By Sneha Gade
Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) was established by Bill Clinton, he built a community of young and upcoming leaders connected by established leaders who serve as mentors. Every year, many college-level students apply and participate in their curriculum to gain a certificate and graduate from the university. I applied and got accepted into the CGIU. It is a year-long program that allowed us to put our initiatives into action. I am participating in their curriculum that works on leadership development, mentorship, skills training, and partnership building. Alongside their curriculum, I am able to meet various commitment-makers across the world to hear about world problems and pursuits that will improve a plethora of social problems.
My commitment to action in this program is to create individualized virtual volunteer events with organizations in local and global communities to further enhance student leadership in the field of civic engagement in Richmond, VA, and hopefully expand to further communities in the United States. The main goal is to create unity amongst the community and bring a sense of belonging. This is crucial to prevent isolation and mental health issues. As students, we are used to having social interactions on a daily basis which help us to develop our character and push us to have a sense of belonging in our college community. Due to COVID-19, many students are having a difficult time being isolated. My initiative is tackling that issue to make a sense of belonging in isolating times through volunteering opportunities. If you are interested in developing leadership skills and being introduced to a variety of resources, CGIU is a great program and I highly encourage applying!
