“My main focus is helping provide medical care to underserved communities,” Zach Valentine, 2025 Schwarzman Scholarship recipient, explained.
Valentine, a neuroscience major in the College of Life Sciences and Chinese minor in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages, exemplifies BYU’s motto: “Enter to learn; go forth to serve.” He is Brigham Young University’s first-ever recipient of the Schwarzman Scholarship. This scholarship funds a Masters of Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China for about 140 students worldwide each year. Valentine hopes to utilize this opportunity to pursue his passion for providing medical care to vulnerable populations. His experiences from his childhood, mission, and BYU have shaped his path as he prepares for a life of service.
Shaping His Own Path
Growing up, Valentine watched his mother, a refugee case worker, support individuals and families through the transitions that come with moving to the United States. This early exposure became a precursor to the love Valentine has for underserved communities, which solidified while on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Valentine was assigned to the New York City Mission, speaking Mandarin Chinese. Serving during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked conversations about healthcare between him and the Chinese-speaking residents. Valentine quickly became aware of the difficulties these communities faced when trying to navigate the U.S. healthcare system. He relates that discussions on insurance, copays, deductibles, or other cultural differences were eye-opening as he saw how those barriers prevent people from actually going to see a doctor.
Valentine always knew he wanted to pursue a medical degree but was not interested in the traditional doctor route. Gratefully, these interactions on his mission helped him home in on his desire to help provide medical care to disadvantaged communities. Upon returning from his mission, he began to pursue this work by volunteering for the International Refugee Committee, where he guides many individuals to the right places for care, helps them through doctor’s appointments, and teaches them how to apply for Medicaid.
As Valentine continues to work toward his career goals, the Schwarzman Scholarship program is a huge step forward. In China, Valentine hopes to take a deep dive into understanding the pros and cons of the Chinese healthcare system. He is excited to visit rural communities and learn from the perspectives of doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers. These outside perspectives will be a catalyst for Valentine to utilize when giving new suggestions or ideas to fill in for deficiencies he sees within the U.S. healthcare system.
Meaningful Impact
Studying at BYU has largely impacted Valentine’s goals. His classes, research projects, and experiences serving with other public health students have provided opportunities to learn and continue refining his life’s vision. One of the most inspirational aspects of his BYU experience has been Valentine’s professors. Valentine’s professors stood out to him because they exemplify the motto of the school as they seek to go forth and serve their students.
Valentine describes Professor Rebecca Mathison as a “ray of light to her students.” Her story and path of taking a non-traditional medical path gave Valentine the confidence to pave his own path. Professor Mathison also commented on Valentine’s academic attributes and characteristics that tie in well with the community health leader Valentine hopes to become.
“Zach possesses a natural curiosity that drives him to explore complex topics with enthusiasm and depth,” Mathison said. “She continued, speaking of the real-life application of neuroscience, saying, “This ‘human element’ can be challenging for some STEM students, but not for Zach. He had a natural intuition for how scientific principles and evidence base could translate to the human experience.”
Valentine has similarly worked closely with Jordan Yorgason, Ph.D. Speaking of Yorgason, Valentine said, “he really loves us and values each and every individual.” Valentine continues to explain that this lab “has taught me a lot about how I want to work in the future with people that I surround myself with.”
Valentine has worked for three years in Yogason’s lab–researching addiction and the addiction reward path of the brain.
“Zach has been an active contributor and a leader in the lab,” Yorgason said. “He is engaged in our research topic and always willing to help others out. When working with Zach on obtaining intramural funding for his project, I was impressed with his critical thinking skills and ability to consolidate and present.”
Applying for the Schwarzman
Throughout the rigorous Schwarzman application process, it was the support of the National Scholarships and Prestigious Fellowships office that, in Valentine’s words, “made the difference.” He loved working with Amy McLaughlin, National Scholarship advisor, as she challenged him to not settle for less but instead to continue to refine his ideas and essays.
“Zach will be a wonderful representative of BYU in China as BYU’s first-ever Schwarzman Scholar,” McLaughlin said. “Not only is he an accomplished student and proven leader, he is also compassionate, culturally sensitive, and willing to learn. With his knowledge of and love for the Chinese people and culture, I know he will make meaningful contributions during his time as a Schwarzman Scholar and in his future work.”
Valentine has two suggestions for anyone wanting to pursue the Schwarzman Scholarship. The first one is trusting and the second is revising. After researching past Schwarzman scholars, Valentine felt inadequate. As he went through the application process, his confidence in himself grew.
“If I were to give advice, it would be to not be scared but to trust in yourself and trust in the process,” Valentine said. “It’s a lot of work going through the whole process and rewriting. But it is through writing that you figure out your own voice and articulate who you are and where you want to go.”
After submitting his written application, Valentine was chosen as one of the few to be interviewed by a group of Schwarzman panelists in New York City. Valentine received the exciting news of being a recipient of this award in January 2025. He is now preparing to start the one-year program in Beijing this fall.
Valentine’s diligence, love for learning, and desire to support underserved communities make him a stellar representative of BYU as he continues to pursue a life of community healthcare service. With all the good Valentine has done in supporting Chinese and refugee populations during his mission and in Utah, the Schwarzman will be a wonderful opportunity to refine his capacity to serve a global sphere of influence.
The Schwarzman Scholarship is open to students from all disciplines. Applicants do not need to speak Mandarin to apply. For those interested in learning more about the Schwarzman Scholarship, visit nationalscholarships.byu.edu to schedule an appointment with an advisor.