LMU Students Bring New Ideas to Clinton Global Initiative University

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From October 19-21, ten Loyola Marymount University (LMU) students attended the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) conference at the University of Chicago, where they collaborated with over 1,000 other undergraduate and graduate student leaders from around the globe in finding solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. Each year the Center for Service and Action works with students interested in submitting projects and sponsors ten students to attend to the conference. While sharing and developing their own unique ideas for change within the LMU community, the students also heard stories of those already making strides towards a better world and engaging in conservations with experts in an array of fields.

Jennifer Mendez, a graduate student and the Administrative Coordinator for LMU’s First To Go program, was one of the attendees. In attending CGI U, she hoped to gain insight into ways LMU’s First to Go program may better serve first-generation college students at LMU and other universities.

“There are a lot of existing methodologies like Facebook groups and other networks, but nothing that can really connect these programs through one point of contact,” said Mendez. “I decided to create one for existing first-generation college programs, working relay more information to students, faster.”

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Former President Bill Clinton with Patrick Furlong, Associate Director, LMU Center for Service and Action.

While at the conference, Mendez says that she was able to share ideas and make connections with other program and leaders in education, making collective commitments to making sure all students are fully interested in their educational experience. “No matter the size of your project, it’s great to be surrounded by so many inspiring people,” says Mendez. “Listening to the stories just showed me that regardless of what I’m doing in life, if I seek out help and support, there will be people who want to help.”

Panelists at this year’s conference included the Clinton family themselves, who emphasized the importance of collaboration, as opposed to competition, in the world’s effort to solve social issues. Other LMU attendees, like senior Brooke Duplantier, found the weekend to be a valuable learning experience about creativity in her action plan for expansion of LMU’s on-campus food pantry.

“Some people had similar projects as I did, whether they had established community gardens or anti-food waste initiatives. All of these things were helpful to here because I could begin to understand what our university already has done, what it needs and what can be adapted to our efforts,” said Duplantier. “Just hearing the different ideas about how to approach hunger, whether it be locally or globally, was really valuable.”

Participants of the conference discussed and workshopped viable solutions to issues in education, environment and climate change, peace and human rights, poverty alleviation and public health. United by their collective commitments to action in through their specific initiatives, the LMU attendees joined the hopeful network of over 10,000 CGI U alumni who have done the same.

“Many of us agreed on so many things. It was a unifying sense that regardless of where you’re from, what your socioeconomic status is, what your gender is, etc., we could still agree on what the world needs,” said Mendez.

The Center for Service & Action at Loyola Marymount University offers students and graduates a range of opportunities to volunteer their time serving those disadvantaged or oppressed. Service opportunities are available, on campus locally in the Los Angeles area and abroad through dedicated service groups or special events.

By Carson Miller