AN URGENT IDEA FOR THE SCHWARZMAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT TSINGHUA

By Billy Lee, November 2016

Very recently, the Charlie Rose’s TV Program interviewed a Mr. Stephen A. Schwarzman who had contributed generously towards the new Schwarzman Scholars’ College at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Their goal was to allow approximately 200 specially selected college graduates from around the world ( 40% from US, 20% from China, and the other 40% from the rest of the world ) to spend one year together at Tsinghua University to learn about China, and to build powerful personal connections.

This is truly an unusual opportunity for these ultra-bright potential future global leaders. I urgently recommend, however, that the special curriculum should include not just informative lectures but also engaging workshops and participation in different situations that will inspire Real Empathy and True Compassion for our Globally-Connected Community.

I have been conversing recently with two very enlightening social-psychologists who have developed a CST (Compassion Skills Training) Model. They would love to work with experts from China to expand their model and make it relevant to the Eastern Culture as well.

I hope, indeed, that the Schwarzman Scholars Curriculum will seriously consider including such a well developed CST program. 

‘Heart’ without ‘Intelligence and Power’ is ineffective. ‘Intelligence and Power’ without ‘Heart’ can be dangerous. Ideal leaders should have all three: Compassion, Intelligence and Power. It’s imperative to develop this concept at Schwarzman-Tsinghua University, I believe.