WASHINGTON – Today, thousands of millennials on 49 college campuses across the country are joining forces for My Two Cents Day, a first-of-its-kind nationwide day of mobilization to raise awareness about America’s fiscal and economic future. My Two Cents Day, part of the Up to Us campaign sponsored by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) and Net Impact, is a student-led effort to engage, educate and inspire action among the generation most impacted by the nation’s long term fiscal and economic health.
“The millennial generation has the most at stake in building a vibrant, thriving economy of the future,” said Michael Peterson, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. “And they have the most to lose if we do not address our long-term national debt to provide a solid fiscal foundation for the future. Today, thousands of college students on 49 college campuses are uniting as one voice to send a message about why we need to put our nation on a sustainable long-term fiscal and economic path.”
My Two Cents Day participants are working in teams on their campuses to lead a variety of engagement, awareness and educational activities throughout the day, including photo and video booths; graffiti walls (giving their peers a chance to offer their “two cents”); educational content on fiscal issues; and collecting signatures for the My Two Cents Day Pledge on Facebook. Students will post on social media throughout the day using the hashtag #MyTwoCentsDay, as well as Twitter handles specific to their school. In the days following, student teams will visit the local offices of their elected leaders to present the signed pledges and the views provided by their peers throughout the day.
My Two Cents Day is part of the Up to Us campaign, a nationwide campus competition to raise awareness of the nation’s long-term fiscal and economic health among college students. The competition, now in its third year, includes 35 student teams from across the country, with campus campaigns running now through Feb. 20, 2015. In addition to participating in My Two Cents Day, these student teams are conducting innovative campus campaigns to educate their peers on fiscal issues, including engaging and fun activities ranging from discussion forums and seminars to dance-a-thons and flash mobs.
At the end of the four-week campaign, each team will be assessed by a panel of distinguished judges on their effectiveness in raising awareness and inspiring action on campus and beyond. The winning team will be awarded a $10,000 cash prize and be recognized by President Bill Clinton at the upcoming 2015 CGI U meeting at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, which will take place March 6-8. This year’s esteemed panel of judges includes:
- Chelsea Clinton: Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation
- Ben Rattray: Founder and CEO of Change.org
- Congressman Joaquín Castro
- The Honorable Mick Cornett: Mayor of Oklahoma City
- George Stephanopoulos: Anchor of ABC’s “This Week” and “Good Morning America”
In addition, the team that best executes My Two Cents Day will win a trip to the Net Impact Conference in November 2015, where they will have the opportunity to engage and network with other millennial leaders working to empower their peers to address the most important challenges facing their generation today.
The following schools are competing in 2015 My Two Cents Day. All of this year’s schools competing in the Up to Us competition are also participating in My Two Cents Day.
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About Up to Us
Up to Us, a nationwide campus competition sponsored by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) and Net Impact, provides an opportunity for students to raise awareness and engagement on America’s long-term fiscal and economic health. This year, 35 student teams selected from across the country compete to design and run thought-provoking, fun, and impactful campaigns on the effects of rising debt on economic opportunity and America’s future.
About Clinton Global Initiative University
The Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U), a program of the Clinton Global Initiative, brings together college students to address global challenges with practical, innovative solutions. CGI U participants do more than simply discuss problems – they take concrete steps to solve them by creating action plans, building relationships, participating in hands-on workshops, and following up with CGI U as they complete their projects. Since 2008, students have made more than 4,800 Commitments to Action. Previous CGI U meetings have taken place at Tulane University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Miami, the University of California at San Diego, the George Washington University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Arizona State University, and have convened more than 6,500 students from over 875 schools, 145 countries, and all 50 states. To learn more, visit cgiu.org.
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,100 Commitments to Action, which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
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