Will Peracchio ’21 has been selected as a 2022 Schwarzman Scholar. The prestigious graduate fellowship, which was launched in 2015, was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford and designed to prepare future global leaders to meet the geopolitical challenges of the 21st century.
Peracchio is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Business at Lehigh, with minors in data science, economics, and entrepreneurship, and a certificate in global citizenship. In tandem with his undergraduate studies, he is completing a Master of Science in computer science.
He will join the Class of 2022 in pursuing a master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, enrolling in August 2021. In total, 154 exceptional students, representing 39 countries and 99 universities, were selected from a pool of more than 3,600 applicants. The class announcement was made December 7.
"This is truly an inspirational and dynamic group of young people,” said Stephen A. Schwarzman, co-founder, chairman and CEO of the private equity firm, the Blackstone Group, founding trustee of Schwarzman Scholars. “I am confident these individuals will become people of consequence in their generation: leading intelligently, acting with integrity, and addressing the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century.”
According to his Schwarzman Scholar profile, Peracchio's interests lie at the intersection of technology and business, particularly in emerging areas such as big data, machine learning, AI, blockchain, and the cloud. He has worked at PwC in the Czech Republic and as a software engineering intern at Microsoft.
Scholars chosen for this highly selective program have demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities and the potential to understand and bridge cultural and political differences. Each year, the academic program is refined to ensure alignment with current and future geopolitical priorities.They live in Beijing for a year of intensive study and cultural immersion—attending lectures, workshops, and discussion groups; being mentored and advised by leaders across sectors; and traveling while developing a better understanding of China.
Information on the entire class can be found here.
