The Elliott School of International Affairs announced the launch of a new graduate fellowship program last month focused on China studies, continuing the school’s affiliation with an organization focused on education surrounding U.S.-China relations.

The Julia Chang Bloch fellowship is a $2,000 award to two graduate students studying East Asian and China studies to be used to support field research, dissertation completion, travel and graduate tuition. The fellowship is named after the former U.S. ambassador to Nepal and founder of U.S.-China Education Trust, an organization that promotes education about the relationship between the United States and China.

Bloch created the fellowship to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the F.Y. Chang Foundation, which was founded in her father’s memory to support education related to Chinese law, and the 25th anniversary of USCET, which is the foundation’s largest program. Bloch was the first Asian American to hold the rank of ambassador in the United States and served in numerous government positions during her 25 years in public service.

USCET entered into an affiliation and hosting agreement with the Elliott School in April 2021, according to a University release. As part of the agreement, the USCET office has been located in the Elliott School since 2021.

USCET and the Elliott School hosted a roundtable discussion on September 3 which included 13 GW students, Elliott School Dean Alyssa Ayres and Bloch. At the event, Bloch discussed how U.S.-China relations is one of the most pressing global issues and how the fellowship aims to support students contributing to dialogue surrounding the relationship between the United States and China through research and study of the two countries’s relationship, according to a USCET release.