USA, Sciences-Po – Columbia University Exchange Program)

Mr. Becker graduated from Georgetown University School of Foreign Services in 2001. Mr. Becker then joined the United States Army. During almost a decade of active service in the U.S. Army, Mr.Becker was a paratrooper and Special Force team leader to lead combat patrols in Iraq, earning two Bronze Stars and achieving the rank of captain.

Captain Becker was selected by the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point to receive two-years of graduate study at the Columbia SIPA and Science Po graduate exchange program. Captain Becker then will be given three year assignment teaching undergraduate political Science courses and participating in the professional development of West Point cadets.

Captain Becker is beginning his graduate studies at Sciences Po this Fall. He has long been interested in the work and writing of Hubert Vedrine and believes the deeper understanding of France is essential to develop a strong, institutionalized relationship between Europe and the United States to ensure peace, security and prosperity in the 21st Century.

Captain Becker speaks fluently French, Italian and acquired working knowledge of Arabic and Kurdish languages during his commission in Iraq.

Pauline Dochez, 2009 (France, Ecole Polytechnique – Columbia University Exchange Program)

Ms. Dochez completed three-year program in Economics, Computer Sciences, and Applied Math at Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France. Subsequently, she comes to Columbia University to begin graduate study in Engineering and Management systems with focus on the use of industrial engineering and operations research techniques in decision-making process.

Pauline is a highly intelligent, perceptive young woman. Not only she is a serious scientific researcher, but also an excellent writer and publicist for presenting her projects. While she was doing the researching project on women networks around the world, Pauline communicated with many women association around the world in English, German, Greek and Spanish in addition to her native French.

Pauline finds that American people have certain way of being proud of their achievements without boasting both sane and pleasant.

Florent D’Halluin, 2009 (France, Ecole Pour L’Informatique et Les Techniques Avancees – Stevens Institute of Technology)

Mr. D’Halluin participates in graduate exchange program between EPITA and Stevens Institute of Technology. His subject matter is Computer Science. He worked on a finite state automation Library called Vaucanson. His professor commented that Florent is a talented orator, a good writer and above all a very fine human being aside of scientific subjects.

Mr. D’Halluin thinks a widely recognized diploma and local contacts and landmarks in the United States are highly valuable. He wants to keep an eager eye out for chances to make a change. “What better place is there than the land of opportunity?,” he asks.

2008

Andrew Kessinger, 2008
Andrew Kessinger is a graduate student pursuing a double degree in International Security at the Institut des Etudes Politiques in Paris (Sciences Po) and Columbia University (SIPA).

Through this highly selective program, to which only fifteen students are admitted each year, he is acquiring a unique European-American perspective on foreign affairs while simultaneously gaining fluency in the French language.

Kessinger has worked as an editor for four different publications (The Common Ground News Service, The Paris Globalist, The New Atlanticist, and The Columbia Journal of International Affairs), in three different countries (US, Morocco, France), over the last four years. His career goal is to serve as a Foreign Service Officer with the US State Department, formulating constructive public policy aimed at bridging divides and reducing tensions between the Muslim world and the West, with a particular focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

2007

Benoît Germond, 2007
Benoît Germond graduated from EPITA in 2007 with a master’s degree in Science. He is now studying toward another master’s degree at Stevens Institute of Technology. In his scholarship application essay, Benoit mentionned that working to finance his studies taught him to be open to change and ideas.

Augustin Lefèvre, 2007
Augustin Lefèvre received his engineering diploma from École Polytechnique. He is now working on his master’s degree in Financial Engineering at Columbia University. Augustin wrote in his scholarship application essay “The essence of the United Sates is not to bet on a type of individual who stands for no ideals but his own, and is driven by challenges at every step in his life. My second point is that the American society rewards its members on the basis of their merits, and relies on their sense of responsibility to ensure social efficiency.”

2006

Nizar Jalaly, 2006
Nizar Jalaly received a Bachelor of Engineering from the École Polytechnique (Palaiseau) in 2006. He is currently working jointly towards a MA in Mathematics of Finance at Columbia University and a master of science (diplôme d’ingénieur) from the École Polytechnique. He is very thankful to the Foundation for his award.

Vincent de Lagabbe, 2006
Vincent de Lagabbe received a dual master’s degree in computer science from EPITA and the Stevens Institute of Technology. Vincent nearly obtained perfect scores in every subject that he studied at EPITA. He speaks both English and Russian, in addition to French.

2005

Olivier Rotrou, 2005
Olivier Rotrou graduated in 2005 from EPITA witn an master of science degree in real-time processing, and is now working toward master of science in information systems strategy and management degree at the Stevens Institute of Technology. He was truly delighted to receive the 2005 scholarship. We wish him a wonderful and joyful time in the U.S.

2004

Florian Quarré, 2004
Florian Quarré graduated in 2004 from EPITA – École pour L’informatique et les Techniques Avancées (College of Computer Science and Advanced Technologies) with a master of science in information systems engineering, software engineering, and management, and in 2005 from the Stevens Institute of Technology with an MsIS degree. He works as a technologies and enterprise business integration consultant in healthcare at Deloitte Consulting LLP in New York

2002

Guillaume Yvon, 2002
Guillaume Yvon graduated in 2001 from EPITA – École pour L’informatique et les Techniques Avancées (College of Computer Science and Advanced Technologies) and in 2002 from the Stevens Institute of Technology with a Master of Science in information systems strategy and management degree. He then returned back to France, where he lives in Paris, and joined Sephora as a systems engineer.

Affiliated Universities

Columbia University
www.columbia.edu

Stevens Institute of Technology
www.stevens.edu

Harvard University
www.harvard.edu

Princeton University
www.princeton.edu

New York University
www.nyu.edu

Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne
www.univ-paris1.fr

École Polytechnique
www.polytechnique.fr

École Pour l'Informatique et les Techniques Avancées (EPITA)
www.epita.fr

Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)
www.sciences-po.fr

Ambassadors Program

The Board of Directors of the Jérôme Lohez Foundation is honored to have scholarship recipients participate in the Jérôme Lohez Foundation’s Ambassadors Program for one year.

Ambassadors are visible at many fundraiser events and serve as liaisons between the Foundation and future recipients, in addition to two other important groups: major gift donors and past recipients. Both groups are very interested in hearing students’ perspectives on their experiences in France and America.

Typical roles include mingling; hosting a table of Foundation guests at events; providing information about the Foundation; and speaking about experiences in America or in France, as well as student academic programs. Ambassadors should also be ready to answer questions from future applicants and in some cases, serve as mentors to them.

The Ambassadors have the opportunity to interact with VIPs from government, diplomatic corps and past recipients who may become valuable career contacts. Ambassadors also have the chance to develop and receive training in communication, public relations and interpersonal skills. Ambassadors shall be enthusiastic and have a positive attitude, in addition to have a genuine desire to help the Jérôme Lohez Foundation grow into a prestigious organization.

Benefits include:

  • Gain a greater understanding of the Foundation
  • Sharpen communication and public speaking skills
  • Improve interpersonal and conversational skills
  • Enhance confidence when speaking and interacting with the French-American community
  • Meet and network with alumni, VIPs, and future applicants
  • Gain access to exclusive French-American events