30 Pace Students Named United Nations Millennium Fellows

Class Represents a Record-Number for Pace

Students Among just Nine percent of applicants selected

A record-number 30 Pace University students have been accepted into the 2023 class of the United Nations Academic Impact and Millennium Campus Network Fellowship Program, the University today announced.

In this semester-long leadership program focused on making a social impact, students convene with the cohort of fellows from their institution to lead projects that advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals—a list of 17 objectives focusing on areas such as social justice, sustainability, poverty, equity, education, and economic growth.

While leading projects on their own campuses and in their own communities, students in the program also collaborate with fellows at peer institutions around the world, creating a global network of students working toward a better world by addressing problems facing societies around the globe.

One of Pace University’s teams is the Blue CoLab’s Right-to-Know H2O team, which is comprised of 6 students from Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Services, Lubin School of Business, and the School of Education. Blue CoLab’s focus is better water quality and the ability of people to know the quality of their drinking water.

Under the guidance of Professor John Cronin, their project includes a three-step action plan: petition the U.N. to add right-to-know water quality to its Sustainability Development Goals; propose an amendment to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act spurring the technological innovations that will guarantee the public’s right-to-know water quality; and develop a campus information system that will deliver timely information to the Pace community about their drinking water quality.

“People should be informed of the quality of their water before they drink it,” said Meryl Mizell, Right-to-Know H2O team coordinator and computer science major at the Seidenberg School of CSIS. “Because they are not, tens of millions are made ill, and some even die. Our team's job is to advocate for the innovations that will make the public’s right to know the quality of their drinking water a reality."

Sue Maxam, Ed.D., assistant provost for special programs and retention and Pace Millennium Fellow liaison, notes that the University’s largest-ever cohort “is the first to represent 5 of Pace’s different colleges, demonstrating the breadth and depth of our talent pool.”

“I am so proud of our 30 students selected for this prestigious and highly competitive leadership development program that connects them with global leaders and other like-minded students from around the world,” said Maxam. “These students are change agents and part of an impressive global network of people committed to making a difference.”

The Millennium Fellowship program set its own record this year, as over 44,000 students applied for the program, and those accepted hail from more than 260 campuses across 38 nations. A graduation ceremony will be held on Friday, November 17, 2023.

Students who apply submit a proposal for a project they would like to launch on their campuses or in their communities. Projects these Fellows will lead in include such vital topics as food insecurity on college campuses; gender inequality humanitarian crisis in Ukraine; education equity for individuals with disabilities; bridging LGBTQ+ intersectionality at Pace; good health and well-being for unhoused people; animal welfare; and using positive psychology and kindness to promote wellbeing.

Previous Millennium Fellows have left lasting contributions to the University and the surrounding communities. As part of the 2021 Fellowship, Alexandra Kennedy ’22, Marisa Medici ’22, and Tasfia Rahim ’23 launched Fare Trade, an initiative aimed at combatting food insecurity on campus, which has become a permanent fixture at Pace.

The 30 Pace students who have been selected for the 2023 cohort are:

• Harrison Bakst, Psychology
• Pamela-Rayelle Barais, Political Science
• Jackson Blackburn, Digital Media and Communications
• Alexandra (Sasha) Breygina, Information Systems
• Austin Chappelle, Environmental Science
• Ellisa Lecointe, Biology
• Lilah McCormack, Digital Journalism
• Meryl Mizell, Computer Science
• Louisa (Lulu) Moquete, Mathematics
• Sasha Palmer, Digital Marketing
• Noah Petruccelli, Psychology
• Cecelia Porter, Adolescent Education (Math)
• Laila Shakir, Psychology
• Kaiden Warner, Health Science
• Aidann Gia Bacolodan, Political Science
• Isabella Yasmeen Birjandi, Behavioral Neuroscience
• Layne Davis, Peace and Justice Studies and Political Science
• Anastasia Khanukov, Economics
• Ryan Kwon, Film and Screen Studies
• Lily Lockwood, Undecided/Exploring - Dyson
• Kelly Ng, Biology
• Melody Nguyen, Digital Marketing and Business Analytics
• Margaret Pereira, Peace and Justice Studies
• Alexis Pickering, Political Science and Pre-Law & Philosophy minors
• Gianna Rotunno, Undecided/Exploring
• Saloni Shah, Economics
• Madelyn Vallillo, Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications
• Marianna Visbal, Political Science
• Jesse Wanamaker, Management; Entrepreneurship
• Emily Whitehill, Communication and Media Studies

About Pace University

Since 1906, Pace University has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, School of Education, Sands College of Performing Arts, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.