Tai (BSBA ’23) was among 150 individuals out of nearly 5,000 applicants to be named to the 2025-2026 class of Schwarzman Scholars. The program is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious graduate fellowships, akin to the Rhodes Scholarship. Schwarzman Scholars earn a one-year, fully funded master’s degree in global affairs at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.
“This is an important scholarship for U.S. and China relations,” said Tai. “In my opinion, it’s one of the most important bilateral relationships we have. The program brings together scholars from around the world and from all over China to learn and engage in some of the world’s most pressing issues.”
Selected for his leadership, exemplary character, academic aptitude and intellectual ability, intercultural competency and entrepreneurial spirit, Tai said his interest in the fellowship was spurred by three factors: his family, his current work at Ford Motor Company and his desire to reinvest in the Midwest.
“Being a Schwarzman Scholar will give me the opportunity to get back in touch with my roots,” Tai said. “As the son of immigrants, I sometimes feel caught between two worlds ― the English-speaking side of me and the Chinese-speaking side of me. This opportunity will help me see the world through my parents’ eyes, give me an idea of how they grew up and ultimately bring me closer to them.”
The program also is a natural extension of his current role as a member of Ford’s strategy and planning department. During his time in the Ford College Graduates Program, a two-year rotational program, he has been involved in planning next generation electric vehicles (EV), formulating compliance plans to meet emissions regulations, and government affairs where he provides counsel to executive leaders on policy and legislation matters related to trade, geopolitical risk and emissions.
“The work I’ve done at Ford was also instrumental to developing my interest in the fellowship,” he said. “My time in the automotive industry has allowed me to witness and study China’s impressive and rapid scaling up of its EV industry that I believe can be attributed to some of China’s policies and long-term vision.”
Growing up in Cleveland and currently residing in the metro Detroit area, Tai hopes the fellowship provides an opportunity to better understand and compare and contrast U.S. and Chinese policies, with the goal of adapting innovative and successful strategies to the region he calls home.
“The Midwest is poised for economic revival, and I want to be part of its industrial revitalization,” said Tai, alluding to regional projects such as Intel’s investment in central Ohio and Ford’s restoration of Michigan Central Station.
“China is full of lessons we can learn ― from its industrial policies to the history and nuances of the country. I want to bring this knowledge back to the Midwest to help the cities that I know and love become what I think they deserve to be.”
In applying to become a Schwarzman Scholar, Tai said he felt a familiarity with the program.
“The Schwarzman Scholars program reminds me of when I was a member of the 25th Honors Cohort at Fisher,” he said. “I loved the culture of taking classes together, going on trips across the country, and working on projects. I miss that type of environment and wanted to experience the closeness of a cohort again.”
He says the opportunities he encountered at Ohio State led to his well-rounded experience and confidence to pursue programs like Schwarzman. While at Fisher, he received the 2023 S. Maurice Bostic and Birch S.M. Bostic Memorial Pace Setter Award and participated in the Honors Cohort and the Buckeye Accelerator Program. He also earned internships at the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, as well as with Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown.
Tai sees the fellowship as a capstone to his undergraduate degrees in economics and public policy from Ohio State.
“What brings me pride about this fellowship is that I will be a brand representative of Ohio State,” he said. “This is an implicit recognition that Ohio State grads are going to be invited and are in the room where important decisions are being made.”
“It’s a very sensitive time in the world. I want to be a broker between the two nations and help avoid misunderstanding, inject the nuances of each country into conversations and create relationships between the two countries that are complementary rather than competitive.”