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Supported by CEO of one of the largest news organizations and one of the leading influencers in the region
Supported by CEO of one of the largest performing arts organizations and a senior board member of one of the largest museums in the world
Supported by CEO/chairperson of one of the largest banks in the world and Managing Director of one of the largest HK conglomerates
Supported by a former Olympian and CEO of one of the largest health and well being organizations in the region
Supported by two major influencers in the region (former leading government official and one of the most recognized YouTubers in the region)
Who can apply?
Any full-time university undergraduates from these six universities can apply - HKBU, CityU, CUHK, HKU, HKUST, PolyU. We will select 20 Melo Fellows from this pool of applicants. Our selection criteria is simple - we are looking for high calibre students with a passion and track record of leadership and impact on the society. We look for authentic stories and real passion.
The program will kick off at the end of January 2025 and end with a graduation in June 2025. The Fellowship has two main components - Co-Creation and Joint Discovery.
In Co-Creation, 20 Melo Fellows will be divided into 5 teams of 4. Each team will be paired with two leading CEOs / social leaders. Each will work towards a proposal on delivering the most impact on their topic for Hong Kong society. One of the leading region VC firms and its managing partner will seed one or more of their proposed programs for implementation.
In Joint Discovery, these are events for the entire fellowship where Melo Fellows will experience and learn from leaders of our society on a few key themes, in the most intimate and engaging way.
In terms of time commitment, each Fellow will be asked to:
Melo Fellows will go through a one-of-a-kind journey of learning and mindset growth. They will learn hard and soft skills and have direct exposure to leading CEOs, social leaders and thought leaders. The Fellowship includes project based learning as well as group-based interactive learning.
For the first time ever, two Fellows will be selected and be awarded the SHKP x Melo Scholarship, which will cover the full tuition fee of the remaining years of undergraduate studies of the awardee.
1. Background details
Your name, mobile number, email contact and university degree details.
2. Choose a topic
Choose from one of the five themes we listed as your preferred topic of interest or you can write to us what one other topic you are interested in.
3. Tell us your story
Share why you want to join this program and why you are passionate about the topic you choose in one of three formats (A 500-word essay, a 90-second video, or a PowerPoint of fewer than 10 slides). We care a lot about authenticity. We would love to hear stories that come from your personal experience.
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Before joining Melo, picture this: a young, eager 18-year-old with an overwhelming passion for mental health, but with a rather...shall we say, "shallow" understanding of the world.
On the very first meeting, sitting alongside top leaders like Bernard Chan, Alan Lau, and our co-founder Louisa Mak, I felt like a kid who accidentally walked into a movie set. During the whole meeting, I struggled to say a word. Why? A part of it is because I was stunned by Miss Hong Kong's beauty and the other part is the collective net worth in the room. (Kidding! But, seriously, it was intimidating!!)
And I am going to be totally honest about the first few JDs. It was tough. I tried to muster up the courage to ask questions and failed so badly. I was the guy throwing out questions that might have made a few people wonder if I'd been living under a rock. But every eyebrow raised was a lesson learned.
Fast forward, and there I was at the Melo graduation, holding the mic and hosting the roundtable as a moderator. And sure, there might have been a controversial point or two (Kenny, I still remember that look of disbelief at what I said), but what I did that day is something that I can’t imagine myself doing before Melo.Melo has been my crash course in breaking out of my comfort zone. It's made me braver, sharper, and more than a little wiser. I've seen, met, and learned from the best, and it's given me a roadmap to be the change-maker I always wanted to be.
And for my passion? It's transformed from just being an emotion to a driving force behind real actions.
Looking forward to my next chapter with Project Melo. Here's to more raised eyebrows, learning curves, and making a real impact among youth!
"How do we create impact?" This was the question that I asked to our 4 founding CEOs in my cover essay, as one of the candidates waiting to be selected as the 2023 Melo Fellowship program. After 6 months of hard work, countless weekly meetings with teammates & mentor CEOs and endless dedication, I can now say I (vaguely) know the answer to that question. In Project Melo, I participated as a mentee and collaborated with the CEO of the global travel platform 'Klook' and V'air, an HK-based ecotourism start-up, to promote eco-tourism and low-carbon travel in Hong Kong. After months of hard work and 3 trial tours to finalize the rundown of the tours, we were able to receive a positive response from Klook's management and listed the actual product on Klook. Go check it out! (Indulge in Nature: DIY Tea Cake x Mindfulness Ecotour in Hakka Villages)Besides the 'serious' accomplishments we achieved, what I valued even more is the memories and insights we gathered along our Melo journey. Through monthly conversations with CEOs I would never have imagined to meet, and visiting venues that would need months of saving up for (The Suite of Penninsula Hotel!), I was able to picture the future me that I want to be, and share the dreams of compassionate fellow Melo fellows who never stop to astonish me. Although it was tough, I was able to make my dream of spreading the value of sustainability a reality with the guidance from our fellow CEO mentors. What about you? What are your dreams? Join us on our melo journey, where we can transform our personal aspirations, into the common inspiration of our future. Now its your turn!
The most exciting part of my experience was definitely the Melo Summit of 2022. It literally felt like reaching the summit of a mountain and gazing out at the breathtaking view in front. Our group was composed of people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, majors, and so on, and we were working on a theme that we had no prior knowledge or experience. Regardless, we worked hard, and while we did face a lot of difficulties or troubles along the way, we were just delighted at the fact that everything worked out fine with results that satisfied all the parties involved. We grew as a team, learned from each other, and finished as a whole. It was a moment that I will never forget and one that I can look back on with pride and joy. What else can be more memorable and exciting than this? It's only possible through something like Project Melo :)
“It is a meaningful program that offers young people here in Hong Kong the chance to take part in an experimental growth journey through a number of leading businesses and people across the city.”
“I am deeply impressed by the organisers’ commitment to create a differentiated program for Youth. I hope all Melo students always believe in themselves and the society, and always be brave to think differently and take actions.”
“This is an amazing program. I had a great time engaging with the Melo Fellows. We need more of this type of community driven leadership in the world and I see Melo an important empowerment platform for our exciting new generation. I am excited. For our new generation, let’s get into the arena!”
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