Pace University has announced that 34 of its students have been named United Nations Academic Impact–MCN Millennium Fellows for the Class of 2025, setting a new record for the institution. The Millennium Fellowship is a semester-long leadership development program that encourages undergraduates to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through projects based on their campuses and in their communities. This year, over 60,000 students from more than 7,500 universities worldwide applied to the program, with only four percent being accepted.
The selected Pace students come from various academic backgrounds, including Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Lubin School of Business, School of Education, Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, and College of Health Professions. Their projects address issues such as healthcare access, sustainability efforts, equity initiatives, educational advancement, housing insecurity solutions, and environmental justice work.
Silas B. Gonzalez ’28 commented on his role: “I truly could not be more honored to be one of Pace’s Campus Directors for the Millennium Fellowship. Not only have I been able to work with Pace students to further the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but I have also been fortunate to meet change leaders from around the world! It truly is a blessing to be able to materialize and progress the change you want to see in the world.”
A notable development this year is an international partnership between Pace’s Seidenberg School and Finland’s Häme University of Applied Sciences. Together they formed a 19-member team working on establishing a global “right-to-know” standard about water quality—addressing SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The team will present their findings at the United Nations in October when Finnish students visit New York City.
Samantha Sergi ’28 shared her experience: “It’s an honor to be a part of this fellowship! I’ve had the opportunity to meet the board and other fellows across the world during the town hall meeting. I’ve also had the opportunity to continue my passion into spreading awareness about human trafficking. It’s exciting that Pace is having their largest cohort ever and I’m looking forward to meetings with members from this community!”
Rachel Parker ’25 reflected on her early involvement: “This experience so far has felt really rewarding. Even though it is still early on, it feels great involving myself in the community and trying to make a positive impact, even if it’s in a small way.”
The achievements by these Millennium Fellows demonstrate Pace University’s ongoing commitment toward preparing its students for global challenges through experiential learning opportunities.
For more information about the UN Millennium Fellow program at Pace University contact Sue Maxam at smaxam@pace.edu.
