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In a world where capitalism fails, socialism corrupts; hard workers are rewarded, lazy thinkers are resulted; mobilized crowd turns silent, hopelessness lurks for another revolution; then history repeats, yet never really improves; The utmost romance may be - never give up seeking even when we are confined by reality.
Constantly bouncing back and forth between having conversations with CEOs and youths is both intriguing and REALLY thought-intensive, when the former is the experienced UHNWIs who have already unlocked the wisdom to shift in realities, while the latter is the resemblance of wildest dreams and youthful romanticism who hold a fervent passion to change the world for the better.
During the project, I was founder of the youth project Infinita, which captures different youth stories through exhibition. I have interviewed youths of diverse profiles, be it top scorers or grass-roots, multi-talents or marginalised, while listening the exact opposite views from the ultra-wealthy CEOs in the society bi-weekly. I am privileged to work with CEOs of leading corporations, including Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, MWYO and Two Sigma, to amplify youth’s voices. I treasure both the sparks that were steered in the conversation I had with different CEOs, and the well of thoughts that lingered in my mind for days after interviewing. All these conversations with various society stakeholders have contributed to the climax of my melo journey - Melo Summit, where I could confess, as the speaker, the structural gap I realised between generations and social statuses. The tears that I saw in the eyes of the CEOs, social leaders and scholars were unbelievable to me: I was able to move leaders twice my age, double my wisdom, with only one thing – authenticity.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
The most exciting part of my Melo journey was the McDonald's experience because we had the opportunity to learn about leadership skills in such an interesting experience with the explorer theme. It was such a fun experience able to listen to the different talks given by McDonald's and also have a great time mingling with Melo peers and fellows.
I do not really recognize my growth. However, I was able to speak up to CEOs and other people more confidently and articulate ideas more clearly. Also, I've learned how to write and propose a business deck throughout this process. Also, I've just been inspired by the different keynote speakers, CEOs, founders, and fellows by their passion for what they are working on and their beliefs.
Exciting doesn’t even begin to describe the Melo Summit. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase a project that held a special place in my heart before a global audience of like-minded individuals. From the immersive experience of donning full headsets to the humbling sensation of standing on stage, I can still vividly recall the day as if it were yesterday. However, the journey leading up to the summit was just as transformative and exciting.Over the course of six months, I had the privilege of learning from remarkable guest speakers to engaging in casual chats during team dinners. Through it all, I honed my teamwork skills, refined my communication abilities, and cultivated a newfound sense of confidence when interacting with individuals who possessed greater life experience. As someone who joined Project Melo in Year 1, feeling lost and confused, I am grateful for the support and fun from the Melo community, even amidst the challenges of the ongoing pandemic. One can only imagine the heights that could be reached if the circumstances were different!
“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!”
“I really enjoyed the anticipation before each meeting with the students -- you never knew what they would present or what topics would be discussed! Every meeting was refreshing because I felt like I was getting a glimpse of the same world, but through different eyes. Besides the project on hand, we had the chance to discuss a wide range of issues that I normally wouldn't get to discuss with young people, and that was very rewarding for me.”
Who can apply?
Any full-time university undergraduates from these six universities can apply - Baptist U, City U, Chinese U, HKU, HKUST, and 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 SHK 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 your year and degree in HKUST.
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.
