CGI U is coming to Tempe: 5 things you need to know

On March 21 more than 1,000 student leaders from across the globe will land at ASU's Tempe campus for three days dedicated to taking action in solving some of the most pressing concerns of the Millennial generation, as part of the seventh annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U).

The ASU community – students, faculty, staff, alumni and surrounding community – will play a role in this important event.

Here's what you need to know:

1. The Clintons are coming.

President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton will lead the three-day CGI U event at Arizona State University.

The Clintons will be joined by other leaders, experts, entrepreneurs and civically engaged celebrities, including Gabrielle Giffords, former U.S. Representative and founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions; Jimmy Kimmel, host and executive producer of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"; U.S. Senator John McCain; and Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia.

See full list of participants.

2. A public session is slated for opening night.

The opening plenary session, open to the public, is slated for Friday, March 21, at Gammage Auditorium.

Remarks for this session, titled "The Age of Participation," will be given by Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and ASU President Michael M. Crow.

President Bill Clinton will moderate, and panelists will include Shree Bose, a student from Harvard University; U.S. Senator John McCain; and Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia founder.

Learn more about what will be discussed.

3. Why ASU?

Arizona State University was selected to host the Clinton Global Initiative University because of its commitment to student-driven social change and entrepreneurship.

Approximately 200 ASU students are taking part in this year's meeting, and hundreds more will ensure the event runs smoothly by volunteering their time throughout the weekend.

For a complete schedule of events, click here.

4. Five areas of focus

Many ASU students, faculty and staff already are hard at work on a variety of initiatives that reflect the five focus areas of the Clinton Global Initiative, which are: education; environment and climate change; peace and human rights; poverty alleviation; and public health.

CGI U attendees must create Commitments to Action – new, specific and measurable plans to address global challenges – in one of these five areas.

5. Day of Action in Phoenix

A day of community service will take place Sunday, March 23, in downtown Phoenix – hosted in part by PHX Renews, a partnership between the City of Phoenix and Keep Phoenix Beautiful. Participants will work in conjunction with nearly one dozen community organizations on a wide array of volunteer activities, ranging from urban agriculture to mural painting.

You can also follow the action March 21-23 on Twitter, using hashtag #cgiu, and also see updates on ASU News.

Need more information? Go to cgiu.asu.edu.