Cemerlang editor-in-chief enters Harvard

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KUALA LUMPUR, 3 April 2025 — Former Cemerlang editor-in-chief Athena Siow has been admitted to Harvard College’s Class of 2029, securing a place at one of the world’s most competitive undergraduate institutions.

Athena, Kolej Yayasan Saad (KYS) class of 2022 and a Yayasan UEM scholar currently completing her studies at Kolej Yayasan UEM (KYUEM), Athena plans to major in Government with a focus on data science. Her admission places her among a small group of Malaysians who have successfully entered Harvard College, the undergraduate school of Harvard University.

Athena once wrote a piece in Cemerlang on Wan Nadiah, Harvard Malaysia Club President’s brief to KYS students on how to get into Harvard.

Athena’s path has been marked by quiet determination and a broad commitment to social and environmental causes. At KYS, she served as boss of Cemerlang, the school’s official magazine, where she led the editorial direction and worked with student contributors to produce features that reflected student life, thought, and aspiration. It was a role that allowed her to blend her strengths in writing with a growing awareness of the power of storytelling to inform and inspire.

During her time as editor-in-chief, she also hosted webinars.

Following her graduation from KYS, she interned at GetThere, an online portal that curates stories of individuals making an impact in education, business, and community. The experience further shaped her understanding of narrative as a tool for connection—particularly for youth in Malaysia looking to contribute meaningfully to society.

At KYUEM, Athena balanced academic excellence with an expanding portfolio of civic engagement. In 2023, she was selected to represent Malaysia at the Conference of Youth held alongside the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where she participated in international discussions on climate policy and youth advocacy.

Her work in environmental education has continued at home. Through the Girl Guides Association, she led a national outreach effort to train 100 youth facilitators in climate literacy, with those trained subsequently reaching more than 13,000 students across the country. The programme sought to address uneven access to environmental awareness, particularly in schools outside major urban centres.

In addition to her environmental work, Athena remains active in tutoring and mentoring. She offers free chess coaching to schoolchildren in Melaka—many of them from underserved backgrounds—and teaches lower secondary refugee students in her Kuala Lumpur neighbourhood. A former national-level chess player herself, she sees these sessions as a way of giving back while fostering discipline, focus, and confidence in others.

Athena also volunteers with Women of Will, a Malaysian non-profit organisation supporting women-led households through community entrepreneurship programmes. Her musical interests—she plays both the keyboard and cello—complement a well-rounded portfolio of commitments anchored by a consistent theme: using the tools available to her to build opportunity for others.

“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.”

Harvard College remains one of few institutions offering need-blind admissions to international students. Beginning in the 2025–26 academic year, the university will be free for students whose families earn under USD100,000 annually. This includes full coverage for tuition, accommodation, meals, health insurance and travel. More than half of all Harvard undergraduates receive financial aid.

Nick Khaw, Head of Research and Co-Head of Private Markets at Khazanah Nasional and a Harvard alumnus, added: “We are pleased to see students like Athena making their mark. Her offer of admission reflects both her own work and the institutions that have helped shape her. The hope is that she, like others before her, will bring those experiences back in ways that benefit the wider community.”

Athena joins a small but growing group of Malaysians at Harvard College. Her story—shaped by schools like KYS and KYUEM, grounded in service, and framed by a global perspective—adds another chapter to the evolving narrative of Malaysian students making their mark abroad.