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 KEERTHANA ANAND, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
Stella Maris College | Chennai, India | Advancing SDG 5, SDG 10 & UNAI 3
" I've always held educational empowerment of young women close to my heart because knowledge unlocks opportunity, dignity, and independence. I am where I am today because others believed in me, and I continue that legacy by lifting as I climb, nurturing young women’s confidence, investing in their dreams, and creating spaces where their learning allows entire communities to thrive. As a Millennium Fellow, I am excited to amplify this mission and join a global network of change makers working toward equity and sustainability. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: The Lighthouse Project
The Lighthouse Project is a 10-week structured learning journey designed to equip young women with the skills and confidence to become critical thinkers, collaborative learners, and contributors to academic research. Through experiential workshops, mentorship, and peer collaboration, participants learn to frame meaningful questions, design studies, analyze data, and produce publication-ready papers.
The measurable goals I hope to accomplish include engaging 20–25 students per cohort with consistent participation, ensuring at least 80% complete and submit a research manuscript, and documenting growth in critical thinking, communication, and research confidence through reflections. Additional outcomes include creating portfolios of tangible research outputs, fostering collaboration through peer pods and faculty mentoring, and establishing a sustainable community of practice where trained students mentor future cohorts.
About the Millennium Fellow
Keerthana Anand is a senior economics undergraduate student at Stella Maris College, Chennai, and is now among the youngest Impact Officers of the Global Shapers Community (Chennai Hub). She has spearheaded financial literacy programs for underserved children, led city-wide sustainability projects, and published economics research. A seasoned leader, teacher, and mentor, Keerthana has founded student-led organisations, managed large-scale events, and driven measurable impact through youth advocacy, always leading with heart, empathy, and strong values. With her blend of academic excellence, social impact, and entrepreneurial spirit, she is building a career at the intersection of economics, sustainability, and global change-making.
