NEW YORK, May 22 – Roshini, a Master’s student in Computer Science and graduate of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM’s) Bioinformatics program, proudly represented Malaysia in the highly competitive Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellowship Spring 2025, under the theme Society and Governance, hosted at Syracuse University, New York.
The YSEALI Academic Fellowship Program (AFP) is an initiative by the United States (U.S.) Department of State, aimed at strengthening leadership development and regional networking among youth from Southeast Asia. It brings together outstanding leaders aged 18–25 from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to the United States for an intensive academic and cultural exchange. Participants are selected through a rigorous application and interview process with acceptance rate as high as 2% only and are given full sponsorship to study topics such as civic engagement, social entrepreneurship, environmental issues, or governance at top U.S. universities.
Being selected for this fellowship is a major achievement with thousands applying from across Southeast Asia each year, only a handful are chosen to represent their countries. Roshini was one of the few Malaysians selected in Spring 2025.
At Syracuse University, Roshini engaged in deep academic learning through the Institute on Society and Governance, which provided YSEALI Fellows with the opportunity to explore the complex relationship between the public sector and broader society. The program supported emerging professionals involved in the legislative process, governance, public administration, policymaking, political campaigns, and law and judicial reform. Key topics explored included rule of law, access to justice, civil liberties, anti-corruption efforts, and the importance of transparency and accountability.
Throughout the program, Roshini also participated in various site visits and study tours across the United States including Syracuse, Albany, Niagara Falls, and New York City gaining firsthand exposure to American civic institutions, community projects, and cultural landmarks. The fellowship culminated in Washington, D.C., where she officially graduated alongside other fellows from ASEAN.
“As someone deeply passionate about youth empowerment, policy literacy, and sustainable development, YSEALI gave me the tools, perspectives, and network I need to scale up my impact back home,” Roshini shared. “It wasn’t just a learning journey it was a life-changing experience both in learning aspect as well has gaining good friends.”
Roshini is best known as the founder of NomNomNetworks, a youth-led initiative tackling food security and sustainable consumption in Malaysia. She is also actively involved in volunteerism, student advocacy, and policy dialogues both locally and internationally. Beyond her leadership in NomNomNetworks, she is a Fellow Perdana under the Perdana Fellows Programme, part of Dewan Muda Johor, and has represented Malaysia as a delegate in the Malaysia-Korea Youth Exchange Program under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Roshini has also been featured on Malaysia’s Astro AWANI news channel, where she spoke about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) awareness among university students, and was invited to speak on a Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) podcast to discuss mental health challenges faced by youth.
She extends her gratitude to the State Department, U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur, YSEALI, and Syracuse University for this opportunity, and to University Technology Malaysia for its continuous support in her leadership journey. Roshini is committed to sharing the knowledge gained and looks forward to mentoring more UTM students to join YSEALI in the future.
