FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Graduate student Angela Chang and Honors College senior Tyler Hartney represented the University of Arkansas as “commitment-makers” at this year’s Clinton Global Initiative University in Miami last month.

John Kester III, a doctoral student in environmental dynamics attended as mentor for students developing commitment projects in the area of conservation.

The Clinton Global Initiative University is an annual meeting that brings more than 1000 students together with heads of state, Nobel Prize laureates, CEOs and heads of non-government organizations, philanthropists and other professionals. It’s an opportunity for everyone who attends to share ideas, network, and for the students to officially commit to actions. These “commitments to action” are intended to address global problems in the realms of public health, environment and climate change, education, peace and human rights, and poverty alleviation.

More than 1,000 students attended and more than 180 countries were represented at this year’s session at the University of Miami.

University participants attended workshops and breakout sessions for two days, then participated in a Day of Action, helping the Miami Children’s Initiative in Liberty City, Florida, where they worked on neighborhood and school improvement projects ranging from urban agriculture to revitalizing basketball courts and painting murals.

ANGELA CHANG

Bill Clinton poses with Angela Chang.

Angela Chang met former President Bill Clinton, founder of the Global Initiative, after he spoke to students on the Day of Action. She had briefly met him at the U of A last October, when he was on campus for a Young Democrats rally. She recalled their conversation in Miami.

“When I approached him to reintroduce myself he said ‘Yes I remember.’ While they were taking our picture he asked ‘so tell me again how did you end up in Arkansas?’ I told him because of scholarships and he asked "are you originally from Arkansas?" I told him I was from Bolivia. That’s when he called over the reporters and said ‘This student here is a graduate student from the University of Arkansas, she's from Bolivia, and she's Chinese. This is what CGI U is about."

Chang earned her nursing degree from the College of Education and Health Professions in 2012 and worked as a registered nurse before enrolling in the U of A Master of Science program in community health promotion. She developed a commitment proposal for the Clinton Initiative to work with members of the Marshallese community in Northwest Arkansas. Her commitment is to develop a program to educate this population on type II diabetes self-management, through healthier dietary practices, nutrition and cooking literacy. This was a need she recognized while working as a nurse.

“I made a commitment to action because I believe that if we want change, we need to stand up and make it happen,” Chang said. “When a large population in your community is suffering and is at a disadvantage, we can choose to turn a blind eye and disassociate ourselves, or take the lead and make a positive change. What happens in our community, directly and indirectly affects all of us. As Chelsea Clinton said in the conference, ‘Just because you can't do everything, doesn't mean you shouldn't do something.’ This commitment is my something. The Clinton Global Initiative is the definition of collective teamwork. We are not alone, we are the change, we are the future.”

TYLER HARTNEY

Tyler Hartney selfie as Bill Clinton speaks.

Tyler Hartney is a senior political science major and a member of the U of A Honors College. He is interested in technology and concerned about the safety of students on campus – especially after recent national publicity about the number of sexual assaults taking place on college campuses. He is working with a team to develop a mobile phone app to address the problem.

Hartney brought the concept to the Clinton Global Initiative University and received encouragement and useful feedback.

“This was my second time attending the Clinton Global Initiative University, and it did not lose any value,” Hartney said. “This is a place to surround yourself with some of the most innovative minds across the world that can lend inspiration and support to projects like mine that are still trying to get off the ground.”

Hartney made a commitment to action on behalf of his team to finish developing a mobile app that, with one click of a button, can send an immediate message, along with a GPS location, to police and friends during an emergency situation – such as a sexual assault.

“This is about the health and public safety of students on campus,” Hartney said. “This is about feeling empowered and protected. This is about securing this zone for academics. Our app isn’t just for students; our app is for all of those who live and/or work on the college campus.”

Hartney’s app is not just for the University of Arkansas, either. His plan is to have the app ready for beta testing this month, then to begin reaching out to other universities to make it available to their campuses as well.

JOHN KESTER III

John Kester III

John Kester III is a doctoral candidate in the Environmental Dynamics program studying sustainable energy policies in Arkansas. He has attended the Clinton Global Initiative University four times, the last two years as a mentor, working with students in the area of conservation. He read the commitment proposals and used his knowledge of the environmental field and experience at past CGI Universities to help students to improve their plans of action.

“As I began to communicate with commitment-makers directly and learn more about their projects the same two words came to mind that I used to describe my CGI U experience of years past: inspired and invigorated. With each conversation I was inspired and invigorated to do my best to make the commitments a reality.”

Kester said he is looking forward to working with the program in the future, and hopes the University of Arkansas will continue as a partner with the Clinton Global Initiative University.

CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

U of A students attend the Clinton Global Initiative University each year with support from the Center for Community Engagement. The center offers students the chance to present proposals and apply to attend. More information about the Initiative is available on the center’s website and GGI U blog.  

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.