If children are our future, then it’s high time we invest more in them. That is the guiding principle behind the annual Hult Prize Competition that has come to CMC for the first time this year.
More than 100 million children worldwide under the age of six and living in poverty do not get the quality education needed to prepare them for primary school and, later, to be competitive in society. Research shows that early education in the first six years is one of the most critical, unmet needs facing society this century.
The Hult Prize Competition – a global competition held annually since 2010 – seeks to help remedy that situation. Through its Foundation, the Hult Prize Competition selects and then helps to launch startup enterprises that tackle the problem of a lack of quality education in urban slum areas by providing “seed” money in the amount of $1 million to the competition winner.
According to William Su ‘16, Campus Director for the prize competition this year at CMC, the college was one of 112 schools around the world that was selected to host a Hult Prize event. Su is working with impACT, CMC’s social innovation club, to host the competition.
“Claremont McKenna students are bright, ambitious and driven change-makers,” Su said. “Where others sit back, our students take action because they are passionately dedicated to improving the lives of others.
“I am excited to see the Hult Prize at CMC, because I know how capable our students are in leading and serving communities,” he continued. “This is an incredible opportunity not only to actively address the challenges that face our world, but showcase our students' entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to sustainable social change.”
The Hult Prize Competition has been named as one of the top five ideas changing the world by former President Bill Clinton and TIME magazine. In addition to the $1 million in cash, the prize carries with it mentorship opportunities from the international business community, including assistance from The Clinton Global Initiative, venture capitalists, Hult alumnus and a variety of other corporate executives.
As one of the campus’ hosting the competition, CMC is granted a fringe benefit: the winner of the CMC Hult Prize Competition will automatically advance to regional competition and bypass 10,000 other competing teams in the general competition.
Learn more about the Hult Prize at CMC: http://www.hultprizeat.com/claremontmckenna
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