Two Bruins selected as Schwarzman Scholars 

Chengcheng Song and Su Cizem will study in Beijing as part of the 11th cohort of the prestigious global leadership program 

By Kayla McCormack | January 21, 2026

Fourth-year UCLA student Chengcheng Song and 2022 graduate Su Cizem were selected as part of the 2027 class of Schwarzman Scholars, one of the world’s leading graduate fellowships focused on global leadership. 

 

They join a cohort of 150 scholars representing 40 countries and 83 universities. As part of the program, Song and Cizem will pursue a fully funded master’s degree program in global affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. 

Su Cizem is advancing Global AI Governance  

Cizem graduated from UCLA with a philosophy degree and earned her MSc in AI and ethics from Northeastern University in London. She now works as an AI governance analyst at the intersection of technology and international policy.  

 

“My philosophy training allows me to approach AI and emerging technology policy with an open mind,” Cizem said. “Studying different schools of thought pushes you to question your assumptions and engage seriously with competing perspectives. That foundation helps me identify common ground across domains like history, security and technology governance.” 

 

Cizem has contributed to global AI safety initiatives through leading nonprofits and think tanks, including French Center for AI Safety and The Future Society, where she supported the development of the EU’s General Purpose AI Code of Practice and helped convene global coalitions focused on frontier AI risks. She is currently a 2025 fellow at the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy, where she is working on global preparedness and prevention mechanisms for AI-related crises. 

 

“In the current geopolitical environment, understanding China is essential for anyone working on AI governance,” Cizem said. “This program will allow me to engage directly with that context and make my policy contributions more informed and impactful.” 

Chengcheng Song is Championing Data and Policy Solutions  

Song is completing his bachelor’s in economics with a minor in statistics and data science. He recently worked at the United Nations Statistics Division, contributing to data collection, analysis, and reporting efforts supporting statistical capacity in low- and middle-income countries.  

 

His policy experience includes roles with Albright Stone Bridge Group in Washington, D.C., and ByteDance in Beijing, where he advised on AI regulation and international trade issues. He is also the co-founder of Gizmo Payments, a fintech startup in Lusaka, Zambia focused on expanding digital financial access in emerging markets.  

 

“I hope to gain a deeper, more grounded understanding of how China engages with the world at a moment when technology, geopolitics, and economic policy are increasingly intertwined,” Song said. “Schwarzman offers a rare opportunity to study these issues in Beijing alongside peers from around the world, learning not only in the classroom but through constant dialogue across backgrounds and perspectives.”