CGI U 2021-2022 Prospective Student Sessions

If you are a student interested in learning more about the CGI U 2022 student programs and application processes, we invite you to attend any of the following prospective student sessions. You can also download the full calendar of events here. If your university or college is interested in scheduling an information session exclusively available to your student body, please email us.

Watch THE 2022 Application Kickoff Event

General Sessions

CGI U 2022: PROGRAM AND APPLICATION OVERVIEW

Led by CGI U Senior Outreach and Engagement Associate, Cassie Epstein
Learn about the Clinton Global Initiative University year-long student program, CGI U 2022, and its extension programs through Verizon, IBM, and Up to Us. During this session, students will learn more about the programs, CGI U Commitment to Action model, and how to start the CGI U application process.

• Session 1: October 22 at 1:00pm ET
• Session 2: November 9 at 5:00pm ET
• Session 3: November 22 at 9:00am ET
• Session 4: December 13 at 2:00pm ET
• Session 5: January 12 at 9:00am ET
• Session 6: January 21 at 1:00pm ET

CGI U 2022: SUBMITTING A COMPELLING APPLICATION

Led by CGI U Senior Outreach and Engagement Associate, Cassie Epstein
We will walk students and educators through how to craft and submit a competitive application for CGI U 2022. In this session, students will go over each section of the CGI U 2022 application and talk through how to best approach each question. There will also be an opportunity to exchange CGI U Commitment to Action ideas.

• Session 1: October 28 at 12:00pm ET
• Session 2: December 3 at 11:00am ET
• Session 3: January 14 at 5:00pm ET
• Session 4: January 19 at 4:00pm ET
• Session 5: January 24 at 10:00am ET
• Session 6: January 25 at 5:00pm ET
• Session 7: January 26 at 9:00am ET

VERIZON FORWARD FOR GOOD CHALLENGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CGI U: PROGRAM AND APPLICATION OVERVIEW

Led by CGI U Partnerships Manager, Jordan Ashwood
This session will provide an overview of the Verizon Forward for Good Challenge in partnership with CGI U, including the VentureWell summer accelerator program, seed funding, and mentorship opportunities. We will also discuss the application prompt, process and timeline.

• Session 1: October 12 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)
• Session 2: October 20 at 1:00pm ET

VERIZON FORWARD FOR GOOD CHALLENGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CGI U: SUBMITTING A COMPELLING APPLICATION

Led by CGI U Partnerships Manager, Jordan Ashwood
Learn how to craft and submit a competitive application for the Verizon Forward for Good Challenge in partnership with CGI U. In this session, we will go over each section of the application, talk through how to best approach each question, and review the rubric for the application. There will also be an opportunity to discuss the different stages of project development and exchange potential project ideas.

• Session 1: November 4 at 1:00pm ET
• Session 2: December 15 at 1:00pm ET
• Session 3: January 6 at 1:00pm ET
• Session 4: January 13 at 1:00pm ET

In-Depth Series

We invite you to join us for these deep dive sessions for more focused, in-depth explorations of topics within CGI U’s student programs and applications.

CREATING A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED COMMITMENT

Led by CGI U Senior Manager of Impact and Design, Myeashea Alexander
This in-depth session will walk students and educators through how to create a CGI U Commitment to Action in collaboration with community partners and the people who will be most impacted. This session will discuss the importance of building trust within the community and how to approach human-centered work thoughtfully and equitably.

• October 11 at 10:00am ET

INTRODUCTION TO LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

Led by Verizon
This session will provide students with an overview of the evolution of connectivity, the power of 5G and the opportunities leading-edge technology can unleash for the future. Students will have a chance to learn and ask questions about different types of leading-edge technology, including artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and the Internet of Things. This session will help students think through how to develop social impact projects that leverage leading-edge technology in innovative ways.

• October 21 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL INNOVATION WITH VERIZON

Social innovation identifies opportunity to create meaningful social impact through a sustainable business model. In this session, students will learn about key principles and strategies for developing and deploying social innovation solutions at scale, as well as some examples of successful social innovation projects.

• November 2 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

NAVIGATING YOUR UNIVERSITY: SOCIAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE APPLICATION SUPPORT WITH VENTUREWELL

Led by VentureWell
Navigating university bureaucracy is often challenging and complex. If you are a part of a student team, join us and learn how to identify which university stakeholders you will need to engage and how to navigate your institution to submit a Verizon Forward for Good Challenge application. In this session, we will give an overview of the Office of Sponsored Programs/Research, who can serve as an administrative contact and principal investigator, as well as the timeline for when and how to begin engaging these key stakeholders in order to submit an application on time.

• November 10 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording | View presentation)

Becoming #A11y: Digital Accessibility Literacy from the Perspective of Inclusive Design

The hashtag “A one one Y” is a numeronym for the word accessibility, with the first and last letters of the word surrounding the number 11. This number in the middle creates a stand-in for the 11 letters in the word accessibility. In social media, it has come to mean Digital Accessibility specifically. Digital Accessibility is the practice of creating digital products and services with accessibility in mind from the beginning design phases through development, launch, and during the entire product lifecycle. It is based on the principle of Inclusive Design that considers accessibility regardless of age, disability, or other factors. This session will cover the general principles of Inclusive Design and Digital Accessibility with the overarching concept of designing with people, not for people.

• November 30 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

INNOVATION PATHWAYS: MOVE FROM IDEA TO IMPACT WITH VENTUREWELL

Led by VentureWell
Learn the key steps for moving your social innovation project from idea to impact in the real world. In this session we will discuss key social innovation concepts, such as product-market fit, customer discovery, and how to develop a lean strategy so you can pivot and adjust your idea as you gain insight from potential customers. We will also discuss various pathways for scaling your project and provide additional resources to help you further move your social innovation project along your chosen pathway to scale.

• December 1 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DESIGNING YOUR COMMITMENT

Led by Senior Manager of Community Engagement, Megan Strawther
This in-depth session will explore how to design a new, specific, and measurable CGI U Commitment to Action, with case studies of past commitments and how they achieved sustained, positive social impact.

• December 8 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording | View presentation)

CGI U CURRICULUM AND COMMITMENT MENTORSHIP OVERVIEW

Led by Programs Associate, Katie DiClemente
This in-depth session will provide more information on CGI U’s comprehensive social impact curriculum that is a part of the CGI U 2022 year-long program. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about CGI U’s talented Commitment Mentors, consisting of CGI U alumni who provide personalized mentorship to students selected for the program.

• January 5 at 4:00pm ET

Focus Areas

We invite you to join us for a week of deep dive sessions on CGI U’s five focus areas with topic experts from CGI U and Verizon’s networks.

EDUCATION

A new generation of innovators is leading initiatives to expand access to education, improve existing education systems and better integrate technology into classrooms. This session will include an overview of this topic area, as well as a discussion of how leading-edge technology can provide equitable access to engaging, immersive educational experiences for learners from kindergarten through adulthood. Students will have the opportunity to network with other prospective applicants who share similar interests, as well as receive feedback from topic experts on their project ideas. This session is relevant for students who are interested in applying to both CGI U 2022 and the Verizon Forward for Good Challenge.

• November 15 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is having dire impacts on ecosystems and human societies. Throughout the world, a groundswell of next generation leaders is accelerating progress towards a sustainable future through energy efficiency, renewable energy, green jobs, carbon sequestration and removal, and many other pathways. This session will include an overview of this topic area, as well as a discussion of how leading-edge technology can advance equity within it. Students will have the opportunity to network with other prospective applicants who share similar interests, as well as receive feedback from topic experts on their project ideas. This session is relevant for students who are interested in applying to both CGI U 2022 and the Verizon Forward for Good Challenge.

• November 16 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Geopolitical, military, and cultural conflicts around the world continue to cause significant human rights harms. Many next generation leaders are taking action to address these issues by spearheading awareness campaigns, building communities of dialogue on and off campus, and bringing together diverse ethnic, religious, and political groups to forge effective, long-term solutions. This session will include an overview of this topic area, as well as a discussion on how leading-edge technology can be leveraged to build more peaceful, inclusive, and rights-respecting societies in the United States. Students will have the opportunity to network with other prospective applicants who share similar interests, as well as receive feedback from topic experts on their project ideas. This session is relevant for students who are interested in applying to both CGI U 2022 and the Verizon Forward for Good Challenge.

• November 17 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

POVERTY ALLEVIATION

The global rate of extreme poverty is increasing for the first time in over 20 years. Poverty is both a cause and consequence of inadequate education systems, scarce job opportunities, social exclusion, political instability, violent conflict, food insecurity, demographic pressures, and human migration. Students and universities are advancing economic equity through new innovations in the fields of financial sustainability, affordable technology, and agricultural development. This session will include an overview of this topic area, as well as a discussion for how leading-edge technology can advance equity within it. Students will have the opportunity to network with other prospective applicants who share similar interests, as well as receive feedback from topic experts on their project ideas. This session is relevant for students who are interested in applying to both CGI U 2022 and the Verizon Forward for Good Challenge.

• November 18 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)

PUBLIC HEALTH

Our increasingly interconnected world enables health risks to spread quickly across borders, linking the health of the world’s communities more closely than ever before. While many of the world’s biggest public health challenges disproportionately affect under-resourced groups, and Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), students are at the forefront of the movement to expand access to essential services and medicines by exploring innovative ways to promote health, prevent disease and improve access to quality care. This session will include an overview of this topic area, as well as a discussion on how leading-edge technology can advance equity within it. Students will have the opportunity to network with other prospective applicants who share similar interests, as well as receive feedback from topic experts on their project ideas. This session is relevant for students who are interested in applying to both CGI U 2022 and the Verizon Forward for Good Challenge.

• November 19 at 1:00pm ET (Watch the recording)