From Campus to Community: Spelman Millennium Fellows Build Legacy of Empowerment

Advancing Spelman's mission through leadership and service 

A record 23 Spelman scholars have been selected as part of the Millennium Fellowship Class of 2025, a global program sponsored by the United Nations Academic Impact and Millennium Campus Network (MCN) that unites and supports undergraduate leadership for the UN’s sustainable development goals. These scholars join more than 4,000 fellows across more than 290 global campuses within a transformative four-month leadership journey.

Under the guidance of Stephanie Mathis, international student and faculty led program manager for the Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education, a dedicated cohort led by campus directors Eniola Omogbai and Sydney Wilson have instituted a new path forward for student success and support in their community.

“This impactful work is made possible through the vision of Dr. ‘Dimeji Togunde, vice-provost for Global Education & professor of International Studies at the Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education,” said Mathis. “Dr. Togunde championed Spelman’s participation in the Millennium Fellowship Program, recognizing its alignment with our mission, and tapped me to lead the initiative as the campus advisor.”

Spelman Elevate Kids, the fellows’ flagship project, highlighted the importance of empowering students through both knowledge and tangible support – an approach they actively implemented at Carver High School. The fellows designed a bootcamp that addressed a critical, yet often stigmatized topic: menstrual health. Using this as a vehicle to disseminate information, they fostered and encouraged creative expression, honest conversations and raw vulnerability, where the scholars actively participated as relatable mentors. 

“We celebrate our 23 Millennium Fellows for demonstrating that global leadership starts with local compassion. Their project shows a deeply sophisticated understanding of global challenges: they addressed a universal issue often shrouded in stigma by creating a hyper-local, culturally responsive solution of knowledge and support,” said Mathis.

Toward the end of the session, each participating student received a wellness package – over 40 in total -- containing essential supplies and a handmade pad case. An educational session on women’s health like this has the potential to extend the dialogue on feminine hygiene and stigma reduction will move beyond the classroom, while providing practical support for young women.

The flagship project was just one facet in the cohort’s story. As a continuation of their impact on their community, the fellows organized workshops with campus leaders like Jilo Tisdale, Bonner Office of Civic Engagement and SpelREADS director, turning their fellowship into a hub for strategies and opportunities for community engagement. Each initiative strengthened the network of mentorship and cross-cultural learning across Spelman.

The 23 fellows were honored in a global ceremony at the Millennium Fellowship Global Graduation event, leaving behind a legacy that measures not only success in numbers, but in the confidence of the students they empowered. 

“This is the essence of the Gordon-Zeto Center's mission to foster globally minded scholars who deconstruct complex issues and build bridges of understanding and empowerment, right here in Atlanta and around the world,” said Mathis.