Congratulations to Foster School of Business undergraduate student Parker Ritzmann on being named a Schwarzman Scholar, one of the most prestigious and competitive graduate scholarships in the world.
Selected from more than 5,800 applicants globally, Parker is the only University of Washington student admitted to the Schwarzman Scholars Class of 2026–27. As a Schwarzman Scholar, he will spend one year in Beijing completing a fully funded master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University alongside a cohort of future leaders from around the world.
Dean Frank Hodge congratulates Parker Ritzmann, the only University of Washington student selected as a Schwarzman Scholar in this year’s cohort.
Parker’s path to being named a Schwarzman Scholar started with a nudge from a mentor while he was participating in a Bain & Company program in New York City. When the Schwarzman team later visited the University of Washington, the opportunity came to life. Throughout the application process, Parker worked closely with the University of Washington’s Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards (OMSFA), which helped him refine his story and approach.
Looking ahead, Parker is eagerly anticipating the rigor of the program. He described it as, “Being in an environment that forces you to think rigorously, build cross-cultural fluency, and grow alongside an extraordinary cohort.”
For Parker Ritzmann, the Schwarzman experience means rigorous thinking and cross-cultural fluency.
Parker is currently pursuing a BA in Business Administration and is part of the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program. He has also interned at Bain & Company and Two Ravens Venture Capital, gaining experience across consulting and venture capital.
That blend of business fundamentals and social impact resonates in his entrepreneurial activities. Trained in Florence as a certified barista, Parker is the founder of HOPE Neighborhood Roasters, a social enterprise that empowers foster youth through specialty coffee.
As a Schwarzman Scholar, Parker is eager to connect global insight with long-term impact. “I want to understand China’s development trajectory and translate those insights into building economic opportunity and more equitable value capture along supply chains in the Global South,” he said.
Parker has already spent time in China, including studying Kung Fu in a temple. It’s an experience that offered “a small glimpse of the discipline and cultural depth that exists beyond what we often see in the West.”
One major landmark, however, is still on his list. “I didn’t get a chance to see the Great Wall,” he said. “I definitely will see that this time around.”
After completing the Schwarzman Scholars program, Parker will return to the U.S. to begin his full-time role at Bain & Company. Longer term, he hopes to continue building ventures that expand opportunity, bringing together global perspective and impact.