Interviews
Name: Philip Callan
TCD Qualifications: BESS (2016)
About: Philip Callan has been awarded a prestigious 2019 Schwarzman Scholarship at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Trinity BESS graduates, Philip Callan and Sarah Mortell, were the only Irish recipients among 142 Scholars from 39 countries who were selected from over 4,000 applicants.
Philip currently works as an International Trade Development Executive for the Irish Government Trade Commission in Toronto, Canada.
Describe how you felt when you were awarded the Schwarzman Scholarship?
I was surprised and delighted to be honest. I was on the phone to my folks at the time and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get it, so when I saw the 'Admissions Decision' email come through, I thought 'this is it'. When it turned out to be an acceptance email, I was absolutely thrilled. It really looks like such an amazing programme and opportunity to live and study in what will be the most important country of the 21st century.
How are you preparing for your studies in Beijing?
I'm hoping to start Mandarin lessons in Toronto soon to try and get a head start on living in China. Although we're extremely busy in work with St Patrick's Day coming up (it seems every Irish Government Minister wants to come to Canada in the last year), I have been trying my best to keep on top of what's going on in the world and in China, from an economic and political perspective.
What are your strongest memories of Trinity?
I had a really great group of friends throughout my four years at Trinity, a group that kept together and helped each other out during tough times. From an academic standpoint, a special shout-out to Professor Paul Scanlon's final year economics course, which was probably the most interesting and engaging course I've ever taken and one I'd recommend to any BESS students.
I think Trinity's strong international linkages also played a key part in my college experience, as it allowed me the chance to take part in the Erasmus programme at SciencesPo Paris. Erasmus really opened my eyes to the world and made me a far more confident and out-going person, with a real drive to experience more of the world and its diversity.
I'm a huge believer in the Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) and I hope to see more initiatives of this kind in Ireland, equal access to education regardless of background is very important for any fair society.
What are your plans for the future?
After finishing up with Enterprise Ireland in Canada and completing the Schwarzman Scholarship programme in Beijing, I would love to work in a role which allows me to stay connected to both Ireland and the world. Whether that be in an international organisation such as the UN or WTO, or perhaps a role within an international company, I'm still figuring that out. I hope to gain as much experience and knowledge as I can from the Scholarship and the other students, and contribute my own experiences and opinions in return. I'll take it step by step from there and see where I end up.
How do you stay connected to Trinity as a graduate?
With the line of work that I'm in, we are actually pretty connected to Trinity alumni across Toronto. When the Provost visited Toronto as part of a recent Canadian trip I got a chance to meet alumni working in a wide range of industries around the city. These alumni connections are really important to the work that we do assisting Irish companies in Canada, so I always try to make sure I stay connected to the alumni network here. My little brother Oisín has just started in engineering in Trinity so I'm sure he'll keep me up to date with the current selection at the Pav!
What advice would you give to a student who is applying for a 2020 Schwarzman Scholarship?
The key is to have a strong story to tell as to why you are a perfect fit for the programme, one that reflects your past experience and your motivations. For me, having studied business & economics and working in international trade development, it was obvious that China would become the most important trading partner for most countries in the world. Having people with a deep knowledge of the Chinese economy and its politics and society in leadership positions, within business and trade, in Ireland and the EU will no longer be a 'nice to have' but a necessity in the near future. So it is vitally important that you demonstrate how your experience and future ambitions align with the core goal of the programme - ensuring stronger links between future international leaders and China.
Also to seek advice from your peers. I am extremely grateful to the people that helped me out most along the application process. Lara, who was the first Irish recipient of the Scholarship and is currently in Tsinghua, was a huge help and I can't thank her enough. Professor Brennan in the Business School was also extremely accommodating to all my last minute emails about references and advice! My friends and family in Toronto and back home also kept me sane throughout the process. I couldn't have done it though without the constant support of my best friend, Eoghan Fox, who has been there for me through thick and thin since week one in Trinity.
Denis O’Brien has provided generous funding to the Schwarzman Scholars programme to ensure that the best and brightest Irish students will have an opportunity to develop their leadership skills through this transformative opportunity.