Two UAB freshmen, Economics major Sudhanshu Kaushik and Biomedical Engineering major Forrest Satterfield, were chosen to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University meeting at Arizona State University in March. CGI U was launched by President Bill Clinton in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world.
Each year, CGI U brings together 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students from around the world to address challenges with practical, innovative solutions. To be considered for the annual meeting, each student must develop a commitment to action, which is a specific plan of action that addresses a pressing local or global challenge in one of five categories: education, environment and climate change, peace and human rights, poverty alleviation, and public health.
Kaushik, a Hoover native, submitted his commitment to action in the peace and human rights category. He plans to promote a more unified India by educating students in Pundri, Haryana, about the caste system and other divisive factors that deter India’s progress.
Satterfield, who is from Huntsville, wrote his commitment to action for the public health category. He intends to create a universal and inexpensive system of actuators to be used in prostheses and orthotics.
The two students were chosen in the early decision round. UAB students can still apply to CGI U through the final deadline of Friday, Jan. 17. For more information on applying to CGI U, visit www.uab.edu/servicelearning/clinton-global-initiative-university-network. UAB is a 2014 member of the CGI University Network.