Vanderbilt faculty, staff and students are invited to take part in this weekend’s Clinton Global Initiative University event programming. The landmark event for the university will convene student leaders from around the world to collaborate with influential experts and innovators on solving humanity’s most pressing problems.
Students will have the opportunity to attend watch parties for sessions at Rand Lounge throughout the weekend. Additionally, Vanderbilt faculty, staff and students are invited to livestream the weekend’s events.
The university will be livestreaming the main and breakout sessions at Vanderbilt.edu/cgiu, beginning with “Students Taking Action Together” on Friday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m. The schedule for the livestream can be viewed here.
Students can join their peers for watch parties throughout the weekend at Rand Lounge and can register to attend those here.
Please email cgiu@vanderbilt.edu with any questions.
Clinton Global Initiative University schedule for in-person attendance
Opening plenary session: Students Taking Action Together
Friday, March 3, 6:30–8 p.m.
From climate injustice to the war in Ukraine to limitations on reproductive rights, it appears as if the world is literally and figuratively on fire. Yet for emerging leaders and entrepreneurs driven by the desire to build more inclusive and equitable communities, this moment teaches one of the greatest lessons in social innovation, advocacy and civic engagement—that times of crisis spark the agency to act. Taking action in challenging times often requires a new mindset of seeing, thinking and responding. In this session, panelists will share how challenges can serve as a catalyst for transformation and how they have moved forward in the midst of setbacks and uncertainty.
- Pete Buttigieg, U.S. secretary of transportation
- Olivia Julianna, director of politics and government affairs, Gen-Z For Change
- Yusra Mardini, Olympian and goodwill ambassador, UNHCR
- Georgina Pazcoguin, The Rogue Ballerina author, disruptor, soloist ballerina with the New York City Ballet, co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface/Gold Standard Art
- Jordan Reeves, co-founder, Design With Us
- Sukhmeet Singh Sachal, CGI U ’21, medical student, health activist, social entrepreneur, founder of Sikh Health Foundation
Morning plenary session: Community town hall Q&A with President Bill Clinton, Secretary Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton
Saturday, March 4, 9–9:45 a.m.
Moderated by Ragina Arrington, CEO of CGI U, this in-person forum with President Clinton, Secretary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton will be an opportunity for students to connect and ask questions related to their Commitments to Action and their academic and professional careers.
Afternoon plenary session: Building a More Inclusive Community at Work
Saturday, March 4, 2–3:15 p.m.
Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. How can student leaders and entrepreneurs prepare themselves to meet the needs of an evolving workforce while increasing pathways of opportunity for all? In this two-part session, panelists will explore how students, as prospective employees, can collectively build more inclusive workforces as well as examine the role of technology in building a more inclusive community at work.
Moderated by Secretary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, these conversations on building a more inclusive workplace feature:
- Melissa Bradley, managing partner, 1863 Ventures
- Diego Mariscal, founder and CEO, 2Gether-International
- Ai-jen Poo, president, National Domestic Workers Alliance
- Elissa Russell, CGI U ’20, founder and CEO, READI Consulting
- Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO, Moms First
- Kaakpema “KP” Yelpaala, MPH, chief impact officer, health equity moonshot, StartUp Health
Closing plenary session: When Early Inspiration Turns into Lifelong Commitment and Action
Saturday, March 4, 5:30–6:45 p.m.
This session will explore what happens when early inspiration turns into a lifetime of commitment, action and advocacy, and it will highlight how future generations can address the most challenging issues of our time. Moderated by President Clinton, this session features:
- Allyson Felix, five-time Olympian and co-founder of Saysh
- Jaylen Smith, mayor of Earle, Arkansas
Working session: Protecting the Rights of Girls and Women During Conflict and Uncertainty
Saturday, March 4, 10:15–11:45 a.m.
One could argue that it is likely more dangerous to be a woman today than a soldier in an armed conflict. In dozens of countries around the world, millions of people face a never-ending cycle of human rights violations, perpetual violence and political instability; in the developed world, citizens face discriminatory barriers that lack a cohesive approach. Not one society is immune from the violation of human rights, yet its impact disproportionately affects girls and women. Moderated by Secretary Clinton, this session features:
- Shadrack Osei Frimpong, CGI U ’12, founder, Cocoa360
- Amanda Nguyen, CEO, Rise
- Michelle Nunn, president and CEO, CARE USA
Working session: Equitable, Accessible and Flexible: Tomorrow’s Health Care
Saturday, March 4, 3:45–5 p.m.
The past few years have starkly exposed the limitations and inequities of global public health systems. While these health inequities have existed for decades in vulnerable communities worldwide, this has been magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic and is ongoing. The rise of global pandemics and the spread of communicable diseases has necessitated the need for the global community to come together to re-energize depleted public health systems, but the response in speed and scale is inconsistent, specifically in vulnerable communities where change is needed the most. Young people are putting social justice at the forefront of health care response and preparedness, and they are creating an infrastructure that is not only accessible, but also resilient and flexible. They are leading innovative efforts to create new health care models, such as leveraging mobile technology to increase health care accessibility and providing telemedicine in hard-to-reach places. Moderated by Chelsea Clinton, this session features:
- Andrew Aboujaoude, CGI U ’16, medical doctor at Columbia University, captain in the U.S. Air Force and founder, Hearts for the Homeless International
- Michelle Morse, M.D., MPH, chief medical officer and deputy commissioner, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Love Odetola, CGI U ’14, D. candidate, University of North Carolina–Greensboro