ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2020
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. In the three months the application was open in 2020, 15,159 young leaders applied to join the Class of 2020 on 1,458 campuses across 135 nations. 80 campuses worldwide (just 6%) were selected to host the 1,000+ Millennium Fellows. The Class of 2020 is bold, innovative, and inclusive.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT VERONICA BONIFACIO PENALES, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW AND CAMPUS DIRECTOR FOR THE CLASS OF 2020.
Baylor University | Texas, United States | Advancing SDG 1 & UNAI 1
" I am so honored to be a Millennium Fellow representing Baylor University. This program will provide me with the opportunity to showcase my desire for change, on my campus, locally, and even statewide. I have always been an advocate for the equality of all in any aspect of society and I strongly believe that by working alongside other amazing Fellows worldwide, this program will fortify my growth as a leader. I cannot wait to meet all our sustainable development goals and witness the impact we can all make together. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Serving Impoverished Communities (SIC)
The project will be serving the local community of Waco, Texas. Unfortunately, Waco's poverty rate is incredibly high at just over 27%. Due to this, their project will be focusing on combating poverty through two main initiatives: a Christmas toy donation and a Thanksgiving food giveaway for the homeless. The Fellows hope to work to help low-income students during the holiday season and it is especially more vital to extend their support with the economic affects of the COVID-19 virus. The project goal is to not only combat poverty, but also foster a deeper connection between Baylor and the people of its community. The Fellows plan on fundraising and hosting online events to further engage the students of Baylor and hopefully cultivate a desire to make a deeper impact on the community of Waco through the aid and support in combating poverty and hunger in the area. The Fellows are fully prepared to do this project virtually all while still completing their original goals. They plan to organize a drive-thru system for non-perishable food/toy donations that can then be distributed to low-income students and Baylor and their families. In the end, the Fellows hope to support at least 1,500 people with their project while striving for the UN's No Poverty goal.
About the Millennium Fellow
Veronica Penales is a sophomore at Baylor University pursuing a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Among other leadership positions in various student organizations, Veronica is the president of the College Democrats of Baylor and a student senator in Baylor's student government. She has assisted in hosting campus-wide voter registration drives and is heavily involved with policy changes throughout her university's campus. Veronica is a strong advocate for inclusivity, justice, and equality in all aspects of society and looks forward to doing whatever she can to continue fighting for these causes.
