Chuanzhen Zhou

Chuanzhen Zhou, the daughter of Zhiyun Zhang and Maohai Zhou of Singapore, has been named a McDonnell International Scholar at Washington University in St. Louis, and she has received a corporate fellowship from Rohm and Haas Co. She holds a master of science degree from National University of Singapore, which is one of 15 leading Asian universities partnered with Washington University in St. Louis in the McDonnell International Scholars Academy.

Ms. Zhou has already spent two years pursuing a doctorate in chemistry in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and expects her study to continue for another three years. Her career goals include becoming a professor, although she does not plan to confine herself to the academic field. She is supported in her studies by a fellowship awarded to her by Rohm and Haas Co., based in Philadelphia, Penn., U.S.A., a leading producer of specialty materials with revolutionary developments in everything from electronic materials and polymers for paints to personal care products. The fellowship will offer Ms. Zhou special internship opportunities.

"We were extremely impressed with Chuanzhen Zhou's application to the McDonnell Academy, as was our corporate sponsor at Rohm and Haas," said James V. Wertsch, Ph.D., the Marshall S. Snow Professor in Arts & Sciences and Director of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy. "She looks like the perfect match as we at the Academy help develop global leaders of tomorrow and Rohm and Haas thinks about building new links to Singapore and Asia more generally."

The McDonnell International Scholars Academy is both new and unique. Employing an unusual structure and approach, it brings together top scholars from many countries to pursue world-class education and research while forging a strong network with one another. Key to this are partnerships Washington University has established with top universities and corporations around the world with an eye to increasing opportunities for joint research and global education.

The McDonnell Academy Scholars are considered future world leaders in their fields. As such, they are provided not only rigorous graduate instruction, but a thorough cultural, political and social education designed to prepare them as leaders knowledgeable about the United States, other countries, and critical international issues.

Once selected for this highly competitive program, each scholar is matched with a distinguished member of the Washington University faculty who serves as a mentor for the scholar and also as an "ambassador" to the university partner from which the scholar has graduated. The ambassador assists the McDonnell Scholar in academic and professional life and travels annually with the scholar to the partner university to build relationships between the two institutions.

Michael Sherraden

Michael W. Sherraden, Ph.D., the Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor of Social Development at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, is Ms. Zhou's faculty mentor-ambassador. Sherraden is director of the Center for Social Development, where he works on policy and community innovations for the disadvantaged. He has served as adviser on social policy to the White House and to several American government agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The McDonnell Academy Scholars receive funding for full tuition, living expenses and travel to and from St. Louis. Most of the scholars reside in two fully equipped and furnished apartment buildings near campus.

Funding is provided through a sustaining endowment gift from John F. McDonnell, vice chairman of the Washington University Board of Trustees and retired chairman of the board of McDonnell Douglas Corporation, additional endowment pledges, and 11 multinational corporate and foundation sponsors. Sponsoring corporations also offer internships and on-site educational opportunities for the Academy's Corporate Fellows.