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President Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton Conclude Eighth Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting with 700 New Student Commitments to ActionCommitments made by more than 1,000 Millennials from around the world include efforts to increase girls and women’s inclusion in STEM fields; improve access to clean water in developing nations; provide rural communities with affordable sources of renewable energy; and increase nutritional options in food desertsThroughout the weekend, college students joined experts, entrepreneurs, and civically engaged celebrities such as Masha Alekhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot; Aloe Blacc, Grammy nominated artist; Abigail Disney, Filmmaker, Fork Films; Paul Farmer, Co-founder and Chief Strategist of Partners In Health and Kolokotrones University Professor at Harvard Medical School; America Ferrera, Actor, Producer, Activist; Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Founder of Women Journalists Without Chains; Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health and Edutainer, Karolinska Institute and Founder, Gapminder Foundation; University of Miami President Donna E. Shalala, former U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services; Larry Wilmore, Host, Comedy Central’s “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.”MIAMI - President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton this weekend hosted the eighth annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U). More than 1,000 students, representing more than 300 schools and over 75 countries, came together at the University of Miami to make 700 Commitments to Action: new, specific and measurable plans to address pressing challenges facing campuses and communities around the world.
Throughout the weekend, students joined a variety of innovators, thought-leaders, and civically engaged celebrities to make a difference in CGI U’s five focus areas: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health. In total, since CGI U’s first meeting in 2008, students have made over 5,500 Commitments to Action.
“You must never doubt that you can make a difference,” said President Clinton. “If you add up the collective endeavors represented by the potential in this room, it would move the world.”
“I was already inspired before CGI U, but I leave even more inspired having met so many of you and learning about your 700 new Commitments to Action,” said Chelsea Clinton. “So often young people are viewed as future leaders instead of leaders today. You have demonstrated that’s not the case and I cannot wait to see where your commitments go.”
During the Closing Plenary, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton previewed Monday’s official release of the No Ceilings Full Participation Report by the Clinton Foundation and Gates Foundation. “Full and equal participation is in everyone’s best interest. Men, women, boys, girls. Because when everyone has the opportunity to lift him or herself up, that benefits - not just the individual - but families, communities, countries and our world,” said Secretary Clinton.
Larry Wilmore, host of “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,” moderated a conversation with President Clinton, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot, and Paul Farmer, Co-founder and Chief Strategist, Partners In Health, Kolokotrones University Professor, Harvard Medical School.
Chelsea Clinton also revealed the winner of the CGI U 2015 Commitments Challenge, a national online competition of new commitment ideas from college and university students in the form of a “bracket.” The competition began on February 23, during which students received donations from supporters around the world through CrowdRise. In total, students raised more than $25,300 for their commitments. The winning commitment is Hope of Guinea Community Center by Oumou Diallo, Jacqueline Bell, and Luis Alejandro of Towson University which raised over $7,600. More than 1,000 people participated or donated throughout the Commitments Challenge.
In the lead up to the CGI U meeting, on March 5 and 6, students had the opportunity to participate in the Clinton Foundation Codeathon. The Codeathon, supported in part by The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, challenged developers and designers to build unique digital prototypes inspired by CGI U Commitments to Action in several of the CGI U focus areas. After the teams presented their prototypes to a panel of expert judges, Chelsea Clinton announced the winner during the Closing Plenary. The winning team, MathMagic, created an interactive network to connect students with tutors and fellow mentoring peers using a game-like interface to create a friendly experience conducive for math exploration outside of the classroom. The winning team members include Joshua Beauplan, Rachel Anderson, Clare Tsao, Juan Dominguez, as well as the featured commitment-makers, Drew Spooner and Alex Koppy.
This year, through the CGI University Network, the Resolution Project Social Venture Challenge, and other opportunities, more than $900,000 in funding opportunities were made available to select CGI U 2015 students to help them turn their ideas into action.
Support for CGI U 2015 is generously provided by: Knight Foundation; Laureate International Universities; Andy Nahas and the Prospect Fund; Peter G. Peterson Foundation; and the Ramsey Social Justice Foundation.
Tomorrow, President Clinton and Chelsea Clinton will host a Clinton Foundation “Day of Action,” a day of volunteering in partnership with the Miami Children’s Initiative (MCI) in Liberty City. CGI U students and members of the CGI community will work on neighborhood and school improvement projects ranging from urban agriculture to revitalizing basketball courts and painting murals. The Day of Action will begin with remarks by President Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, and student volunteers will be joined by members of the Miami Dolphins and Shane Battier, NBA Champion with the Miami Heat & Founder of The Battier Take Charge Foundation.
The following new commitments and progress reports were announced in CGI U 2015 plenary sessions:
GRID - Gaming Revolution for International Development (CGI U 2014)
Commitment by: Mariam Adil; Caroline Bailey; Muhammad Abdul-Rahim
School: George Washington University, University of Washington
In 2014, Mariam Adil, Caroline Baily, and Muhammad Abdul-Rahim launched “GRID - Gaming Revolution for International Development,” a series of video games that encourage global citizenship and break social stereotypes. Since launching, the game has been played by 300+ policy makers in World Bank workshops in Seoul and Dhaka. The game focuses on addressing political, ethical and resource constraints faced in design and impact evaluation (randomized control trials) for education projects.
The Lucky Iron Fish (CGI U 2014)
Commitment by: Gavin Armstrong
School: University of Guelph
In 2014, Gavin Armstrong created the Lucky Iron Fish, a simple health innovation tool to combat iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. By cooking with this iron ingot for 10 minutes (in 1L of water), the iron fish can release up to 75% of an individual’s daily required iron intake. Having exceeded his original goal of 10,000 Cambodian families reached, Gavin aims to scale up the operations of the Lucky Iron Fish, providing a fish to 50,000 families in Cambodia while also increasing the organization’s employment to 150 disadvantaged individuals.
School Pantry Program Pilot in Phoenix (CGI U 2014)
Commitment by: Kimberly Roland
School: Arizona State University
In 2014, Kimberly Roland committed to pilot the School Pantry Program in Phoenix, AZ, which works to provide children and their families with a safe space where they can shop for free emergency food products that are nutritional, and where they can access resources such as SNAP assistance, nutrition education, health tips, and budgeting ideas. Since March 2014, Kimberly successfully piloted the program at two sites and was able to provide more than 50,000 pounds of food to the Phoenix community.
Haiti Forest Restoration Initiative: Promoting Economic and Ecological Sustainability in Paraison, Haiti (CGI U 2014)
Commitment by: David Carroll, Fritz Gerald Fevrier
School: LDS Business College
In 2014, David Carroll and Fritz Gerald Fevrier committed to promote ecological sustainability in Paraison, Haiti through the cultivation of seedlings, which will be transplanted onto community member lands. Moreover, by engaging the community on the problems of deforestation, David and Fritz hope this commitment will help to establish a culture of sustainability in the region.
Immunization Alerts for Palestinian and Syrian Refugees (CGI U 2014)
Commitment by: Jordan Schermerhorn, Cherie Fathy, Batoul Abuharb
School: Duke University
In 2014, Jordan Schermerhorn, Cherie Fathy, and Batoul Abuharb committed to implement SMS-based immunization appointment reminders in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Territories. These reminders prompt patients to return to care after up to six months without vaccinations. In cooperation with the UN, the team has issued more than 2,000 SMS immunization reminders, ensuring that communities in refugee camps in the region are heathier.
FreshSpire: A Mobile App Targeting Food Waste and Decreasing Food Insecurity (CGI U 2015)
Commitment by: Mona Amin, Gabrielle Beaudry, Jennifer Wu
Schools: East Carolina University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Pennsylvania
In 2015, Mona Amin, Gabrielle Beaudry, and Jennifer Wu committed to discourage food waste and encourage healthier produce purchasing at a lower cost through a mobile app. The app, called FreshSpire, is a multi-faceted system designed to increase communication between grocery stores and consumers through a mobile text notification system and application that provides users with a newsfeed of grocery store discounts. The mobile application also offers customers a calendar that can be customized to include expiration dates on items within the user’s household.
Tailored Approaches to Sustainable Clean Water: Biosand Filters in El Cortez (CGI U 2015)
Commitment by: Kevin Inks, Aniket Patel, Annie Zhang
School: Ohio State University
In 2015, Kevin Inks, Aniket Patel, and Annie Zhang committed to quantify impact, identify socio-cultural barriers, and develop sustainable implementation strategies regarding clean water in San Salvador. Through The Pure Water Access Project (PWAP), a student run 501(c)3 nonprofit, they will provide strategic support to water-sector NGOs. PWAP will work with members of El Cortez, a gang-dominated community in San Salvador, to implement an individualized, data-driven solution to their local water/sanitation crisis. By partnering with a local NGO and other community members, they will use existing infrastructure to turn health into a community-wide point of pride.
Hope of Guinea Community Center (CGI U 2015)
Commitment by: Oumou Diallo, Jacqueline Bell, Luis Alejandro
School: Towson University
In 2015, Oumou Diallo, Jacqueline Bell, and Luis Alejandro committed to create a community center to address the lack of education, economic support, and health services for youth and adults in the impoverished town of Ratoma, Guinea. The team will provide residents with access to tutoring programs, resources for a community garden, physical education programs, and opportunities for community service. They will partner with Hope of Guinea to provide a safe environment and raise funds. They will also collect clothes and school supplies.
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