ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT SAMANTHA KAO, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
Harvard University | Massachusetts, United States | Advancing SDG 11 & UNAI 3
" Preserving cultural and linguistic diversity knows no boundaries. I am excited to join the Millennium Fellowship to address inequities rooted in cultural and language barriers, collaborate with passionate peers, and amplify impact through meaningful social change. This experience will help me deepen my understanding of root causes, strengthen my ability to engage stakeholders, and inspire others to build a more just and inclusive world as part of a global community of leaders. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Youth Cultural Academy
The Youth Cultural Academy (YCA) empowers youth across Asia to engage, advocate, and take action in preserving cultural heritage as a vital foundation for future societies. Through our ALIGN framework, we guide young people in a five-step process to preserve, protect, and prepare cultural minority youth for success, while contributing to sustainable development goals.
Through ALIGN, we advocate for greater awareness of the contributions and values of minority communities, fostering respect and recognition in broader society. Youth explore community histories, deepen their cultural understanding, and use creative and digital tools to make their heritage more visible and accessible. By blending tradition with innovation, youth ensure their cultures evolve sustainably while honoring their roots. Through intergenerational knowledge-sharing, youth leaders help communities adapt to change and build long-term resilience.
About the Millennium Fellow
Samantha Kao is a sophomore at Harvard University studying Neuroscience and Linguistics. Raised in Taiwan near aboriginal communities, she is passionate about cultural and linguistic diversity. She focuses on preserving minority languages and empowering culturally vulnerable populations. Since high school and college, she has led cultural justice initiatives and collaborated with youth across Asia to preserve the languages and traditions of minority communities. Recognizing how cultural and language barriers often limit access to resources and affect quality of life, Samantha is committed to addressing health inequities rooted in cultural differences and communication gaps. Looking ahead, Samantha aspires to pursue a career at the intersection of law and health, advancing the lives of cultural minorities and supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
