Fulbright U.S. Student alumni to India Patrick Dowd and Meg Kelly of the Millennial Trains Project. For Patrick Dowd, the most pivotal moment of his 2010-11 Fulbright scholarship was his time spent on a crowded train in India.

“It was 400 Indians and one American,” Patrick explained. The trip, known as the Jagriti Yatra, takes Indian young people from the “Millennial” generation on a 15-day trip around the country to inspire Indians to become entrepreneurs.

“It is a project for emerging pioneers of our generation,” Patrick said. “It really tapped into the entrepreneurial energy of rising India.” After he returned to the United States, that energy and his exchange experience inspired Patrick to create the Millennial Trains Project (MTP). The project, which opened for the first round of applications in May 2013, aims at encouraging entrepreneurship in the Millennial generation. It will carry 130 young people from San Francisco to Washington, DC, and stop in 10 cities along the way for the participants to learn about the challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face in different parts of the United States. Participant project proposals must be based on one of 10 themes: Makers, Explorers, Intrapreneurs, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Advocates, Veterans, Academics, Public Servants, and Performers. The first 10 submissions in each of these categories to reach a goal of $5,000 of crowd sourced funds will be invited to participate on this 10-day adventure.

“[MTP] is a meeting of new and old technology,” Patrick said. “The pioneering spirit is very American. The train provides a platform to explore personal and professional frontiers.”

The most important thing, Patrick said, is to encourage others to pursue their own good ideas.

“Don’t let anyone talk you out of your own ideas. Our whole system makes people want validation, but that’s not an entrepreneurial mindset,” Patrick said. His own advice worked well for him. He approached his investors, and announced, “I am doing this,” and has since partnered with National Geographic Traveler, Opportunity Nation, the National Association of Railroad Passengers and other organizations to make MTP a reality.  

Patrick’s Fulbright to India provided more than the idea for the MTP. As things were getting off the ground, Patrick mentioned the idea to a fellow Fulbright U.S. Student to India Meg Kelly, whom he had met on the first day of their orientation. Meg was so excited by the idea that she turned down a graduate school scholarship, joined MTP as its creative director, and according to Patrick, has been instrumental to the growth of the project ever since.

Both Patrick and Meg attribute their time in India as Fulbright U.S. Students as the impetus for this project.

“It changed the way we see the world,” Meg agreed. “What you get out of your experience may not be what you planned. You’re going to learn lessons that you didn’t think you needed to know.”

Visit the Millennial Trains Project site to learn more.