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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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Don’t be proud of your affiliation, be proud of your creation.
We often assume that teenagers’ opinions are not as highly valued as prestigious people in society. The Melo journey has proven me wrong because CEOs are actually quite down-to-earth, and are willing to listen and share. The most impressive sharing to me would be from Randy, the CEO of McDonald’s HK, in which she has given Melo fellows chances to speak up and to express societal concerns. I definitely love her to-do spirit and youth engagement’s aspiration.
I would say the Melo journey has provided me with the lens to see through what shortcomings are in myself and how I should improve. Being humble is sometimes quite contradictory to challenging the status quo because on one hand, you value people’s opinion, but on the other hand, you want to disturb the old ways of doing things. The lesson that lies on me would be how I could balance the two and contribute at the same time.
Project Melo has been an extraordinary catalyst for my personal and professional growth, evolving from a quest for exposure into a profound learning experience. Initially driven by a desire to explore opportunities beyond academia, my involvement introduced me to diverse organisations like the Big Bang Academy and Preface, equipping me with valuable networking skills and strategies for empowering youth. However, it was the concept of "social sustainability" that emerged as a defining aspect of my journey. I came to realise that providing opportunities to young people was just the tip of the iceberg; the key to lasting impact lay in comprehensive preparation through workshops and readiness programs. Professionally, Project Melo refined my networking abilities and deepened my understanding of social sustainability, laying the foundation for future collaborations. On a personal level, this experience reinforced my passion for effecting positive change in the lives of young individuals, inspiring me to continue working diligently towards empowering youth and fostering social sustainability. In essence, Project Melo has not only enriched my professional toolkit but also kindled a profound sense of purpose, shaping me into a more committed advocate for sustainable youth development, encapsulating this transformative journey in every sense.
Looking back on all the ups and downs during my MELO journey, I think my biggest takeaway was to understand the importance of commitment and passion. Commitment makes you more determined in what you do; passion allows you to enjoy what you do. Creating impact and making changes is never easy. But with those 2 elements, I believe we could go a long way even with challenges surrounding us. Our commitment and passion helped us overcome challenges and complete our MELO journey, and I'm grateful to have had this experience during my university years. Besides, I think the most exciting part of our project was to witness the establishment of our ecotour from 0 to 1. By visiting Kukpo several times and discussing with CEOs and the team over and over again about the itinerary, I got a better picture of product development, stakeholder engagement, and marketing. Eventually, the tour was launched on Klook, and I hope it could bring some sustainable impacts to local tourism and society.
"Really well organised conference. Superb contents, articulate speakers, fantastic venue, noble aim. Well done. Congratulations."
“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!”
“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.”
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