Watch the CGI U coverage unfold on Storify.
Name: Kathleen Stefanik
Major: industrial/organizational psychology
Year: senior
Hometown: Mesa, Ariz.
Q: What is your commitment and CGI U focus area?
A: From Subsistence to Surplus - increasing value for smallholder farmers in Peru; Poverty Alleviation. GAIA International commits to teach farmers in rural Peru, and eventually in other parts of the world, to cost-effectively increase crop production and alleviate the effects of poverty by introducing them to an ancient method of soil improvement called Terra Preta. We commit to educate farmers in these methods of replenishing soil fertility by teaching them how to make biochar, which, when combined with natural fertilizers, helps soils retain nutrients and moisture, resulting in increased crop yields of up to 880 percent.
Q: What inspired you to launch your commitment?
A: What started as an academic exercise in ASU's "Make Your Ideas Happen" class last spring has turned into a nonprofit organization called GAIA International. Individuals were initially selected within a program that trains students with a passion for developing bold ideas into men and women with the capacity to follow through. Management was formed by selecting a group of energetic people with unique backgrounds, who also possess a “can do” attitude, no matter what the challenges faced, and have an amazing passion for making a difference in the lives of people at the bottom of the pyramid.
Q: What is your goal for CGI U?
A: We hope to draw attention to the initiatives our organization is working on that seek to improve the lives of people living on less than $1.25 per day. We have already transformed lives, but there is so much more to do, and so we hope to get support for continuing our efforts through our non-profit organization, GAIA International. We also hope to learn many things at the conference, including how to build our organization, and how to measure and monitor our results.