The Stair Step Effect

International Awards such as the Schwarzman, the Fulbright, the Rhodes and the Goldwater are incredibly difficult to attain.

The Schwarzman for example, selects 150 Scholars representing 40 countries and 83 universities for a one-year, fully funded graduate education.

They are some of the most highly vetted and prestigious international awards. These awards open up global opportunities for students and helps them form International partnerships and connections that position them for impact in any endeavor that they so choose.

Having worked with and interviewed Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, and Schwarzman scholars, what distinguishes them all is what I term the stair step effect. It is a succession of dozens of increasingly impactful pursuits, one after the next - like rising stair-steps, that ultimately qualifies them for selection.

It has less to do with a well written application and more to do with a series of ever increasing challenges and awards that collectively signal to international award committees that applicants are worthy of that honor.

Much like national newspapers and magazines look to influencers, bloggers, and local news stations for vetted stories, National awards do much of the same. They look to winners of local leadership awards and those engaged in impactful experiences - in both their depth, and their frequency - to see who qualifies to receive them.

Congratulations to this year's winners - including my past student Arón Olegnowicz for winning the Schwarzman for 2026!