CGI U: A Chance for Washington University to Shine

When 1,000 extra students and 50-plus speakers and dignitaries arrive on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis today, they will see a school that is ready to greet them.

The Clinton Global Initiative University begins tonight and runs through Sunday. 

According to Rob Wild, vice chancellor and assistant to Chancellor Mark Wrighton, this is a great opportunity for the school and the St. Louis community.

"This is an opportunity to have some of the most impressive civically engaged people come to Wash U and to St. Louis to see what a great thing we have going here," Wild said. "We know that we have great innnovation and entreuprenuarship in St. Louis. I'm hoping after this visit St. Louis will be on the map."

He added that CGI U was a chance to show off what all of us already know — that St. Louis is a great community to live, work and learn in."

Getting Ready

Wild said the university has been preparing for months.

"We had a committee of about 35 men and women from across the university working on this," he said.

Extra staff in the facilities and dining departments will be on hand to handle the extra people and the Washington University Police staff is coordinating with area agencies to keep the campus secure.

Two hundred student volunteers will act as ambassadors to the visiting students. 

Amanda Moore McBride, chair of WUSTL's CGI U planning committee, associate professor and associate dean for the Brown School and director of the Gephardt Institute for Public Service, said the students involved are examples of why Wash U is the site of the 2013 CGI U.

"I think that's why were chosen," McBride said. "Because of our community engagement, our civil leadership and pride. It's built into our educational mission."

Wash U students will account for 201 of the 1,200 students participating in CGI U. To participate, each student had to flesh out a project based on one GCI U's  five focus areas: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health.

McBride said the projects must be innovative, specific and measurable.

"It's not enough to say you want to end poverty," she said. "They needed concrete plans to create change."

To that end, the school worked with interested students to flesh out their proposals. Four hundred Wash U students applied for the 201 slots. 

Wild and McBride said while there were several sophisticated plans from graduate students, they were also thrilled to see many projects from first-year students.

"The Chancellor has referred to CGI as the punctuation point on all the work the students have been doing," McBride said. "This is a culmination of their hard work."

See our previous stories: 

• CGI U: Chelsea Clinton Talks Why Wash U
• Wash U to Host Colbert Report with President Clinton
• Washington U to Host Clinton Global Initiative University

See what others are saying: 

• KSDK: Washington University students to attend Clinton Global Initiative University
• Inside Higher Ed: Bill Clinton Outlines Goals for Meeting With Student Leaders
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Clinton initiative seeks to help students make global impact
• Fox 2: Bill Clinton, Stephen Colbert Attending Conference At Wash. U
• St. Louis Public Radio: Engaging The Next Generation Of Leaders: Clinton Global Initiative University Comes To St. Louis