Former President Bill Clinton will host the second Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) Meeting Feb. 13-15 at The University of Texas at Austin.
CGI U builds on the successful model of the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, to engage college students and administrators to make commitments to address global issues with practical, innovative solutions.
CGI U, sponsored by Student Government at The University of Texas at Austin, will convene nearly 1,000 college students, about 100 university presidents and leading non-profit organizations, social entrepreneurs and youth leaders. Other attendees will include NFL All-Star Nnamdi Asomugha, Drew Barrymore, Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Luke Russert and Morgan Spurlock.
“We are honored to host the second annual Clinton Global Initiative University,” said William Powers Jr., president of The University of Texas at Austin. “This program, with its goal to engage people in making commitments to address global problems and issues, is of particular interest to our university because our motto is, ‘What Starts Here Changes the World,’ and we believe in that purpose. I anticipate an inspirational three days of big ideas and high energy.”
Participants will discuss how student activists can make a difference around the world and each student and university in attendance is asked to make a personal “Commitment to Action.” Over the three-day meeting, attendees will participate in forums and working sessions to brainstorm ways to make a difference. On the final day, CGI U meeting attendees will collaborate with students from The University of Texas at Austin to take part in a wide range of community service activities at the Rosewood Park and Recreation Center in East Austin.
All CGI U Meeting attendees make a “Commitment to Action”–a comprehensive, formal plan of action to address a specific problem on their campus, in their community, or in another state or abroad. While a commitment is a requirement for participation at the meeting, any college student or university can make a commitment throughout the year at the CGI U Web site. Since the inaugural meeting in March 2008 at Tulane University, nearly 1,600 commitments have been made by students and universities worldwide.
Information for News Media:
Event: Second Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting
Who: Former President Clinton, President William Powers Jr. of The University of Texas at Austin, Student Government President Keshav Rajagopalan of The University of Texas at Austin, more than 1,000 college students, nearly 100 college and university presidents, and leaders from government, academia and non-governmental organizations, including university administrators, social entrepreneurs, youth leaders and prominent philanthropists.
Where: Events will be held at various locations, including the following:
The University of Texas at Austin:
The Alumni Center: 2110 San Jacinto Blvd.
Gregory Gymnasium: 2101 Speedway St.
Austin Convention Center: 500 E. Cesar Chavez St.
Rosewood Park and Recreational Center: 1182 North Pleasant Valley Rd.
When: Feb. 13-15. Press check-in opens Feb. 13, at 1 p.m. All members of the press must be credentialed by GCI U. To obtain press credentials for CGI U, please e-mail press@clintonglobalinitiative.org by Feb. 12. Please note special needs, such as satellite truck parking.
News organizations that have not confirmed attendance at CGI U by Feb. 12 must register for a press credential on-site Feb. 13 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Please contact press@clintonglobalinitiative.org with credentialing or other questions.
