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<p>Kent State University student Justin Pierce, a senior finance major and executive director of the university’s Undergraduate Student Government, will participate in President Obama’s “Winning the Future” forum on Feb. 22 in Cleveland.</p>

Kent State University student Justin Pierce, a senior finance major and executive director of the university’s Undergraduate Student Government, will participate in President Obama’s “Winning the Future” forum on Feb. 22 in Cleveland.

<p>Kent State University student Justin Pierce (seated 2nd from back on the right) at the Youth Engagement Roundtable at the "Winning the Future" forum in Cleveland with President Obama. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)<br /> </p>

Kent State University student Justin Pierce (seated 2nd from back on the right) at the Youth Engagement Roundtable at the "Winning the Future" forum in Cleveland with President Obama. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

  • <p>Kent State University student Justin Pierce, a senior finance major and executive director of the university’s Undergraduate Student Government, will participate in President Obama’s “Winning the Future” forum on Feb. 22 in Cleveland.</p>
  • <p>Kent State University student Justin Pierce (seated 2nd from back on the right) at the Youth Engagement Roundtable at the "Winning the Future" forum in Cleveland with President Obama. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)<br /> </p>

Kent State Student
Participates in
President Obama’s Forum

University Communications and Marketing | 02/23/2011
Kent State University student Justin Pierce was invited to participate in President Barack Obama’s “Winning the Future Forum on Small Business” on Tuesday, Feb. 22, in Cleveland at the Wolstein Center. Pierce was one of a few students on a panel discussing youth issues.

“I woke up on Thursday morning last week, and within 15 minutes, I was on the phone with the White House, giving my information for a background check,” Pierce said. “I was completely shocked, and the excitement didn’t set in for a while after.  Hundreds of things race through my mind when I think of what I’m going to say as I shake the president's hand.”

The university was also represented by Kent State President Lester A. Lefton, who received a White House invitation to attend the forum.

According to a White House press release, the “Winning the Future Forum on Small Business” was an opportunity for President Obama and his economic team to hear directly from small business owners and leaders about their ideas for how America can continue to grow the economy, put Americans back to work and win the future.

A native of Parma, Ohio, Pierce serves as executive director of Kent State’s Undergraduate Student Government. The senior finance major introduced Lefton before the university president delivered his fourth annual State of the University address last September.