Patrice McMahon, Ph.D., joins new UN-affiliated initiative connecting educators committed to student-led social impact
Minerva University is proud to announce that Provost Patrice McMahon, Ph.D., has joined the Civic Learning Council of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), a newly formed body unveiled at the United Nations on July 21. McMahon is one of just ten inaugural council members selected from around the world.
The Civic Learning Council brings together faculty, administrators, and higher education leaders from around the world to advance civic engagement and student leadership. It builds on the success of the Millennium Fellowship, a selective semester-long leadership development program offered in partnership with the United Nations Academic Impact. This year, 19 Minerva University students were selected to participate in the fellowship, where they will advance initiatives that address pressing global challenges.
The council supports MCN’s mission to accelerate progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by cultivating a global network of young changemakers. As part of its work, the council will advise on programming, enhance student experiences, and share innovative approaches to civic learning across institutions.
With programs active in more than 290 campuses in 47 countries, MCN is deepening collaboration among university partners focused on interdisciplinary learning, values-driven leadership and social innovation.
As a member of the council, McMahon will join a diverse group of global thought leaders to help shape the future of civic learning in higher education.
“It is an honor to join a group so committed to empowering students as civic leaders,” said McMahon. “Universities must not only educate but also inspire and equip the next generation to lead with purpose in a complex world.”
This initiative reflects a shared commitment between MCN and Minerva University of how universities are not only centers of academic learning, but also powerful incubators of social change.
About Minerva University
Minerva University is redefining global higher education through a bold, outcomes-focused model designed to empower the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. Headquartered in San Francisco and operating across four continents, Minerva offers an intensive undergraduate experience that combines rigorous academics, real-world engagement, and a global rotation that immerses students in diverse cultural and professional contexts.
Minerva’s interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication, and global collaboration. Through fully active, discussion-based seminars and applied learning projects in major cities around the world, students develop the habits of mind and practical skills needed to address the most pressing challenges of our time.
The university has built a vibrant, international student body representing over 100 nations, and graduates have gone on to launch high-impact startups, lead civic initiatives, earn Rhodes, Schwarzman, and Knight-Hennessy scholarships, and pursue graduate study at institutions such as Oxford, Harvard, and Stanford.
Minerva also offers a graduate program focused on equipping working professionals with the tools to drive innovation and impact in their fields.
Ranked the #1 Most Innovative University for four consecutive years by the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI), Minerva is pioneering a scalable, equitable, and transformative model of higher education for the 21st century.
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