KUALA LUMPUR, 3 April 2025 — Athena Siow, a former intern at GetThere and Namira Lee Tzu, have been admitted to Harvard College’s Class of 2029. Both are currently completing their A-Levels at Kolej Yayasan UEM (KYUEM) and represent a growing presence of Malaysian students at top global universities.
Athena who plans to major in Government with a focus on data science is also a Yayasan UEM scholarship recipient. Prior to that, she completed her secondary education at Kolej Yayasan Saad (KYS), where she served as editor-in-chief of Cemerlang, the school’s official magazine.
After graduating from KYS, Athena joined GetThere as an editorial intern. During her time with the platform, she contributed to story development, research and editorial planning—working behind the scenes to shape content that profiles individuals creating positive impact across education, business, and social development.
“Athena’s journey stands out not just for what she has achieved, but for how she has chosen to engage with the world around her,” said Wan Nadiah, President of the Harvard Club of Malaysia. “She reflects a growing cohort of Malaysian students who combine academic capability with a grounded sense of purpose.”
Since then, Athena’s journey has continued to evolve. In 2023, she represented Malaysia at the Conference of Youth in Dubai, held alongside the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28). Upon returning, she led climate literacy efforts across Malaysian schools through the Girl Guides Association, helping train over 100 youth leaders, who in turn reached more than 13,000 students.
She was also active in volunteer education, offering free chess coaching to students in Melaka and tutoring lower secondary refugee children in Kuala Lumpur. Her engagement with organisations such as Women of Will further reflects her interest in supporting communities through targeted, grassroots work.
Athena’s offer from Harvard coincides with the university’s expanded financial aid policy.
From the 2025–26 academic year, students from families earning under USD100,000 annually will attend Harvard free of charge, with full coverage for tuition, housing, food, health insurance and travel. More than half of the undergraduate student body receives financial aid.
For GetThere, Athena’s admission is a moment of pride—and a reflection of the potential in every young person given the chance to contribute early. Her time as an intern may have been brief, but it was marked by clarity, diligence, and a sincere interest in purposeful storytelling.
As she prepares to begin her undergraduate journey in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Athena represents the kind of leadership GetThere seeks to highlight—one grounded in empathy, informed by experience, and committed to making a difference.
Namira, also admitted to Harvard College’s Class of 2029, hails from Kuala Terengganu and is a PNB Global Scholar. A graduate of SMK Chung Hwa Wei Sin, Namira intends to major in Environmental Science and Engineering. Her academic journey has been marked by a strong interest in sustainability and education access—two areas she has engaged with both locally and internationally.
Her early exposure to environmental issues came through the U.S.-sponsored Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Programme, which she attended during secondary school. Inspired by that experience, she went on to secure grants for grassroots conservation initiatives in Terengganu, including a turtle protection project in collaboration with WWF.
She later expanded the programme to involve inland schoolchildren, bridging the gap in environmental education. At KYUEM, she has remained active in community outreach and currently serves as a committee member of the BASE Initiative, which supports students in navigating higher education.
