PETALING JAYA: Two Malaysians have secured spots at Harvard College, the prestigious undergraduate school of Harvard University, set to graduate in 2029.
Currently, Malaysia has fewer than 15 alumni from Harvard College.
The Harvard Club of Malaysia confirmed that Athena Siow, hailing from Kuala Lumpur, plans to major in government (data science track), FMT reported.
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While Namira Lee Tzu, from Kuala Terengganu, intends to major in environmental science and engineering.
Siow, a Yayasan UEM scholar, completed her SPM at Kolej Yayasan Saad, while Namira, a PNB Global Scholar, finished her secondary school at SMK Chung Hwa Wei Sin.
“Harvard College, which has one of the lowest undergraduate admission rates in the world, continues to seek out talented students globally who demonstrate a commitment to using the available resources around them to contribute towards a better world.
“We are especially proud that the students admitted from Malaysia remain primarily from government schools and, increasingly, from middle-income backgrounds outside the Klang Valley region,” said Wan Nadiah Wan Abdullah Yaakob, president of the Harvard Club of Malaysia.
Notably, Siow was one of two Malaysian representatives at the Conference of Youth at COP 2023 in Dubai and has actively advocated for climate justice by training over 100 girls through Girl Guide programmes.
Additionally, she coaches young Melakans in chess for free and volunteers at a refugee school in her community.
Meanwhile, Namira has demonstrated her dedication to environmental conservation, securing a spot in the US-sponsored Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Programme in Illinois and Washington DC.
She received grants for two consecutive years, using the funds to launch a turtle conservation project with secondary school students in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund. The initiative later expanded to students at a Chinese primary school.
Harvard University, established as the oldest institution of higher education in the United States, is consistently ranked among the top universities globally, placing fourth in the QS World University Rankings 2024.
