From Fellows to Institutional Force: Scaling the Millennium Fellowship at NMIMS
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
The first time that I engaged with the Millennium Fellowship was in 2024 at the Bangalore campus for Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies. My students approached me while submitting their applications, with uncertainty about the process and the scale of opportunity the Fellowship presents. It was simply our passion for the SDGs that drove us forward to take the leap and apply.
A few months later, the campus lit up with exuberance on receiving the news of the selection of a Cohort from our institution for the first time. What followed after was numerous discussion sessions, excited exchange of ideas and continuity of our zeal to work for the SDGs. The Cohort of 2024 chose SDG-16, and went ahead to work on 3 projects – the SDG Dialogue Table, Project Peace, and Project Tolerance. The Cohort also compiled and released the Tolerance Tribune (Editions 1, 2 & 3), recapping the three projects respectively. One of the most defining moments for the Cohort was when they were entrusted with handling the official Millennium Campus Network Instagram page on none other than United Nations Day (https://tinyurl.com/NMIMS-UN-Takeover-2024). This opportunity lent immense confidence, encouragement and credibility to the team.
Invigorated by this, we began strengthening systems on campus for prospective future cohorts for the 2025 cycle. We sought to address our initial challenge – generating awareness and building confidence. We had noticed previously that there was no dearth of ideas. However, hesitancy among deserving students stopped them from confidently applying for the Fellowship. So for beginners, we sought to establish a system to support students who were unsure of how to navigate the process.
The next milestone for us came with the news of a sharp increase in the number of selections of Fellows from the campus. The results were tangible, and further bolstered our confidence. With growing momentum, the initiative also received formal institutional recognition. I was appointed as the All-Campus Mentor for the Millennium Fellowship by the then Vice-Chancellor, Ramesh Bhat. Over the course of mentoring two successive cohorts (2024 and 2025), the initiative evolved from an individual-driven effort into a structured and impactful institutionally recognized initiative. Today, we are not only aiming for increased participation from all our campuses, but also at the establishment of a strong, pro-SDG mindset to be embedded within the university ecosystem.
As University-mentor, I actively work to generate awareness about the Fellowship, and its possible impact. Further, a peer-mentoring mechanism has been initialized, for experience-sharing and guidance from erstwhile Fellows to new applicants. As a result, we are seeking to form a community of continuity across cohorts, and ensure elimination of work in isolation.
We continue to strengthen coordination across campuses, and across disciplines and schools. Our immediate aims are dual. First, to continue improving inclusivity and ensure better incorporation with institutional vision and policies. Second, to align individual cohort ideas into cohesive, scalable projects at the institutional level.
The transition from a decentralized, individual-centric and limited effort to an integrated, university-wide initiative led me to two key insights that I can draw from this journey. One, the effectiveness of peer-led mentorship in scaling initiatives is tremendous, given the credibility and relatability lent by peer-to-peer interaction. It became clear that early decentralization enabled sustainable scaling – once fellows transitioned to mentorship roles, growth accelerated organically.
Two, institutionalization can be made successful not merely by recognition, but by building systems that ensure a chain of continuity.
As we look ahead today, when we are near the close of the application cycle for the Cohort of 2026, my focus remains on strengthening this model further, by building deeper inter-university collaboration and continuing to position student-led impact as a central part of the University environment.
For my fellow mentors and council members seeking to enhance participation from their institutions in the Fellowship, the takeaway is simple – invest in people, entrust them to build systems of continuity, and empower students to lead. The results will extend far beyond the selection numbers – they will shape a lasting culture of leadership and impact.
"After all, we are stronger together."
Article written by: Dr. Tanmeet Kaur Sahiwal, NMIMS (Deemed-to-be-University), India
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