Samuel Blatteis '01 Wins Fulbright Scholarship

August 5, 2005
Contact: Andy Faught

Samuel Blatteis, a 2001 graduate of Occidental College, has been offered a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to study Arab countries’ efforts to expand business operations and commercial partnerships with China. Starting in September, Blatteis will spend 10 months in Kuwait and other Arab countries along the Persian Gulf interviewing local economists, oil experts, petrochemical specialists, foreign ministry officials, university researchers, historians and intellectuals.

China is the world’s second largest energy importer and will take up to 90 percent of its oil imports from the Gulf by 2020, Blatteis said. The trend means China will become more interested in solidifying economic and political relations with Gulf countries, he added.

“Americans can learn a great deal from these commerce-driven, rather than military-driven strategies,” said Blatteis, who is completing a master’s degree at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. “For all of America’s military might, it will be difficult by force to stop Washington’s Gulf allies and China from growing economically and politically closer in the next 20 years. America’s friends in the region are becoming more proactive in developing relations with emerging powers, such as China.”

At Occidental, Blatteis earned a bachelor’s degree in diplomacy and world affairs. He is a 1997 graduate of Marin Academy in San Rafael, Calif. Blatteis is among five Occidental Fulbright winners this year, a school record. The institution has amassed eight Fulbrights since last year.

The Fulbright program, which covers travel, education and living expenses, was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas.