By Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89
When Chandler Compton ’20 left his family farm in Cedar Grove, N.C. — a farm that his family has worked for centuries — he had never heard of the Schwarzman or Fulbright Scholars programs. He had never considered military service, and he could barely conceive traveling to Spartanburg for college much less throughout Asia.
What a difference a decade and a Wofford College education makes.
On Jan. 15 Schwarzman Scholars announced its 10th cohort, and Compton was selected to the Schwarzman Class of 2025-26. He will attend a one-year, fully funded master’s degree program in global affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.
“Wofford students are entering a world where Asia is bound to shape the 21st century,” says Compton. “I am grateful for so many opportunities to learn about Asia’s diverse economies, political environments and cultures. I would love for my experiences to eventually open more doors for Wofford students to study, travel and work across the region.”
After graduation from Wofford, Compton joined the Marine Corps. His start date was pushed back because of COVID-19, so his first job after graduation was loading bags of mulch into trucks at Lowe’s Home Improvement. In September 2020, he started Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va.
Compton was stationed in Japan as a logistics officer beginning in early 2022. While there, he held roles of increasing responsibility. Although based in Okinawa and Mount Fuji, he traveled throughout the region for military operations and also to meet Wofford friends who explored Japan and Southeast Asia with him.
“Leading Marines was the privilege of a lifetime,” says Compton. “The Marine Corps opened doors and allowed me to lead and invest in other service members from across the country. Wofford did the same thing when I was a student.”
Compton made the difficult decision to decline a promotion to captain, seeking new challenges and opportunities to expand his leadership and cross-cultural experience beyond the foundation provided by Wofford and the Marine Corps.
As a Wofford student Compton spent a semester abroad in Prague. An English major, he took advantage of internship opportunities and worked on campus in the Writing Center. He directed and hosted the college’s first TEDx conference and was a student-athlete on the men’s soccer team.
Compton found trusted mentors and advisors across campus — Dr. Boyce Lawton, dean of student success, with whom he started the college’s military alumni group; Dr. John Ware, professor of English; Dr. Deno Trakas, Laura and Winston Hoy Professor of English emeritus; Dr. Rachel Vanderhill, associate professor of government and international affairs; and David Beacham ’77, now retired senior vice president for administration.
“Wofford increased my imagination. The college and the people I met at Wofford gave me the confidence and curiosity to engage the world beyond my familiar surroundings,” says Compton. He applied for a Fulbright Research Award as he was anticipating his transition out of the military. When he was selected, he became the college’s first Fulbright Research Scholar.
“In November I moved to New Delhi, India, where I'm researching India's role in the global economy with Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies through the Fulbright Association. I'm also studying Hindi alongside my research thanks to a Critical Language Enhancement Award,” says Compton.
“I am thrilled by the opportunity to learn from the Fulbright and Schwarzman Scholar communities as my work and studies take me throughout Asia,” says Compton, “I’m ready to make the most of these opportunities.”
As a member of the 2025-26 cohort of Schwarzman Scholars, Compton is one of 150 admitted students, representing 38 countries and 105 universities from around the world. This year, Schwarzman Scholars received the highest number of applications in its 10-year history, with the Class of 2025-26 selected from a pool of nearly 5,000 candidates worldwide. Designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders, Schwarzman Scholars continues to be one of the most selective graduate fellowship programs in the world. The record-breaking interest in the program and the impressive caliber of this year’s students demonstrate that young leaders are increasingly invested in understanding China and fostering global collaboration. With the incoming class, the Schwarzman Scholars network now includes over 1,300 members from 104 countries and 459 institutions worldwide. Schwarzman Scholars alumni have demonstrated immense leadership capacity, trailblazing in a number of industries and collaborating to tackle pressing issues all around the world.