SMU renews membership in the Clinton Global Initiative University Network

Dallas (SMU) — Southern Methodist University has renewed its membership in the Clinton Global Initiative University Network (CGI U), a growing consortium of colleges and universities that support, mentor and provide seed funding to student leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs who are developing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. SMU is one of more than 40 colleges and universities worldwide who have joined the CGI U.

SMU annually provides $10,000 in funding, divided among University students who are selected to pursue their Commitments to Action at CGI U 2015. Commitments to Action, a unique feature of the CGI U model, are new, specific and measurable initiatives that address global challenges across CGI U’s five focus areas:  Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health.

The University’s CGI U student representatives, Jonathan Hess and Asia Rodgers, are recruiting new participants and will host an Application Party Tuesday, Nov. 18, in advance of the application deadline on Monday, Dec. 1. The CGIU Application Party is from 5 p.m. to midnight in Hughes-Trigg Student Center, Portico BCD.

Hess and Rodgers attended the 2014 CGI U meeting at Arizona State University in March.

SMU’s Engaged Learning staff will mentor the CGI U students as they develop and implement their plans in the coming months. Thirteen of about 2,500 students from more than 80 countries who attended the CGI U meetings in 2013 and 2014 were from SMU.

“CGI U offers a unique opportunity for students to network with their peers as well as with global thought leaders and other experts,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Our renewed membership means that SMU students will continue to benefit from this training ground for future world-changers. We are proud to support their goals.”

Since its inaugural meeting in 2008, CGI U has brought together more than 5,500 student leaders from 135 countries and more than 800 schools.  Past speakers include Madeleine Albright, Jack Dorsey, Jimmy Wales, Muhammad Yunus, Hawa Abdi Diblawe, and Jon Stewart. For more information about the meeting, visit www.cgiu.org.

The deadline to apply for CGI U 2015 is December 1, 2014. Students can apply online at www.cgiu.org/apply.