STU STUDENT PARTICIPATED IN THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY

Steeve Simbert, a freshman at St. Thomas University (STU) double majoring in Global Leadership and Political Science, was selected to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University 2011. This program brought together world leaders to take action on global challenges; President Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world. Each year, CGI U hosts a meeting for students and national youth organizations to discuss solutions to pressing global issues. CGI U 2011 was held at the University of California at San Diego from April 1-3, 2011. At this meeting, nearly 1,200 attendees came together to make a difference in CGI U's five Focus Areas: Education, Environment & Climate Change, Peace & Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health.

Steeve says: “As a student here at STU, making good grades is simply not enough; a student must go beyond his ability while believing that everything is possible.” Steeve attended CGIU to represent the Enlightenment Foundation USA, a non-profit organization that he created. The purpose of the foundation is to establish a global working model that will educate underprivileged high school and university students with the use of cutting edge technology, software and hardware systems. The foundation will launch computer labs in high schools and universities to improve efficiency in the education system in order to equip students to make wiser decisions to recover the economies of underdeveloped populations worldwide.

Participants this year’s event include former President Bill Clinton, All-Pro NFL cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, actress Drew Barrymore and Blue Legacy International founder Alexandra Cousteau. Past participants include Bill Gates, President Barack Obama and Warren Buffett.

Steeve says: “It is so interesting to be part of these phenomenal young future leaders gathered to be empowered with their determined unreasonable mindsets to change any system that is not working.”