2 Stevenson High Alums Bring Their ActGreen Message to the Clinton Global Initiative

Two Stevenson High School alumni who are attending the University of Illinois were selected to participate in the seventh annual Clinton Global Initiative University 2014 student activist conference at Arizona State University March 21-23.

Hannah Schlacter and Elizabeth Shancer, both 2013 graduates, were among more than 1,000 student activists from around the world who attended the event to discuss potential solutions to global issues. Students heard from Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton along with many other speakers, and participated in a community service Day of Action in Phoenix.

Schlacter and Shancer were selected based on their roles as co-founders of ActGreen, a green business initiative within the University of Illinois College of Business. ActGreen’s goal is to educate undergraduate business students on the connection between environmentalism and the students’ area of study.

"CGI U gave us the opportunity to share and develop our ideas with some of the brightest students around the world," said Shancer, a freshman studying civil and environmental engineering. "We are truly thankful we were given the opportunity to participate in such an inspiring event."

Schlacter and Shancer are planning the ActGreen Student Leadership Summit, their kickoff event within the College of Business, for the 2014-15 school year. The summit will invite all UI undergraduate students interested in business to learn from breakout sessions and keynote speakers. Stevenson alumni Danielle Rudy and Jayne Chorpash — also members of the Class of 2013 — are part of the ActGreen team.

Their long-term vision is to start ActGreen chapters at universities across the country.

"I see ActGreen as a future model for all environmental-business education for college students," said Schlacter, a freshman studying marketing and entrepreneurship. "I want to empower my peers to become leaders educated on pressing environmental issues."