Five Austin Community College students are headed to Miami to take part in the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U), an effort launched by former President Bill Clinton to engage the next generation of leaders and address global challenges in education, the environment, peace and human rights, poverty alleviation, and public health.

The 2010 CGI U takes place April 16-18 at the University of Miami. Nearly 1,500 attendees will learn how they can make a difference on their campuses and in their communities.

“We are getting a chance to interact with and learn from students from around the globe,” says Paul Theobald, one of the ACC students attending the conference. “We are representing our community in an atmosphere where voices are heard and action is taken.”

This is the first CGI U open to community colleges.

“We’re excited about what our students will have an opportunity to share, experience, and learn,” says Peck Young, director of ACC’s Center for Public Policy and Political Studies. “We look forward to the new ideas they will bring back to ACC.”