In November of 2024, Ruby Muehlenz, a student in James Madison College at Michigan State University and member of the Global Young Leaders Network (GYLN), won a $100 mini-grant from GYLN to organize a community service project.
Ruby, an International Relations major, has always had an interest in global issues and international education, living abroad in Germany for six months and co-founding a Model UN club at her high school in Holland, Michigan before starting at MSU.
With the help of the mini-grant, funded by the Sunwah Foundation, Ruby worked with the Model UN Co-Secretary General, high school student Ethan Altamirano, to organize a tour of the Michigan State Capitol, schedule meetings with MSU professors, and create opportunities for discussion with ten students from her former high school’s Model UN club.
Alexandra Jarvis, the advisor for GYLN, said of the project: “I was really impressed by Ruby’s clear vision and quick action in completing this project. The mini-grants can be a challenge to complete. While the wide range of possibilities is exciting, it can also be overwhelming to eventually narrow focus onto a specific project of feasible scale. For most students, it is also their first time working through the steps of a grant application. I am proud of Ruby for embracing this opportunity with enthusiasm and excellence!”
Ruby shared her initial motivation for the project, saying:
“I asked myself, ‘Who do I know that I can help?’ Students from my former high school are in a small school without many resources, and I knew that I had resources at MSU that I could use to help them."
After touring the Capitol, the students reflected on their experience over lunch at the MSU Union, discussing topics such as international cooperation, negotiations and the way Michigan politics relate to international politics.
Ruby shared her goals for the project: “A lot of times in high school, students don’t often have the opportunity to think big, increase their international awareness, and learn how to articulate their opinions. I wanted to facilitate discussions for high schoolers that they wouldn’t have otherwise had, and give them the opportunity not just to listen to global conversations, but to contribute to those conversations.”
The students also met with college professors in James Madison College’s Human Rights Data Science Lab, where they learned about research on human rights issues, including satellite imagery software which helps researchers observe specified areas over time.
The students enjoyed learning more about research on particular issues such as missile use and human trafficking, especially in countries such as Libya and the Philippines.
Ruby reflected on what she saw as the main success of the project, which is that students had their perspectives widened, even through just one day engaged in international discussions:
“The more people that have a wider perspective of the world and can see things from other people’s perspectives, the better the world will be in the end.”
Ruby also shared that she looks forward to learning more about international diplomacy and working on environmental policy, while also sharing a message of empowerment for other youth interested in mobilizing change:
“There are more voices needed in policy-making, and the political space in general needs more people who have the perspective of wanting to help other people, rather than a profit-seeking approach. I hope to help other people realize that there is nothing more rewarding than helping build other people up and empowering them. A lot of people don’t realize how much power they actually have.”
Ruby expressed her gratitude to GYLN for granting her the support to take her knowledge and resources and pass them on to others, transforming her dream of effecting change into a reality.
About GYLN: GYLN was established in 2014 by the Sunwah Foundation, which has collaborated with GYAN to start a chapter on MSU's campus. Joining a network of ten existing chapters across the globe, GYLN USA is building a community of leaders who are committed to serve, equipped to lead, enterprising in action, and plugged into a network of like-minded individuals who are passionate about social development.
Students belonging to GYLN at MSU have an extraordinary opportunity to travel to international forums as well as plan activities and service projects with financial backing from the Foundation and operational support from chapter coordinators.
Interested in joining? Email for more information.