By Michelle Tong, Office of International Programs on June 2, 2026, 10:51 a.m.

Princeton Class of 2020 graduate Eliot Chen has been named a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. The fellowship program provides up to three years of funding toward a graduate degree at Stanford University. Scholars also engage in experiences that “prepare them to be visionary, courageous and collaborative leaders capable of taking on the world’s most difficult challenges,” according to the announcement. Chen joins a cohort of 87 scholars this year from around the world. 

Chen will pursue a master’s degree in international policy at the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. Originally from Hong Kong, he graduated from Princeton with a bachelor’s degree in politics with a minor in East Asian studies. 

He received four awards for his senior thesis, which focused on media manipulation and consumer trust in China. 

Chen previously worked as a reporter for The Wire China, an American news magazine covering Chinese business and technology.